Chef to repurpose meals after LPGA event cancellation

“We have a warm meal ready to go for a lot of people that need it this weekend,” Olson said.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — The cancellation of the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship at Pinnacle Country Club on Sept. 21 shook up plans for the people planning to attend or work the event, but that didn’t stop some folks from getting creative. 

Chef David Olson and Live Fire Republic, partners and vendors of the BITE Experience @ The LPGA food festival, had over 8,000 meals prepared for Sunday’s event. 

“We’re super grateful to be down here in Bentonville,” Olson said. “Bentonville has really become a second home to us. We were invited by our friends and partners at Clorox and Kingsford to participate in the BITE NWA event this weekend.”

Due to the cancellation, Olson announced that the menu and meals intended for the event would be repurposed to serve the greater community. 

“We decided there’s no chance that we’re going to let that food go to waste,” Olson said. 

After getting together with Megan Weathers and Paul Hollis with Kingsford, Olson said they decided to give the food away. 

“We’re all about the way that food, fire, and a great meal bring people together around the community table. And if we couldn’t do that down at the golf course, we’re gonna do it out here in the community of Bentonville,” he said. 

They will be set up at the Clorox building at 2200 SE 28th St. in Bentonville starting at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday. The meals will be available to employees and volunteers of the event, local churches, homeless shelters, food banks, first responders, and more at no cost. 

By the time they had half the day left, Olson said they had given away around 2,500 meals, with lines wrapping around the building for most of the day. 

“We’re serving not only people that are here online, but we had the local police department show up. We sent 150 meals with them. We have a local church show up, and they’re serving disadvantaged communities. We have 500 meals right now that are being prepared to go out to them,” he said. 

Olson added that they have around a dozen meals going to a local family whose father passed away last night. 

“If you’re seeing this before the end of the evening, call a family member, call a friend, get a hold of someone in need, talk to your local church, call up your local fire department, send them down here. Like I said, we have a warm meal ready to go for a lot of people that need it this weekend,” Olson said. “I will be here until the last person stands in line tonight.”