Junoon Chef Prepares and Delivers Meals for Homebound Elderly in Manhattan

Executive Chef Steven Hubbell of Junoon joins a cast of culinary stars who have participated in Chefs Deliver for Citymeals

(March 1, 2016 – New York, NY) – Chef Steven Hubbell of the Michelin-starred restaurant Junoon, which showcases traditional and contemporary Indian cuisine, treated some of New York City’s homebound elderly to an exceptional meal as part of the Chefs Deliver for Citymeals program.

A Citymeals on Wheels initiative, Chefs Deliver brings together a rotating cast of culinary stars who, once a month, lend their talents to Citymeals – cooking and often personally delivering the meals to the doors of New Yorkers who are too frail to shop and cook for themselves. Chefs Deliver was launched in January 2014 by Citymeals Board of Directors Co-President Chef Daniel Boulud and Citymeals Board Member Chef Charlie Palmer.

Chef Hubbell prepared and delivered chicken lababdar, basmati rice and root vegetable masala to several Citymeals recipients living in Manhattan's Flatiron District. The remainder of the 100 meals he cooked was delivered to isolated older residents of Wakefield in the Bronx.

“More than 18,000 frail aged New Yorkers rely on Citymeals for home-delivered meals every day of the year,” noted Citymeals Executive Director Beth Shapiro. “Thanks to Chef Hubbell and all of our other Chefs Deliver participants, we are able to bring restaurant-quality meals right to the doors of our most vulnerable neighbors.”

Citymeals on Wheels prepares and delivers weekend, holiday and emergency meals for over 18,000 homebound elderly New Yorkers. More than 60 percent of Citymeals recipients are over 80 years old; 23 percent are over 90; more than 200 have lived at least a century. All recipients are chronically disabled by conditions such as vision loss, diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. Nearly all need assistance walking. It is estimated that 66 percent use a cane, 39 percent use a walker and 16 percent use a wheelchair. Citymeals recipients are also isolated: 57 percent live alone; 40 percent rarely or never leave their homes; 8 percent have no one with whom they can talk. Many are also at risk for malnutrition.

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About Citymeals on Wheels: Citymeals on Wheels (citymeals.org) provides a continuous lifeline of nourishing meals and vital companionship to New York City’s homebound elderly. Working in partnership with community-based organizations and senior centers, Citymeals prepares and delivers over 2 million weekend, holiday and emergency meals for more than 18,000 of our frail aged neighbors each year. Last year, over 15,000 individuals volunteered nearly 69,000 hours of their time.

Since its founding in 1981, Citymeals has relied on the generosity of its Board of Directors, the City of New York, sponsors and other designated gifts to cover administrative costs. This ensures that 100% of all public donations will be used entirely for the preparation and delivery of meals.