Ever heard of an Olive Mass; well it's coming soon to a Cathedral in New Orleans

Answering a Chef’s Prayer

Posted: September 14, 2016 | Author: Fr. Leo

Chefs, like every other professional, rely on their knowledge, training, and instinct. They can also benefit by relying on prayer.  Prayer helps keeps a person focused, inspired and humble. I'm grateful to know that many chefs have a deep prayer life. They tell me that faith helps them every day of their life - in the kitchen and in their homes.

Chef Gio cooks for a family. 

We know that chefs and food, beverage and hospitality industry professionals have difficult jobs. They work very long and demanding hours. They are busiest when the rest of the world is celebrating. They're behind the scenes dealing with the stresses and pressures of making everything as "perfect" for the guest as possible - even hard-to-please guests. Their demanding careers put them at higher risk behaviors such as substance or alcohol dependencies, while making it difficult to maintain a healthy family life. Yet, their passions for food, service and hospitality put them at the center of improving neighborhoods, forming culture, and helping people to celebrate. But it sometimes comes at a high personal cost. That's why chefs need to pray! Chefs need a community of people who share their passion but also want to support each other in this competitive industry.

Chef Alon Shaya and Chef John Besh will be a big part of the festivities. 

These are some of the reasons why we want to invite you to The Olive Mass on Monday, September  26, 2016 at 10:00am in the Cathedral of St. Louis in New Orleans. It will be followed up by a reception at the Ursuline Convent at 12:00pm - 1:30pm hosted by Chef John Besh's restaurant, Luke. It will be a gathering of professional chefs - food, beverage and hospitality industry folks. Our purpose that day is to "celebrate food and bless the hands that serve it."

The Mass and Reception are FREE and open to EVERYONE of all faiths who are involved in the food, beverage and hospitality industry.  Whether you're a professional cook, culinary student, bartender, owner of a hotel or restaurant, home cook, cafeteria worker, front of the house or back of the house server - YOU ARE INVITED.  Please register HERE so that we can get a headcount for our reception.

I'm standing with Lungarotti Chefs during my most recent trip to Italy.

Here are some of the reasons you should attend this special celebration:
(1) This will be the first time the Catholic Church in the United States has promoted a Mass to honor, celebrate and bless food industry professionals
(2) The Reception will be at the Ursuline Convent - one of the most historic sites of New Orleans
(3) You can network, meet, and be inspired by other food, beverage and hospitality professionals from around the country and around the world
(4) The food will be an amazing collaboration with the Besh Restaurant Group and other top Chefs in the area
(5) Our special guests that day will be Chefs for Peace: Christian, Jewish and Muslim professional chefs who work together in the Middle East with a mission to promote world peace through the sharing and serving of delicious foods!
I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Let us pray 

Dear Lord, thank you for inspiring us to celebrate The Olive Mass together. We pray that you will draw many people to this gathering so that we can build a community of food, beverage and hospitality professionals to celebrate our passions and to seek guidance, blessing and inspiration.  Bless all of those who come and all those organizing this event. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.