Substitute Guests Fill In, Fill Up

Chefs found themselves without dinner guests when a fund-raising event for a Washington shelter for the homeless was canceled because of last-minute contract problems. So they decided to cook for the homeless instead. Although the shelter’s regular meals are “very nice,” said Mitch Snyder, an activist for the homeless, “we don’t serve clams or crab. People around here got all perky about that.” Some of the invited guests reserved judgment until after the meal. “It’ll probably be all right,” said Ronnell Showell, 29. A for-profit group had planned to donate at least $150,000 of its proceeds from the event to the shelter, a spokeswoman said. After it was canceled, the chefs “decided we were here to help the hungry and homeless, so why don’t we?” said John P. Hughes III, owner and chef of Windows on the Water in Kennebunkport, Me., where the Bushes have dined. Chef Daniel Thiebaut of the Mauna Kea Beach Resort in Hawaii got his company to donate lamb, fruit and special colored, chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. The crab meat came from two restaurants in Mobile, Ala. “Hopefully, they’ll have a memorable meal and they’ll realize they ate as well as some of the fat cats,” chef John Weichman said.

--A 7-year-old boy appointed to the Berkeley Youth Commission after he worked for the reelection of a councilman proposed an attack on poverty when he attended his first meeting. Edward Andrews, who looked bored at times, sat through an hour of plodding discussion on topics such as student motivation and high school assemblies. But then the boy, known as Teddy, rose and said: “I propose we join together to help the poor and homeless children.” His suggestions included soliciting contributions from UC Berkeley and the city Police Department; helping “children in need” get haircuts, and collecting books, toys and clothing for homeless children. He said he has found two bookstores willing to donate books and persuaded several establishments to donate haircuts. The rest of the Youth Commission endorsed his proposals.

--Rock star Ted Nugent, 40, married Shemane Deziel, 26, on a casino showroom stage in Reno, with actor Kurt Russell as a groomsman. It is the second marriage for both. Nugent met his new wife in October at a Detroit radio station, where he was a guest host and she was a traffic reporter at the time. The bridegroom wore black jeans and a casual coat, but the bride was dressed in a more traditional white gown. Nugent said they will spend their honeymoon hunting in Texas and will live in central Michigan.