Vidalia Onion Committee and National Turkey Federation Team Up to Host Inspirational Foodie Events

The Vidalia Onion Committee (VOC) is  teaming up with the National Turkey Federation to host blogger dinners and food truck events featuring the 13-year old inspiration and aspiring food truck chef Lucas Hobbs.  

Lucas Hobbs was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in January 2015. He is now in remission, but during his hospital stay, he was inspired by the movie Chef and The Food Network. When the Make-A-Wish Foundation came calling and asked Lucas for his wish, he requested a food truck to feed the doctors and nurses who cared for him along with the pediatric cancer patients that had become like family.

His wish came true, and one event spiraled into multiple food truck events around Minneapolis that garnered national attention and helped feed thousands. In addition to hospital personnel and patients, trucks visited the local police station and a homeless shelter. Lucas appeared on Rachel Ray Show and various regional and national news outlets and Sallie Mae awarded him a $10,000 scholarship. By summer of 2015 Lucas was cancer free.  

The VOC is working with Chef Lucas Food to create similar food truck events as part of their marketing program and consumer outreach in markets that will include Minneapolis and Nashville during May and June. 

“We were moved by Lucas’ story and his mission to do good with food and we felt it was a perfect tie-in for our V*Inspired campaign this year,” says Susan Waters, executive director of the Vidalia Onion Committee. “We like to think of Lucas as our Chief Inspiration Officer and know that not only are we inspiring a new generation of cooks and consumers, but we are supporting his efforts to raise funds to serve pediatric cancer patients and their families via restaurants and chef-designed meal kits for cooking at home.”

In addition to the Chef Lucas events, the VOC along with the National Turkey Federation, will be hosting food influencer dinners in New York, Minneapolis and Nashville that will include food bloggers, local media and dietitians. Food influencers are invited to a farm-to-table themed restaurant, which includes a custom four-course dinner that features Vidalia onions and turkey.   

“The VOC hosted a blogger dinner in Atlanta last year and the event was so successful, we decided to take this concept on the road this season," says Waters. “Turkey complements Vidalia onions on the menu and the chefs really get creative with the recipes, plus we have an opportunity to develop one-on-one relationships with the bloggers. It’s a win, win event.”