Dining Out For Life: A conversation with Ted AllenBy Drew Wilson
Dining Out For Life 2010 takes place on Thursday, April 29. Dine at any of the participating restaurants for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and 25 percent of your food bill goes directly to Project Angel Heart.
Find a list of participating Denver restaurants by clicking here.
I had a chance to talk to Dining Out For Life spokesperson Ted Allen ('Queer Eye,' 'Iron Chef America,' 'Chopped') about why Dining Out is such an important event, his love of food, and the societal impact of 'Queer Eye.'
Drew: How’d you get hooked up with Dining Out For Life?
Ted: They approached me three years ago and it just seemed like such a good fit. I was familiar with Dining Out from way back when I lived in Chicago. I participated in its very first year and now this is the 20th anniversary of the event.
Happy anniversary Dining Out For Life!
Yay! It’s such an elegant, simple idea. The real heroes in the HIV/AIDS movement are the activists and the people who dedicate their lives to it, but we can’t all do that. I’m busy. You’re busy. But anybody can go out to dinner and make a truly meaningful contribution in just one day. This thing raises four million dollars in one day. One day. Just grab a group of friends, head out to dinner, run up a big bill, and feel great about it.
You’re famous for your interest in, and love of, food. Where did that come from?
I’ve loved cooking since I was a child and my mom always encouraged it. I got a little more serious about it when I moved to Chicago and was working for I magazine. Restaurant coverage was a big part of the magazine and I got introduced to different kinds of cooking and wine and people. I find that people who work in and run restaurants tend to be really fun, crazy, generous people.
Why should people participate in Dining Out For Life?
It’s a great excuse to just throw your diet out the window! Seriously, we all have to eat. You’re going to eat on Thursday anyway so you might as well participate in Dining Out For Life. Every dollar raised in Denver for Dining Out stays in Denver so you are not only helping area restaurants and people with HIV/AIDS, but having a nice dinner with your friends. It’s a win/win situation.
Let me end with just one ‘Queer Eye’ question. Looking back, what impact do you think the show had?
It’s so funny how long it’s been.
I live next door to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and I walked outside the other day and this 18-year-old kid stopped me on the street and said, “I knew you lived in the neighborhood and I wanted to say hi because I used to watch ‘Queer Eye’ when I was 13. It helped me come out to my parents because they watched it.”
‘Queer Eye’ was an entertainment show and it had all sorts of trite and trivial aspects to it but the enduring thing about it to me was all the young people we heard from who said that because of the show’s popularity, it made it easier for them to come out.
We didn’t set out to be important but one of the consequences of being honest and open as a gay person is that it makes it easier for other people. For me was the best part.
