Michael's On East provides meals for first responders

Michael’s On East Co-Proprietor Phil Mancini started prepping to help feed first responders on Tuesday, Oct. 8, before Hurricane Milton made landfall in Sarasota. 

He knew that food purveyors would have trouble getting their trucks down to the area, so he rented a refrigerated  truck and stocked it with 10,000 pounds of food.

Michael’s On East was contracted to provide 1,500 to 2,000 meals a day for first responders in a relief effort coordinated by U.S. Tent Rental. 

“If we have power and food and a clear path, we’ll be there,” said Mancini. “So far we have all three.”

On Thursday afternoon, Mancini and his catering staff just finished packaging up 1,250 meals that were supposed to go to Tropicana Field, yet got diverted at the last minute due to damage to the stadium’s roof. 

They were awaiting the meals’ final destination in Tampa.

Next, they began plating 500 hot meals slated for delivery in North Port and staged containers in an assembly line for 2,000 breakfasts to be made on Friday morning. “They will start cooking at 1 a.m. for breakfast,” said Mancini.

With many of the staff experiencing power outages and damage to their own homes, Executive Chef Jamil Pineda and Executive Catering Chef Carlos Avella were on hand to prep, cook and plate the meals. 

Mancini shared that the team can put together 1,000 meals in one hour.