John Krasinski had a surreal guest list for his ‘Some Good News’ virtual potluck
John Krasinski hosted two celebrity chefs, a lifestyle guru and his brother-in-law, actor Stanley Tucci, for the fifth episode of his hit homemade YouTube show, “Some Good News.”
Guy Fieri, Martha Stewart and Momofuku chef David Chang convened Sunday on Zoom for a $3-million “potluck” feast in honor of the food industry and restaurant workers helping to keep their neighbors fed in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.
Fresh off his viral technique for making a Negroni, Tucci mixed “quarantinis” as the chefs set out to re-create three other viewer-submitted recipes. Stewart made cabbage pierogis, Chang prepared a “very, very rich” pasta dish and Fieri cooked “Dynamites,” a sloppy Joe-style meat and cheese sandwich on sourdough.
“The beautiful thing about food ... is you don’t have to be a big-time chef to make a huge difference,” said Krasinski.
During the segment, the actor surprised Fieri with a $3-million donation from PepsiCo. to Fieri’s relief fund for restaurant employees. The donation helped the fund surpass the $20-million milestone, which Fieri said gave him goosebumps.
Krasinski also shouted out two good samaritans on the front lines: Chef José Andrés, who has set up kitchens inside churches and stadiums from Washington, D.C., to Spain (serving more than 2 million meals to date), and a New York City landlord who offered free rent to a pizzeria feeding healthcare workers.
“It’s heartwarming to point out that every single person in that segment that was making food to make a difference, they were doing it all without charging a dollar because that is just what heroes do,” said Krasinski.
The “Office” alum launched the YouTube series to lift spirits and highlight inspiring news stories that have been overlooked amid the pandemic. In previous episodes he orchestrated a mini “Office” reunion with Steve Carell, surprised a 9-year-old fan with the cast of “Hamilton” and hosted a virtual YouTube prom for high school seniors.
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