Tuesday evening I had the honor of attending an event at Magginao’s Little Italy in Buckhead to learn about their partnership with Make-A-Wish Georgia. If there was not a reason to love Maggianos more than I already do, well, they just helped me to fall deeper in love! Over the last 14 years, Maggiano’s has raised more than $7 million and helped to grant more than 900 wishes for Make-A-Wish, a nonprofit organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. This year’s campaign is centered all around brunch, and Maggianos is inviting guests to “Brunch With A Purpose,” where $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish for every brunch entrée ordered.
Our evening began with learning about how Maggiano’s has played a role in Make-A-Wish Georgia throughout the years. We had the honor of hearing the story of one of our local recipients, Ellie, an 11-year-old born with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB). Ellie has a passion for cooking and enjoys watching Master Chef Junior. Make-A-Wish Georgia granted her wish along with the help of Chef Gordon Ramsay to be an honorary judge on Master Chef Junior. Later in the evening, this delightful young girl shared her love of cooking with us as she assisted Executive Chef Thomas Wenning of Maggiano’s Little Italy in Buckhead in making Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
After listening to Ellie’s father talk about his daughter and the outpouring of support that Maggiano’s Little Italy has shared with this precious family, we had the opportunity to taste Maggiano’s brunch items. They were absolutely scrumptious!
Crab Cake Benedict and Meatball Benedict
Served on an English muffin and covered in hollandaise sauce, these benedicts were full of flavor. The creamy sauce and crispness of the muffin balance the delicate tenderness of the crab and the juicyness of the meatball.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
As someone who loves anything lemon, these were heavenly! Made with lemons and ricotta, these pancakes were light, fluffy, and amazingly delicious!
Vegetable Frittata
Layered with Shiitake Mushrooms, Spinach, Roma Tomatoes, Smoked Mozzarella, and Crispy Vesuvio Potatoes, every bite of this frittata was bursting with flavor.
Creme Brulee French Toast
Yes! My favorite dessert of all time in French toast form. Served with strawberries and powdered sugar, this Cranberry Raisin Focaccia was to die for. I could seriously just eat these all day long!
So why not choose Maggiano’s Little Italy for your next brunch. Now through August 2, you can help Maggiano’s meet their goal of raising more than $1 million. That is enough to help them grant their 1,000th wish for children like Joshua, who has a progressive muscle disease. Joshua’s wish is to receive a service dog to assist him with daily tasks such as opening a door, picking up dropped items and much more.
It’s a win-win for everyone! You get to enjoy such items as Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, The Meatball Benedict, Crab Cake Benedict or Crème Brûlée French Toast. You can even order Wish Lemonade and they will donate an additional 50 cents. Not in the mood for brunch, you can also support Make-A-Wish by doing the following:
Order dessert from Maggiano’s monthly chef’s features and $1 will be donated to Make-A-Wish.
Give $10, get $10. For every $10 and above donation, guests will receive a Star Card with a special offer for their next Maggiano’s visit.
Donate online at site.wish.org/maggianos
Want to know more about the partnership between Maggiano’s Little Italy and Make-A-Wish? You can read about it here.
Should you choose to have Brunch with a Purpose, we would love to see your photos. Share them on Twitter and/or Instagram using #EatADish4MAW
