By Audrey Enjoli
Matt Damon joined “Iron Chef” Ming Tsai in the kitchen of the Boston Harbor Hotel this week for a special culinary fundraiser benefiting the cancer charity Family Reach.
The award-winning actor and Cambridge native visited his home state on Oct. 6 for the nonprofit organization’s annual “Cooking Live Boston” event, which aimed to raise more than $1.5 million to “take stress off the plates of families facing cancer,” a statement reads.
“Trains, planes & taxis! Starting my journey back to Boston for my 30th ‘Cooking Live Boston’ this Monday!” Tsai, who sits on Family Reach’s board of directors, said in a recent Instagram post. “All proceeds benefit the families we proudly serve.”
Damon—who has previously volunteered at the event—once again served as Tsai’s sous chef for the evening. The duo helped prepare a multi-course meal for guests alongside celebrity chefs Joanne Chang, Ken Oringer, David Daniels, and Paul Bartolotta.
“‘Cooking Live’ is a one-of-a-kind event—you are eating the best food from the best chefs in the world,” Carla Tardif, CEO of Family Reach, said in a preview of the fundraiser.
“Families come, they sit at a table, they tell our guests why Family Reach matters, the difference we made in their life, and how we help them through cancer. It’s a perfect symphony of mission and entertainment and giving.”
Three local families who received support from the organization were in attendance at this year’s fundraiser, including 20-year-old leukemia survivor Mikalo and his mother, Raquel Rohlfing.
Rohlfing said in a statement that the charity helped give her “new strength and endurance” to continue her role as a caregiver and mom.
“Family Reach renewed my hope,” she said.
Founded in 1996, the nonprofit works to eliminate any financial barriers that may hinder cancer patients from accessing life-saving treatments by helping to cover various household expenses, such as monthly rent payments and grocery bills.
“I can’t imagine the level of fear and trauma that kind of accompanies that journey, having to worry about all that other stuff,” Damon told CBS News during a press conference for the event.
The cause hits especially close to home for the “Good Will Hunting” star, whose father, Kent Damon, died in 2017 at the age of 75 from blood cancer.
“It just feels great to be able to participate in something like this. It’s just really profoundly beautiful work that they’re doing,” the actor said.
“I thought often about this organization because we were one of the lucky families that had the resources to handle all of that other stuff … so the work here is incredible.”
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