Kicking off the fight against hunger

culture@dailylobo.com

At a time of year when many Burqueños are stocking up on chips and salsa and pulling grills out of garages for the biggest football game of the year, Roadrunner Food Bank is preparing for a different kind of bowl.

The Souper Bowl is an annual tasting event held by Roadrunner Food Bank to raise money and awareness regarding food insecurity after the heavy donations of the holidays are over, Sonya Warwick, communications officer for Roadrunner, said.

Guests listen to live music while sampling soups and desserts from local restaurants and vote for the year’s People Choice
Award for favorite dish, she said.

The event, in its 21st year, is hosted in Roadrunner’s warehouse, partly as a way to expose community members to the food bank’s work and facilities, she said. More than 40 restaurants will participate at this year’s event.

Warwick said the winner of last year’s People’s Choice award was Chef Marc Quiñones, from Bien Shur. His white chocolate bisque wowed guests last year, and was an easy choice for the award.

According to the food bank’s website, this year’s Souper Bowl will feature Arizona rock band Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers, as well as a silent auction with donations from more than 70 local businesses, including Farm & Table Restaurant, the Santa Fe Opera and the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Like its namesake, the Souper Bowl is a much beloved event in Albuquerque, Warwick said. “We have (the Souper Bowl) because it’s a great way to get people involved. People come to the food bank and they get to see our mission closer and little more personal. It’s something that people have been enjoying for many, many years,” Warwick said.

While the Souper Bowl is not Roadrunner’s largest annual fundraiser, it raised almost $80,000 last year and is an invaluable reminder to the community that hunger is a year-round issue, she said.

“A lot of the funds that we raise are during the fall months. Well, now it’s starting to be a new year, and we want to keep reminding people that we’re still here and that hunger is still an issue,” Warwick said.

According to the food bank’s website, the Souper Bowl will be on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Roadrunner’s
Albuquerque food distribution facility at 5840 Office Blvd. NE. Tickets can be purchased at rrfb.org/souperbowl or by
calling 349-8921.