James Beard Award-winning Chef Andy Ricker to Cook for a Cause: Freedom for journalist and Marine veteran Austin Tice

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Dec 22, 2020, 11:30 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- James Beard Award-winning Chef Andy Ricker will lead a remote cooking demonstration live from his kitchen in Thailand in an effort to bring awareness to the case of Austin Tice, the Marine veteran and award-winning journalist who was detained at a checkpoint in Syria while covering the unrest there back in 2012.

James Beard Award-winning Chef Andy Ricker to Cook for a Cause: Freedom for journalist and Marine veteran Austin Tice

Sponsored by the National Press Club, each episode in the Cook for a Cause series will pair a James Beard Award-winning Chef with either a member of the Tice family, or a press freedom advocate well-versed in Austin's case. The first episode featured James Beard Award-winning Chef Chris Shepherd and Tice's sister Meaghan Malone.

Ricker, the chef and owner behind the popular Pok Pok restaurants, will team up with Tice's brother Jacob Tice and Washington Post Global Opinions columnist and press freedom advocate Jason Rezaian to teach us how to make authentic pad see ew when the series returns on Friday, January 8 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Tickets start at $35 for the class. Click here to purchase tickets.

The Cook for a Cause series follows the success of the national Night Out for Austin Tice held in 2019, which drew support from 80 restaurants in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Thousands of people who went out to eat that night learned about Austin's case, and millions more read about him in newspaper ads, articles and op-eds, and listened to the Tices tell their story in dozens of radio and television interviews. In addition to raising awareness, last year's Night Out For Austin Tice raised more than $60,000 to supplement the FBI's $1M reward for information leading to Austin's safe return and generated new leads to the FBI.

Ricker played a hand in Night Out For Austin Tice's success, generously donating a portion of the proceeds from Pok Pok Portland to the cause. When Ricker was approached about participating in this year's Cook for a Cause campaign he was eager to help.

All proceeds raised from the series will go to the National Press Club's non-profit affiliate, The National Press Club Journalism Institute (a 501-c3), where it will be held until further instruction from the FBI. It is our hope that the funds raised will be used to rehabilitate Austin back into society when he returns safely home after 8 years in captivity. To learn more about Austin Tice and how you can help, please visit: austinticefamily.com

Founded in 1908, the National Press Club is The World's Leading Professional Organization for Journalists™ with more than 3,000 members. The Club speaks out on press freedom issues and annually recognizes journalists at risk at home and abroad with the John Aubuchon Award for Press Freedom.

PRESS CONTACT: Lindsay Underwood for the National Press Club; [email protected]

SOURCE National Press Club