The 2022 Taste of the NFL took place on Saturday, February 12 at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The annual event – a culinary event that combines food, football, and purpose – was established in 1992. Nestled among current and past NFL players, as well as stars from a number of other sports, were chefs and tastemakers. More specifically, Los Angeles chefs from The PepsiCo Foundation’s IMPACTO Hispanic Business Accelerator and Black Restaurant Accelerator programs were in the mix. Claire Risoli, Marcos Mendoza, Naomi Mendoza, Natasha Butler, Shana Jenson, and Anthony Jolly took part in the festivities that precluded the big game.
C.D. Glin, Vice President & Global Head of Philanthropy at the PepsiCo Foundation was on hand to further explain the company’s ongoing initiatives aimed at closing the gap of inequities faced by BIPOC restauranteurs. “We’re here for the glitz, the glam, the game; but we’re also here for the community,” Glin told us. PepsiCo is working to make sure that Black and brown-owned restaurants are receiving adequate support post pandemic. “We’re investing in Black and Hispanic restaurants, we’re providing nutritious food and meals for school children during school, in-school, after school.” In addition to great food, the PepsiCo Foundation looked to bring “thought leadership” to this year’s event.
In the designated Equality Lounge, discussions centered around issues of equity, inclusion, diversity, and community development in Los Angeles. All proceeds from the event went to the End Student Hunger Fund. “We’re making sure that children going to school on a day-to-day basis have access to nutritious meals.” To learn more about the Foundation’s support of Hispanic restaurants and businesses, visit PepsiCo Juntos Crecemos. For more information on the Black Restaurant Accelerator Program, visit PepsiDigin.com
