Bar Leadership Initiative
"412 Restaurants to the Rescue"
The 2025-2026 BLI Class is working with 412 Food Rescue, a nonprofit with a two fold mission: to prevent food waste and to fight hunger in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Learn more about the project below.
About the BLI Project
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Enjoy a Chef’s Tasting featuring cuisine from a variety of local chefs, as well as featured wines on Monday, March 30 at Hotel Monaco beginning at 5 p.m. The event also will feature raffles and a presentation from 412 Food Rescue. Proceeds from the event will go to 412 Food Rescue through the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, and all leftover food will be re-purposed to serve those dealing with food insecurity in the area. Click here to register.
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About Chef Peter Henry
Peter Henry has 16 years experience as an executive chef and 23 years experience in the restaurant industry. Before studying hospitality and tourism management at Le Cordon Bleu, Peter studied chemistry at UCLA. His chemistry and restaurant management background combination have allowed for specialization in fermentation, preservation, waste management, and local procurement strategies with experience in HACCP writing and production facility design and recipe development. For the last year and a half Peter has acted as executive chef of Butterjoint in Oakland, given it’s hyper local scratch menu this collaboration has been a dream for Peter allowing his fermentation and preservation techniques to meld beautifully into Butterjoint’s culture and menu identity. For more on Chef Peter Henry, visit here.
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About Chef Martin Lamarche
In 2018, Martin and his wife Kristin opened V&V Scratch Kitchen, named after their children, Vincent and Vivien. The restaurant reflects Chef Lamarche’s philosophy that great food starts with exceptional ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and a little creativity. From fresh seafood and seasonal dishes to inventive brunch favorites, the menu blends refined culinary techniques with comforting, approachable flavors. To learn more about Chef Lamarche, click here.
About Chef Michael Taylor
Michael started cooking at the age of sixteen and has not left the kitchen since. His first job was at a sushi restaurant where he found his love and passion for the craft. The discipline, technique and artistic vision required to make good sushi is what attracted him to the job. Eventually he decided to branch out in pursuit of becoming a more well-rounded cook and began cooking at high-end American contemporary restaurants. Throughout the years Michael has periodically returned to sushi knowing it was a true passion. To learn more about Chef Taylor, click here.
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