ThanksLiving held at The Cultured Pearl

Longtime Cultured Pearl employee Karla Ortega helps serve the plant-based feast at the ThanksLiving event. DAN COOK PHOTOS

Dan Cook

November 25, 2023

The Cultured Pearl in Rehoboth Beach hosted ThanksLiving Nov. 19, showcasing the innovative vegan cuisine of Chef Robert Wood. The plant-based feast is offered annually to the community a week before Thanksgiving. It’s an opportunity for local chefs to show off their unique culinary styles in a wide range of plant-based dishes.

This year’s feast began with appetizers, enhanced by entertainment from local musician Alex Razze and happy hour prices on beverages.

“I like to offer different venues each year to support different restaurants in our area,” said ThanksLiving co-founder Tara Sheldon. “I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Cultured Pearl for hosting ThanksLiving, to all of their staff who worked so hard to ensure a smooth evening [and] to their chefs who created new plant-based dishes just for our event.”

Sheldon also thanked guest speaker Rita Williams of the Blue Zone Project, who shared the Power 9 lifestyle habits learned from the healthiest people and cities in the world. Sheldon said many of the lifestyle habits were exemplified at ThanksLiving.

While much has changed in the world over the last four years, Sheldon said much has stayed the same.

“The healthier we are, the healthier our family is, the healthier our community is, the healthier the world is, and eating more plants helps all of us to be healthier,” she said.

For more information, go to VegRehoboth.org.

Alex Razze entertains attendees during the cocktail hour and dinner.

Delicious sushi by Cultured Pearl chefs were served during the cocktail hour and dinner.

The Cultured Pearl chefs include (l-r) Chef de Cuisine Bill Cornelius, Master Sushi Chef Scott Curry, Executive Chef Robert Wood and Kitchen Manager Donna Welsh.

ThanksLiving guest speaker Rita Williams gives important information about the Blue Zones Project®, a community-led, well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to lifestyle, environment, policy, and social networks.