Embassy Office Management Specialist Malene Ginete Cooks for a Cause

U.S. Embassy Officer Malene Ginete. Photo U.S. Embassy’

"El Chef Soy Yo!" (I'm the chef!) was sponsored by VIP magazine, the Radisson Hotel, and Huari beer.  Eighty-eight '”chef volunteers” from different embassies and organizations cooked for over 500 hungry guests to raise over $10,000 for children in El Alto.  Alalay, the children’s organization that received the money, promotes “a home for the children of the street” and will use the money to buy food, blankets, and other necessities for needy children. 

U.S. Embassy Officer Malene Ginete described the event the following way:  “Each participant was given a table which they could decorate and serve their offering.  I proudly hung the American flag, a picture of my family, and a creative display of the ingredients in my dish.  We were all told to cook for 50 people and the combined food would feed the over 500 guests.  We set up our respective areas by 7, took some photos for the magazine, and then by 8 PM the doors flew open and the 500 guests poured in.  I was told the line outside the Radisson stretched two blocks around the corner!  I was situated beside the Argentinean Ambassador, in front of the Peruvian Ambassador, and a table down from the Mexican Ambassador.  All of us were laughing, dancing to the upbeat music playing in the background, and tasting each country's/person's food.  The food variety was endless with 88 different chefs.”

U.S. Embassy table with Malene Ginete’s dish. Photo U.S. Embassy

Ms. Ginete was supported by members of the U.S. Embassy community including Laney Goodall, Silvia Molina, Marisol Semptergui, Yadira Ocasio, Patricia Viscarra, Frank Martinez, the Costacamps, Edward Hopper, Michael Rittley, and the Elizabeth Flores family, all of whom purchased entry tickets from Ms. Ginete to support the cause and help her win second place for ticket sales.