James Beard Award-winning Chef Andy Ricker cooks from Thailand to free Austin Tice, Jan. 8

James Beard Award-winning Chef Andy Ricker will lead a remote cooking demonstration from his kitchen in Thailand on Friday, Jan. 8, 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 in 2012.

Ricker, the chef and owner of 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 viewers how to make authentic pad see ew in the next episode of Cook for a Cause at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for the class can be purchased online and start at $35.

The Cook for a Cause series, sponsored by the National Press Club, pairs 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 Chef Chris Shepherd and Tice’s sister Meaghan Malone.

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 $1 million 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. Earlier this year, the Club sponsored Night in For Austin Tice because dining out was restricted by the coronavirus pandemic.

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 the Club's hope that the funds raised will be used to rehabilitate Austin back into society when he returns safely home after eight years in captivity. To learn more about Austin Tice and how you can help, please visit: www.austinticefamily.com.