Pies for Justice returns with nearly 200 pies for June bake sale

Pies for Justice returns this year to celebrate Juneteenth with its first in-person bake sale on Saturday, bringing together nearly 200 pies from about 40 chefs. Organized by Gather for Good, the bake sale will donate proceeds to support advocacy for racial justice and underserved communities in Los Angeles.

This year, Pies for Justice's fifth annual bake sale will be held in honor of the Juneteenth holiday. It was launched in 2020 to lure fans back to restaurants that had been hit by post-pandemic debt and a weakened clientele, according to Sherry Mandell, a farmer and co-founder of the community organization Gather for Good.

“It is not easy for people who own a restaurant right now, but they still continue to make time and space for it [Pies for Justice]” said co-founder Steph Chen, pastry chef at Sugarbear Bakes. “It's amazing to see what chefs are signing up for, even when they're trying to keep the lights on.”

With the event now in person, attendees can enjoy sliced ​​or whole pies with coffee, cocktails and music this Saturday at ChowNow's headquarters in Culver City. The charity pies will be prepared by about 40 chefs, from family-run micro-bakeries to five-star hotels across Los Angeles, with ingredients supplied by local farms. Chef and restaurant participants include AOC, Destroyer, Funke, Hotel Bel-Air, Ronan and The Rose Venice. (Wayfarer Bread in San Diego and Farmhouse at Roger's Garden in Corona del Mar are participating from outside LA and donating weekend proceeds from select menu items.)

All Day Baby, which plans to bake and deliver its pies to Pies for Justice on Saturday morning, is selling a strawberry crémeux pie with a layer of fresh strawberries, soft whipped cream with freeze-dried strawberries and a buttery crust. Sam Robinson, All Day Baby's pastry chef, said she was excited to present a pie when she received an email from Pies for Justice – because, of course, it's strawberry season and the event aligns with their beliefs.

“I like to use my knowledge and skills in the pastry shop wherever I can,” said Robinson. “In this profession, you don't always have the opportunity to help others [causes]'You know, they usually prepare food for people who come here every day.'

The pies on offer aren't just beloved Americana classics, though. Jordan Kahn's Destroyer prepares a Murasaki yam custard pie, glazed with a thin layer of black currant. The crust is made with einkorn flour, aged sherry vinegar and Okinawan black sugar, and the filling – a mixture of roasted, tender yams with yam juice, rum and allspice – is aged overnight before being baked the morning of the event.

Savory cakes will also be available. Fresh pizzas will be prepared on site by Bianca Restaurant, Brandoni Pepperoni and Quarantine Pizza.

Tickets are available for the event, and participation includes a prize draw for a weekend trip to Cuyama Buckhorn, a roadside resort in the high desert of Santa Barbara County.

Pies for Justice – which has raised more than $68,000 since its debut in 2020 – is donating ticket and pie proceeds to Peace4Kids oath the Assembly for Justice This year, the two previous beneficiaries of the bake sale benefited. Peace4Kids is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating community with youth in foster care in South LA. The Gathering for Justice is a criminal justice reform and racial justice organization founded by singer, actor, and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte.

The bake sale honors Juneteenth, a holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved blacks, which officially took place made a holiday for the employees of the city of LA last year

“It's a really great day because these chefs are working so hard and are exhausted and want to do things for the greater good, but they find it hard to do it alone,” says Mandell. “We feel that by bringing everyone together through Gather for Good, a significant and positive impact can be made. “They enjoy seeing other chefs and being part of the cooking community.”

Learn more about the Pies for Justice bake sale and purchase tickets at his website.