Chefs Gather to Support One of Their Own After Tragic Amtrak Accident
Chef Eli Kulp; Photo: Jim Graham
Eli Kulp, an up and coming chef who relies on his hands for his livelihood, may never be able to use them again. But Monday night, a group of fellow chefs came to his aid to raise money for his medical bills and to improve his chances of recovery.
Kulp, who ran High Street Market and Fork in Philadelphia, was one of of the 200 passengers injured when Amtrak train 188 derailed on May 12. Eight people died that day. Doctors say he may never walk again.
Amtrak stopped paying Kulp’s medical bills on June 20, according to an interview in The New York Post. He’s filed a negligence suit, and Amtrak said they will not fight cases seeking damages, but the company’s liability for a single crash capped by law at $200 million. Any settlement could take years, making paying for care a struggle now.
“Insurance is not the most cooperative, and Amtrak has not been the most cooperative,” said Mark Ladner, the executive chef of Del Posto, a restaurant that’s part of Mario Batali’s empire on Manhattan’s west side.
Kulp has been making a name for himself in the culinary world — he was named a Best New Chef in 2014 by Food & Wine magazine, and High Street on Market was lauded as No. 2 on Bon Appetit’s list of best new openings in the country last year. Kulp had been commuting from Manhattan, where he lives with his wife Marisa and their young son.
Kulp with his son Dylan and wife Marisa; Photo: Courtesy Kulp family
Chefs who had worked with Kulp at all stages of his career, from school at the Culinary Institute of America to cooking at Oceana and Del Posto, came out to lend their support, by cooking dishes and mixing up drinks to raise funds. Jeff Porter, the beverage director at Del Posto led an auction where items like a private dinner for 12 cooked by chef Mario Carbone at ZZ’s Clam Bar in New York were up for grabs.
Kulp’s business partner, Ellen Yin, said plans are still in place to open a branch of High Street on Hudson in New York. One of the items up for auction was a dinner for six at the future restaurant, as Yin told the crowd of about 260 that buying it would be “investing in his dream.”
Last night’s donations are still being tallied and a recent event in Philadelphia raised $130,000 for Kulp’s care, but friends emphasized that his family would need help for the long road ahead.
Chef Meena Throngkumpola from Nobu 57; Photo: Zach Hyman
“Accident affects us deeply because it can happen to any of us – a daily routine marred by tragedy,” said Meena Throngkumpola, an executive sous chef at Nobu 57 who went to culinary school with Kulp. “But he’s going to come back and he’s going to be awesome.”
To contribute to the Kulp family medical fund, click here.
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