Helene Heroes: Jamie McDonald

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, food quickly became a scarce resource for many, since a loss of power and water meant that perishable foods would not last. In more remote areas, people could not travel to find supplies since many roads were damaged or blocked. 

In order to meet the needs of Western North Carolina, Bear’s Smokehouse, a South Slope barbecue favorite, gave away hundreds of thousands of savory, home-cooked meals with the help of World Central Kitchen, a global charitable foundation that provides nutrients to areas in crisis. 

External Communications Manager Andrew Tasillo counts himself lucky—he was on a camping trip right before Helene arrived, and at the urging of a park ranger, he made it back to his apartment before the storm hit. He weathered the storm safely, and after it passed, made the trip to Bear’s Smokehouse cofounder Cheryl Thompson’s house. “We were going over and under dozens of trees to get there,” he explains.  

Tasillo and Thompson were able to work together to coordinate the restaurant’s initial giveaway. Although there was no power and water at Bear’s, the restaurant did not sustain any property damage during Helene. Since the restaurant had enough food for two Asheville locations and their food trucks, the pair decided to share it with the community rather than throw it away. 

“When we got together, we decided that the next day we should come in and cook all the meat because we have smokers that run off of wood. We have generators in our food trucks and fridges in the food trucks, so we can cook and serve food,” he explains. “This was on day two.”

Remarkably, the restaurant’s other founder and culinary director, Jamie McDonald, also took the initiative to feed Western North Carolina immediately after the storm. McDonald, who is based in Connecticut, was unable to contact Thompson and Tasillo due to the lack of cellular reception. 

“He couldn’t get in touch with any of us, but he knew how bad it was. He knew how big the property was. He called his friends and said ‘you need to get someone there,’ and that Saturday night, a helicopter landed in the back,” Tasillo shares. 

McDonald, a Navy veteran, volunteered with World Central Kitchen for several years, serving in Poland and Ukraine, among others, before creating Bear’s Smokehouse. Because of this, he had unique connections with the organization that allowed for the speedy mobilization of aid.

World Central Kitchen was in Asheville for over a month, and helped to quickly organize and mobilize resources for those in need. The organization brought water to the area within two days of arriving and facilitated the delivery of new food products. WCK also got power and propane tanks for the restaurant to support the cooking of food for those in need. 

Tasillo was at Bear’s almost daily, working to prepare anywhere from 20,000-42,000 meals per day in the month following the storm. He says: “It was really rewarding for me, not for what I was doing but for what the city was doing. There were over 100 volunteers on property at a given time when they may have lost their houses. Knowing I was in a city that cared so much about its people was quite remarkable.”

Local volunteers showed up immediately, ready to work alongside WCK and the Bear’s team (Thompson, Tasillo, McDonald, and restaurant staff). Thompson traveled around Western North Carolina, scouting out the damage of various locations, while McDonald coordinated with WCK and Bear’s to create tailored recipes and menus based on available supplies. 

“One owner was cooking the food for the folks, and the other was handing it out, it was a great combination,” says Tasillo. 

Currently, Bear’s Smokehouse is handing out 8,000 meals per day. Most of the food is being sent to distribution sites around the area, and communities can request delivery of meals. The restaurant also recently announced its extended partnership with World Central Kitchen in order to continue supplying food to those in need through the winter months. 

“In the beginning we were delivering all the way to Boone. We did have some helicopters there that were dropping food off to locations that couldn’t be reached by vehicle,” such as Black Mountain, Bat Cave, and Swannanoa, according to Tasillo. 

They distributed to seven-plus WNC counties in 55 days. While many staff were able to return to work after Helene, Tasillo cites the many volunteers that came to the restaurant’s aid in the storm’s aftermath. 

Volunteers are no longer needed for food service at Bear’s, but local communities are still in need of cleanup help and other aid. Bear’s Smokehouse is not accepting monetary donations, but Tasillo encourages others to purchase local in order to financially support WNC. 

The first Bear’s Smokehouse opened its doors in Connecticut in June 2013, and about four or five years ago, the restaurant opened its first Asheville location. The restaurant serves Kansas-style barbecue as a nod to McDonald’s hometown of Kansas City.