Palate donates free meals to restaurant workers

Gov. John Carney’s emergency order closing sit-down bar and restaurant service has hit the Cape Region economy hard, putting hundreds of restaurant workers out of a job.

But Gary and Lorraine Papp, owners of Rehoboth Beach’s Palate, put their skills to use by making free meals for the area’s out-of-work restaurant employees.

The Papps extended their services to any restaurant that asked; March 29 saw laid-off employees from Lewes Yacht Club arriving to pick up meals, which included salad, bread and beef pasta. Gary Papp said restaurants called ahead, named each employee who needed a meal, and he and Lorraine cooked it. 

“We’re just trying to help out the community,” Gary Papp said.