One year after the Los Angeles wildfires, recovery across the region is no longer defined by emergency response alone. It is now measured by sustained investment, neighborhood stability, and the ability of communities to rebuild economically and socially.
That commitment was on display Saturday when HexClad marked the anniversary by hosting Rise & Dine LA: A Night of Philanthropy and Flavor, an exclusive fundraising dinner at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades benefiting Steadfast LA’s ongoing wildfire relief and community rebuilding efforts.
Approximately 300 guests, including Dr. Dre and Sheila E., gathered for a culinary collective led by Gordon Ramsay, Dominique Crenn, Nancy Silverton, and Michael Cimarusti, with additional dishes from LA icons Neal Fraser, Josiah Citrin, Kevin Meehan, Ludo Lefebvre, Raphael Lunetta, and Suzanne Goin, representing more than 20 Michelin stars, and a performance by Grammy-Award winning artist Macy Gray that had the entire room on its feet singing along to "I Try."
For HexClad, a Los Angeles founded company, the event reflected a broader strategy focused on long term civic investment rather than short term disaster response. Company leadership emphasized that remaining rooted in Southern California carries responsibility, particularly as rebuilding efforts stretch into the coming years.
Following the fires, HexClad expanded community outreach by donating cookware to displaced families, supporting emergency food distribution programs, and partnering with organizations focused on long term housing and infrastructure recovery.
For HexClad CEO Danny Winer, the response was immediate and deeply personal.
“When the fires happened, I was on the East Coast and I canceled my meetings and got on the first flight back to LA,” Winer said. “We had employees who lost homes or were displaced. I needed to be here with my team.”
Winer shared that the idea for Rise & Dine LA began during a dinner conversation with Gordon Ramsay nearly a year ago. Together, they made a deliberate decision not to rush a one time response, but to create something designed for long term impact.
“We knew a lot of people would show up right away,” Winer said. “But we also knew people would forget. Recovery doesn’t end after the headlines fade. This is generational work. It’s going to take years, even decades.”
Founded in West Hollywood in 2016, HexClad has remained rooted in Los Angeles despite pressure many growing companies face to relocate.
“We were born here,” Winer said. “We built this company in our backyard. LA is a tough city, but it believes in dreamers. That matters to us.”
In the months following the fires, HexClad donated more than 10,000 pieces of cookware to families who lost their homes and helped distribute more than 35,000 meals in partnership with community organizations, often delivering food directly on the ground in impacted neighborhoods. Winer said supporting the restaurant industry remains a priority as recovery continues.
“Restaurants are still hurting,” he said. “We want to keep showing up. Companies like ours have a responsibility to stay engaged, because this isn’t a short term crisis. It’s a long road.”
During the evening, Pacific Palisades Councilwoman Traci Park formally recognized HexClad’s founders for their leadership and service, and Megan Watanabe, CEO Riviera Country Club expressed support for hosting this important fundraiser for the community.
“All of you for stepping up, for your charity, your compassion, your generosity, your leadership, and your willingness to serve in a moment that Los Angeles will remember forever,” Park said.
Chef Gordon Ramsay, whose restaurant footprint spans Los Angeles neighborhoods, has emerged as a visible advocate for recovery efforts. After experiencing evacuations firsthand during the fires, Ramsay has increasingly focused on the role restaurants play in stabilizing communities.
Industry leaders note that restaurants often serve as economic anchors. They employ thousands of workers, activate neighborhood corridors, and restore everyday routines for families returning after displacement.
Ramsay has emphasized the importance of rebuilding consumer confidence and foot traffic in impacted areas, encouraging residents to support local businesses as a tangible way to accelerate recovery.
“We don’t just rebuild homes,” Ramsay said during remarks at the event. “We rebuild routines, jobs, and neighborhood life.”
That message resonated across the chef community.
Veteran Los Angeles chefs including Dominique Crenn, Nancy Silverton, Michael Cimarusti, Neal Fraser, Josiah Citrin, Kevin Meehan, Ludo Lefebvre, Raphael Lunetta, and Suzanne Goin joined the initiative, signaling a collective industry effort.
Many chefs continue to point to challenges facing the hospitality sector in fire impacted zones, including insurance delays, workforce displacement, rising operating costs, and slower consumer return. Industry leaders say coordinated public private partnerships will remain critical to ensure businesses can reopen and retain employees.
Steadfast LA, the beneficiary organization supported by the event, continues to focus on infrastructure restoration and housing stabilization. Its leadership has emphasized rebuilding not only individual homes, but the institutions that allow communities to function, including schools, senior centers, and essential neighborhood services.
Nick Geller, Managing Director of Steadfast LA, emphasized the deeply personal nature of the work. A third generation Palisades resident, Geller said the organization’s mission is rooted in protecting the neighborhoods that define Los Angeles.
“My family has lived here for generations,” Geller said. “This is home. Steadfast LA is focused on helping communities rebuild not just structures, but stability. That means housing, schools, senior centers, and the everyday places that allow families to return and thrive. This recovery is personal, and it’s long term.”
As rebuilding timelines extend into the future, organizers say the goal is not a single fundraising moment, but sustained engagement.
The evening also underscored the cultural role of recovery. Grammy winning artist Macy Gray delivered a special performance that brought the room together, reinforcing the intersection of music, food, and community healing.
For HexClad and its chef partners, Rise & Dine LA represents a longer horizon approach. One that combines financial support, public awareness, and continued participation from the private sector.
Los Angeles has always rebuilt through collaboration. This latest effort demonstrates that the city’s culinary community is not only feeding neighborhoods, but helping finance, advocate for, and sustain their recovery.