Dine with Chefs: Good Food, Good People, Good Cause
- annika-wooton
- Mar 7
- 4 min read
A few days ago, I was in Northwest Indiana painting for Meals on Wheels’ "Dine with Chefs" event—a sold-out luncheon where some of the best chefs from Chicago and Indiana came together to serve up a whole experience through culinary arts, all in support of providing food to those who need it most.
I traveled through Chicago (finally saw The Bean, because apparently I’ve been to the city a dozen times but never actually been to The Bean?), stayed with the most incredible art teacher, and even ended the trip with an impromptu Oscars watch party with new friends.
And the whole time, I kept thinking about how art—whether on a canvas, on a plate, or even in the form of a giant reflective bean—has this way of bringing people together in ways we don’t always expect.
Dine with Chefs: Good Food, Good People, Good Cause
Imagine walking into a giant room filled with 450+ people, the smell of 10+ appetizers from different restaurants and chefs wafting through the air, and knowing that after that, you’re in for five courses plus dessert—all made by some of the best chefs in the region. They told me to come hungry, and wow, they weren’t kidding.
Meals on Wheels sold out their original 400 seats, so they had to open up 50 more to accommodate the demand (an awesome problem to have for a fundraising event!). And something that really struck me was that some of the chefs had even moved away but came back just for this event—because the cause meant that much to them.
What Meals on Wheels does is so simple, yet so impactful—they provide nutritious meals and human connection to those who need it most. One of my earliest memories of volunteering was helping pack meals for Meals on Wheels when I was in my early teens, so this event hit me right in the feels.
I painted during course #5 (the meat course, naturally), creating a piece that blended the regional scenery: a sailboat on Lake Michigan, framed by the Indiana Dunes, with the Chicago skyline in the background. My favorite moment of every performance is when the audience starts murmuring, nudging their tablemates, realizing that the painting is upside-down. That energy shift never gets old.
I finally got to meet Melissa, one of the event organizers and the Director of Community Engagement, who had been coordinating with me for months. After so many emails, seeing her in person and watching everything come together was so rewarding. And having Taylor there to capture those moments—especially the energy in the room when the painting flipped—made it even better. She’s the kind of person who just gets how to document an experience while letting me stay fully in the moment.
Another highlight of the weekend was spending time with Jen, the Director of Development for MOW, over dinner at Tiny’s, the local go-to spot. I loved getting to know the people who make these kinds of events happen outside of the event day itself. I’d never spent any real time in Indiana other than driving through a sliver on a cross-country road trip, and I think I love it there?
A Quick Stop in Chicago (& a Long-Overdue Visit to The Bean)
After painting in Indiana, my friend Taylor (who came along to help film content) and I made a quick stop in Chicago. She bravely took on the Windy City in winter…without bringing a jacket (don’t worry, we stopped at Ross to pick up something to keep her warm-ish). Needless to say, our time outside was short-lived.
Neither of us had ever been to see the Bean - so we made a pit stop before heading back to the airport. Taylor said the Bean was way bigger than she expected.
I’ve seen enough pictures that the size didn’t surprise me, but standing in front of it, I was in awe—not just of what it is, but of the artistic process behind it. I love seeing things I would have no clue how to create. Just like people watching me speed paint, I look at sculptures like that and think, How? The scale, the smoothness, the way it reflects the skyline—it’s wild to think about the steps it took to create something that’s become so iconic.
Staying with an Art Teacher is a Literal Dream
Most of the time when I travel, I stay in a hotel or with people I already know. This time, I was connected with Kathy, an art teacher in Indiana who graciously offered up her home.
I wasn’t prepared for how cool it would be to stay with an art teacher.
Her house was an art piece in itself. The kitchenette floor downstairs was hand-painted like Van Gogh’s Starry Night by Kathy herself. There was art everywhere—pieces she made, pieces from other artists, and so much inspiration packed into one space. I even got to see her personal studio, and I felt so emotional stepping into another artist’s creative space.
After the event, she and her partner invited some friends and neighbors over to watch the Oscars, and by that point, it really felt like I was spending time with old friends I just hadn’t met yet.
My Forever Takeaway: Art = Connection
I travel all over the country, painting at events in places I’ve never even heard of before. And every single time, art is what makes the connection.
🎨 Art is why I was in that room, painting in front of 450+ people, creating a moment we all shared together.
🏙️ Art is why The Bean exists—a piece of public sculpture that connects millions of people to the city of Chicago.
🖌️ Art is why I stayed with Kathy, got to see inside her creative world, and left feeling inspired.
🍽️ Art is even why "Dine with Chefs" exists—because food is an art form in itself, and these chefs poured their creativity into every dish.
The fingerprints of art and artists are everywhere, shaping how we experience the world (and real fingerprints all over the Bean). And that’s exactly what makes life so colorful.
This trip reminded me why I love what I do. From the chefs and event organizers to the friends I made in Miller Beach, it was another reminder that art is never just about what’s on the canvas—it’s about the shared experience it creates and the people I get to meet along the way.
That’s what makes this work so meaningful.
Until next time, Indiana! <3
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