Harris Teeter has announced the return of its 35th annual Chef's Best fundraiser — a signature event benefiting Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina.
The 35th edition of the Chef's Best series will feature eight-time James Beard Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio as the headliner for an evening of exceptional cuisine, live entertainment, auctions, and raffles. The event serves as the largest single-day fundraising initiative supporting the Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina's mission to eliminate hunger across 24 counties in North Carolina and South Carolina.
The 2026 iteration of the Chef's Best fundraiser builds on the success of the 2025 event, which raised over $621,000 to provide critical meals and resources to families facing food insecurity.
Image Credit: Harris Teeter
What Makes This Trend Stand Out
- Celebrity Chef Philanthropy
- High-profile culinary talent is elevating nonprofit events into premium cultural experiences that can attract larger donors, sponsors, and media attention.
- Experiential Charity Dining
- Immersive fundraising formats combining cuisine, entertainment, auctions, and social impact are creating new value around in-person donor engagement.
- Retail-led Hunger Relief
- Grocery brands are extending community impact through signature fundraising platforms that strengthen local loyalty while addressing food insecurity at scale.
Sectors Adopting This
- Grocery Retail
- Supermarket chains are positioned to turn community partnerships into differentiated brand experiences linked to essential needs and regional impact.
- Nonprofit Fundraising
- Food banks and charitable organizations are benefiting from event models that blend premium hospitality with measurable social outcomes.
- Hospitality Events
- Chefs, venues, and event producers are finding growth in mission-driven dining experiences that merge entertainment, sponsorship, and charitable giving.
