Chris Pare, The Wondrous Collective

Chris Pare is the Culinary Director for the Wondrous Collective, a group of fourteen craft restaurants in Minnesota’s Twin Cities metropolitan area. As you might imagine, the task of managing the menus and food items at all those establishments can be a time-consuming endeavor and would undoubtedly fill the plate for most. But once you see what Chris and his Wondrous Collective team are up to after-hours – working with great organizations to help serve up hope to so many in need – you realize that’s just an appetizer for what they can really do.

Chris and the Wondrous Collective team work closely with several outreach programs around the Twin Cities area. For starters, they support Treehouse, an organization that offers teens a safe space to find support and belonging. Chris, a United States veteran, also helps raise money through large fundraising events for the local Veterans Affairs (VA) office in order to give retired veterans the assistance they need, including suicide prevention support. It doesn’t stop there. The team also assists efforts with local fire departments, serving thousands of holiday meals to those in need.

What truly sets this team apart is their pure humbleness. They’ve been approached multiple times to be publicly recognized for their efforts, but they’ve chosen to stay in the background, quietly making an impact without the need for acknowledgement. Further, their perspective on their efforts is also highly commendable, understanding that every individual is valued. When asked about a veteran suicide awareness event where he raised thousands of dollars, Chris said, “Even if this event only saves one person, it will be worth it in the end.” Chris and the entire Wondrous Collective team are true purveyors of good, demonstrating how to give of yourself to offer hope to those who need it most.

If you would like to learn more about the Wondrous Collective and their individual restaurants, visit their website.