Local chef serves up kindness, delivers homemade meals to those in need

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The COVID-19 outbreak has caused heartbreak and uncertainty, but the people of the Cape Fear Region have a way of showing up to support one another in times of need.

“I love Wilmington and I love my people and I just wanted to make sure I was doing what I could,” Chef Anna Masteller said. “And this is something I can do!”

Chef Anna Masteller is typically busy catering family reunions, weddings, and other events that come along with the warm weather in Wilmington, but the coronavirus put a halt to that.

So she started using her talents to help the community.

“I started collecting names, numbers, and addresses of people who might have food scarcity or who might be in need of good healthy, wholesome, delicious meals and I’ve been delivering them,” Masteller said.

With nearly 200 meals delivered so far, she says the people she delivers to are wonderful.

She is taking extra steps to make sure all her materials are clean so they do not have to worry.

“With every load of ingredients I bring back from Costco, Trader Joe’s, or wherever I’m shopping, I run the ozone generator in my car with all of the ingredients,” she said. “That kills any virus, bacteria, germ so I can make sure anything I’m bringing into our kitchen is sterile”

She says most of the time her deliveries are unexpected because names are shared by loved ones.

“It’s usually a surprise I’ve found, and I’m good with that I like being a surprise,” Masteller said.

And she’s experiences a bit of a surprise herself.

“It almost makes me what to cry,” she said. “It feeds me. I didn’t expect that part of it. I just wanted to be of service.”

If you or someone you know is in need of a meal, you can contact Chef Masteller through her website or her Instagram page.

She is also welcoming volunteers to help deliver meals.

Her next round of deliveries will take place April 22 and she can take names up until the day before.

The next item on the menu is Veggie Enchilada Pie with Beans and Spanish Rice.

She says she will continue to do this as long as she can afford to, so if you are interested in making a donation you can do so through her Venmo @anna-masteller.