One of the country’s most renowned fine dining restaurants has to be the Anaheim White House. This opulent Italian steakhouse and its celebrity chef, Bruno Serato, has been recognized with James Beard awards and more for its delicious take on Italian fare with a slight French twist.

Photo courtesy of Anaheim White House

Serato hasn’t had it easy over the past couple of years, however. In February 2017, the Anaheim White House suffered over $1 million in damages in an electrical fire, causing the restaurant to shutter for over a year as it rebuilt. It’s been reborn exactly the way it was before, though, and Serato has kept the menu and his mission consistent the entire time.

Photo courtesy of Caterina's Club

That’s included his philanthropic work with Caterina’s Club, an organization named after Serato’s mother that provides over 4,000 meals a day across 29 different cities. Serato kept that work going even while his kitchen was being reconstructed, and to date has helped provide nearly 3 million pasta meals in need.

All of this happened while his organization trained over 100 children in the hospitality industry and helped close to 200 homeless families move into a safe home.

With the White House now back up and running, Serato hasn’t changed a single thing about day-to-day operations. The pasta dinners that will feed thousands are still prepared in the same kitchen space as his extravagant menu, showcasing his commitment to both high-quality food and giving back to the community that’s supported his rebuild.

You can learn the full account of Serato’s inspirational story and drool over some of his specialties, including an exquisite poached salmon with white chocolate mashed potatoes, in the above episode of Foodbeast’s Taste The Details.

Created in partnership with Visit Anaheim