By Olivia Scheck
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MIDTOWN — Sandra Lee, Food Network star and First Girlfriend of New York State, was in Grand Central Terminal Tuesday for what she hoped would be the largest bake sale of all time.
The event, benefiting the Food Bank for New York City, featured some of the city's most respected chefs, including James Beard Award-winner Emeril Lagasse, in the roles usually filled by soccer moms.
"Bake sales are about community and every single place including New York City is a community," Lee, the live-in girlfriend of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said. "This is a great way to help your neighbor."
Local favorites, like Magnolia Bakery, Sullivan St Bakery and Murray's Cheese Shop, were serving up goodies at the fundraiser, which was scheduled to run from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Vanderbilt Hall.
Mario Battali's Chelsea hotspot Del Posto and the legendary Gotham Bar and Grill near Union Square were also on hand.
Tonnie Rozier, owner of Tonnie's Minis in Harlem, was among the select group of vendors. He expounded on the money-raising potential of freshly baked cupcakes.
"You're not walking around thinking, I want a cupcake, but once you smell it you're gonna buy one," Rozier said. "So when it comes to charities, cupcakes are the way to go."
As a former New York City case worker, Rozier said selling cupcakes for charity is a way of returning to his roots.
Emeril, who was "kicking it up a notch" with New Orleans-style pralines, also spoke of the natural connection between chefs and anti-hunger charities.
"We feed people and we love to feed people," the Food Network star opined.
The event raised a total of $50,368.80, which included Lee's donation of $25,000.
While Lee said she was too busy organizing to bake anything for Tuesday's event, the "Semi-Homemade Cooking" star, who was criticized for her tomato soup/cottage cheese lasagna recipe, did offer up some advice for at-home pastry chefs who back themselves into a corner.
"If it's savory put cheese on it, if it's sweet put ice cream on it," she advised.
