Cakes for a Cause Is Coming to peasants FEAST Restaurant

Thanks to the generous gesture of CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness), peasants FEAST restaurant in Solvang will debut a new fundraising event on May 12, in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month.

This one-night-only art-gallery-style installation will feature exclusive cakes by esteemed pastry Chef Taylor, inspired by other Central Coast chefs, highlighting the intersection of the restaurant industry and mental health.

Chef Taylor Tate is crafting five custom cakes for the event, reflecting their stories and culinary philosophy of Central Coast chefs based on in-person interviews which she conducted to gather insight into their personal experiences.

The participating chefs are Levi Richard, executive pastry chef for Chumash Casino Resort; Chef Jacob Town, co-owner of The Spoon Trade; Brad Matthews, executive chef and co-owner of Bar Le Côte; Nik Ramirez, executive chef and co-owner of Na Na Thai; and Michael Cherney, executive chef and owner of peasants FEAST.

These cakes will be sold via silent auction during the event, with proceeds going towards CHOW.

“I wanted to create this event because mental health has deeply influenced my life, and I see firsthand how the pressures of the restaurant industry can impact us all,” said Chef Taylor.

“This event is my way of shining a light on these challenges while bringing our community together: to celebrate our creativity, share our stories, and build a supportive network where we can lift each other up.”

Chef Taylor kick-started her career in the kitchen with baking classes at Allan Hancock College. She took up a job as a pastry chef assistant at Brothers Restaurant at the Red Barn in Santa Ynez, where she learned the ins and outs of her craft over the course of three years.

She also worked as head pastry chef at the Bear and Star restaurant in Los Olivos, before pausing her career to have her son. During the pandemic, she began operating a custom-dessert and subscription-based baking business. She also began doing pop-ups on weekends at peasants FEAST in Solvang.

Tying in community charm and personal flair, Chef Taylor’s confections incorporated edible flowers from Lompoc’s Good Witch Farm and fruit fillings from Rutiz Family Farms in Arroyo Grande.

Chef Taylor now executes a weekly, plated dessert special for the restaurant and daily dessert menu items.

The Cakes for a Cause fundraiser will take place on May 12 and will run from 4 to 6:30 p.m. In addition to the auctioned cakes, sheet cakes of each of Chef Taylor’s signature desserts will be available for sale by the slice as a “cake flight.” Beer and wine will also be available for purchase, with all food and beverage proceeds benefiting CHOW.

Event RSVPs are not required, and free parking is available on the streets surrounding peasants FEAST and in City of Solvang lots situated near the restaurant.

Peasants FEAST is located at 487 Atterdag Road, in downtown Solvang (at the corner of Copenhagen Drive).