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Food Network Star Donates Winnings to Bed-Stuy's Campaign Against Hunger

By Camille Bautista | November 12, 2014 2:49pm | Updated on November 14, 2014 4:30pm
 Food Network star and Do or Dine owner Justin Warner will be honored for his support and donation to the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger after competing for the organization in "Cutthroat Kitchen: Supestar Sabotage."
Food Network star and Do or Dine owner Justin Warner will be honored for his support and donation to the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger after competing for the organization in "Cutthroat Kitchen: Supestar Sabotage."
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DNAinfo/Paul DeBenedetto

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Chef Justin Warner won $2,500 on national television — all while cooking sausage in a Bundt pan and baking with his hand stuck in a cookie jar.

The co-owner of Bed-Stuy's Do or Dine restaurant, who appeared on Food Network’s "Cutthroat Kitchen: Superstar Sabotage" in October, donated his winnings to Bed-Stuy’s Campaign Against Hunger and will be honored with a community award next week.

“Chefs and restaurateurs work diligently to nourish people every day,” Melony Samuels, founder and executive director of BSCAH, said in a statement.

“Justin’s selfless act helps us to not only feed and nourish needy families, but also to provide valuable resources to assist individuals living in poverty.”

Warner competed on the show against three other chefs, but lost to Marcel Vigneron during an oatmeal cookie battle in the second episode. While Warner was forced to bake with only one hand per the show's challenge, Vigneron had to cook in a kiddie oven powered by a 100-watt bulb.

Though he missed out on moving on to the next round, Warner was still able to secure funds for the charity of his choice.

“Bed-Stuy is my home,” he said in a statement. “I love the community, the food, the culture, the music — everything that makes Bed-Stuy a very special place.

"The show afforded me the opportunity to highlight an amazing charity organization that is doing extraordinary work in my community.”

The Food Network star also helped bring in-kind donations using social media to raise awareness for BSCAH, charity reps told DNAinfo. 

The group offers food services to New York City residents and runs three urban farms in central Brooklyn, along with an additional farm in Far Rockaway, Queens. 

The organization will celebrate Warner’s contributions on Nov. 18 with its first-ever Harvest Heroes Award during a holiday fundraiser at a DeKalb Avenue brownstone.