WORLD AIDS DAY
QUEER SOUP
NIGHT
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2023, 4—6 PM
Starting at 4 PM and running throughout the remainder of the day’s observances, the New York City AIDS Memorial has partnered for a second year with Queer Soup Night (QSN), a volunteer-run organization founded to strengthen local queer communities across the country to serve an incredible selection of chef-created, hot soup for World AIDS Day event attendees.
Featuring soup by four leading LGBTQ+ New York-based chefs, QSN will help us create community through sharing space, sharing food, and contributing to something bigger than ourselves. This event is open to all and free of charge, though donations—supporting the New York City AIDS Memorial—are encouraged.
Fresh produce for the event has been generously provided by Farm to People, whose mission is to make great food conveniently available to everyone in New York City. Learn more about the participating chefs below!
ABOUT THE CHEFS:
Alex Koones (she/her) is a lifer in restaurants and has worked in some NYC's best Michelin-starred restaurants including Jean Georges and The Breslin. Alex is also the founder of queer supper clubs Babetown and The Kitchen Table, and does private catering through her catering company, the Good Daughter. @babenotbaby
Chala June (they/he/she) is a chef, writer, and cultural artist based in Brooklyn on unceded Lenape land. Chala’s culinary work is an ever-flowing exploration of their blended Congolese-American heritage, honoring the traditions and innovations birthed along the historied banks of the Congo and Mississippi rivers. @chala.gram
Levi Allen (they/he) is a cook from Corrales, New Mexico, who has worked most notably at Dirt Candy NYC and Ursula Brooklyn. Levi has been cooking since childhood alongside their mother, who happens to be a trained pastry chef. By cooking good meals and sharing tables with strangers, Levi hopes to connect people through food.
Chef Lj Almendras grew up in Cebu, Philippines. His cooking calls upon the taste memory of childhood and applies the skills and experiences he’s learned in the kitchens of New York—cultivating culinary experiences that reflect the joyous dynamism of Cebuano and broader Pinoy food culture through the lens of an insatiable expat. Inspired by his time at Rolo’s, Ammazzacaffè, and his role as food designer for the fast-casual Chinese chain Junzi Kitchen, Almendras caters to an unabashedly omnivorous palate. Most recently, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Monsieur Vo, a Vietnamese concept in the East Village.
Presented in partnership with:
