'If you are given a fortunate life, you have to think of sharing: that has always been my philosophy," says Marisa Chearavanont, founder of the Chef Cares project.
The charitable venture was instantaneously launched during the Covid-19 pandemic to offer professionally-prepared meals to frontline medical workers and healthcare staff.
With support from 74 renowned international chefs, the project provided a total 30,000 meal boxes to medical crew at 16 public hospitals across Thailand from April to July this year.
Among them were Rajavithi Hospital, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Ramathibodi Hospital, Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital, Police Hospital, Vachira Phuket Hospital and Samutprakarn Hospital.
"These doctors and nurses were putting their own lives at risk for us. Their work was very intense and hence they hardly had time for lunch. So we wanted to give them the best meal prepared by the best chefs and with the best ingredients. It's our way of honouring their heroic efforts and expressing our gratitude."
Marisa Chearavanont, project founder.
Joining Marisa were celebrated cooking masters, including Michelin-starred chefs and winners of Master Chef, Iron Chef and Top Chef competitions.
Each morning during the three months, Marisa would visit the chefs' workplace to personally thank them. After that, they would go to a hospital to deliver the lunches together.
"I'm so grateful to meet these great chefs with big hearts," she enthuses. "Actually with their fine dining businesses, they were the ones who got hit the most during the pandemic. They had their own problems, from maintaining staff to paying rent. But they didn't mind coming out and helping. Some cooked for us as many as five times."
Marisa, a former art gallerist and wife of CP Group chairman Soopakij Chearavanont, is quite a new face in Thai society. For over 20 years up until 2017, she and her now-grown-up children lived in Hong Kong.
"When I first started the project I didn't know many people in Thailand, let alone chefs. So every night after 7pm I would start calling chefs whose contact details I got from friends to introduce myself and the project. Surprisingly, I didn't need to explain much: they instantly agreed to join."
The project's motto reads "crafted with care, shared with love". Marisa says she initiated it simply out of compassion and didn't know what it would lead to.
"I took it as a positive learning experience: it was all trial and error where we had to improve every day.
"I also went a bit overboard and asked the chefs to come with me to donate the meals in person, so they could see the situation for themselves and be appreciated. This would also help create a nice bond between the doctors and the chefs."
Being hands-on and physically engaged is very important for the 56-year-old mother of four.
"I really appreciate the people who donate but I believe we can do better than just being a financial resource. With every charity I work with I want to get involved physically, mentally and even spiritually.
"When you get really involved you can see the actual situation and feel the energy. I feel I learn and receive more positive things than I give. It feels really rewarding and helps humble me and regulate my moral compass."
Marisa has long been interested and involved in philanthropy and charitable volunteer work. Together with her family, in 2005 she established Build Foundation, a school building project for underprivileged youths in Thailand.
"I also want to instil these kinds of values in my children and for them to see me as their role model and inspiration. Maybe they wouldn't know it yet but at some point they may realise it has helped them improve themselves as a person.
"Who would have thought that this pandemic would happen? But it's happening. Maybe there's a good reason.
"It's a prompting for us to realise how spoiled we, humankind, are and how selfish and individualistic we have become. Most of the news every day is negative. Even entertaining items have a vicious side. It's kind of sad.
"So I want people to see that there are beautiful sides to life and people who really do good deeds for society. Life is short and time is very important. I don't want any regrets, so I try to do meaningful and constructive things for society.
"Chef Cares is a charity I've always wanted to do. It's a charitable enterprise where people come together to help without borders, without prejudice, without politics or rivalry."
Prof Dr Prasit Watanapa, right, dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Siriraj Hospital, with a representative from the Chef Cares project.
Following the project's success, Marisa is now establishing Chef Cares Foundation. The foundation has four main missions: to lend support to the community during crises; to support and inspire young chefs; to promote provincial cuisines, and; to archive Thailand's diversified culinary heritage. To ensure that it is sustainable, the Foundation will be set up in such a way as not to depend on donations.
