Rodney Scott headlines fundraiser
Pitmaster and James Beard Award winner Rodney Scott will headline the Franciscan Center’s annual “Plated” fundraiser in Baltimore to support the center’s culinary program and community services. (wbaltv.com) The event pairs Scott’s pitmaster profile with local fundraising, using a culinary draw to boost support for the center’s work. (wbaltv.com)
Rodney Scott, the South Carolina pitmaster who won the 2018 James Beard Award for Best Chef Southeast, is the featured guest at the Franciscan Center’s “Plated 4” fundraiser in Baltimore on Thursday, April 16. (fcbmore.org) (jamesbeard.org) The event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the B&O Railroad Museum and is the Franciscan Center’s annual fundraiser for its Dignity Plates Culinary Training Academy and other community services. Tickets are listed at $175, and WBAL-TV reported Thursday that the event was almost sold out. (fcbmore.org) (wbaltv.com) Scott is not cooking a solo dinner. Organizers say guests will sample food from nearly 18 restaurants and beverage makers, while Dignity Plates graduates compete in a live cooking contest judged by Scott. (98online.com) (archbalt.org) The fundraiser is built around a workforce program, not just a celebrity appearance. The Franciscan Center says Dignity Plates is a zero-cost, 13-week culinary training academy that combines kitchen instruction with mentorship and job support. (fcbmore.org) (i95business.com) That academy sits inside a much older Baltimore nonprofit. WYPR reported in 2024 that the Franciscan Center has operated for 140 years, providing services that include meals, clothing, counseling, and dental care alongside newer job-training programs. (wypr.org) The center has used “Plated” to turn that training into a public showcase. A Visit Baltimore listing for the 2024 event described the same mix of chef tastings, a graduate cooking competition, and fundraising tied to the center’s mission. (baltimore.org) The academy has also started to produce measurable results. In September 2024, the Franciscan Center said its 10th cohort graduated with a 100% completion rate, bringing the total to 79 graduates across 10 cohorts. (i95business.com) Scott’s name gives the fundraiser national culinary weight. The James Beard Foundation lists him as the 2018 Best Chef Southeast winner, and his Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ has expanded from South Carolina into multiple Southern cities. (jamesbeard.org) (rodneyscottsbbq.com) For the Franciscan Center, Thursday’s pitch is straightforward: use a big food name, a room full of Baltimore chefs, and a cooking contest to raise money for free training and daily services under one roof. (wbaltv.com) (fcbmore.org)
