How does your garden grow?

Jake was out last evening doing his ambassadorship at Edible Schoolyard NYC held its Inaugural Spring Benefit, “A Garden Grows in Harlem” at the Essex Street Market to celebrate Manhattan’s first actual “Edible Schoolyard” at Harlem PS7 which is slated to open later this year.

ESY works with "public schools to build gardens and in-classroom-kitchens where students can engage in hands-on learning."   Jake has been working with ESY since 2010 when he was named an ambassador and that same year helped break ground for the first NYC garden at a school in Brooklyn.

Approximately 360 guests which included Jenna Lyons and Courtney Crangi, Mickalene Thomas, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Martha Stewart enjoyed multi-course meals designed and prepared by 20 of the city’s premier chefs.

Some of the best names in food that created last night's menu included David Chang, the chef and founder of Momofuku and the organization’s culinary chair, Michael Anthony of Gramercy Tavern, Joel Harrington of Red Rooster Harlem and Einat Admony of Balaboosta.

An auction followed the meal with the biggest auction action centered around  a private pig roast for 40,  from chef and owner of The Spotted Pig April Bloomfield.   With the top two bids of $48,000 and $47,000 respectively with both ended up getting a evening of pig picking.  And how much did a pizza dinner with Jake go for?  $14,000.  A little more than you usually would spend for delivery.  You know it's not going to be Domino's but it could be kale.

Jake shared the evening with his mom and shared more about himself with those there.  Jake said that he doesn’t have a favorite food—let alone a least favorite. “Seriously, it’s one of the areas of my life where I hold everything with love and no judgment,” said the actor. “Anything that is fresh from a garden is my favorite food.” His momo said he even liked broccoli as a kid.  “He was very adventurous, and always, from the time he was really little, a spectacular cook,” she said proudly.  Well that would explain the whole kale thing, wouldn't it.

"Jake also let slip that he once worked for Hearth chef Marco Canora in Martha's Vineyard — and mentioned that he had been, in his own words, 'a little brat.'"

 Food blog Grub Street caught up "with Canora to get the full story — and to find out how Canora got his payback."

"He had his mother call into the restaurant to say that he was sick for the day. My buddy and I who ran the place were like, "Oh my God. I can’t believe that Jake’s mother just called to say that he’s home sick and can’t come to work."

So the next morning, we went to the drugstore and bought a baby bottle and a little pacifier, and when he came back to work, we gave him so much shit. We just didn’t let up. Every day for the rest of the summer, we kept on giving him water in a baby bottle. He was just telling me how that kind of resonated with him in terms of work ethic, so I thought it was kind of cute."

Wonder if Austin had his mom call and said he was sick when he was working  on OTH.

But the story of story of the night was what ESY is trying to do.  Jake shared the real value of the organization’s mission.

“It’s about more than just what you eat—it’s about being connected to the earth,” he explained. “Like, what would New York City be without Central Park? I mean, there’s not much edible food in there…but still. That idea exists within the city, and it should exist in every public school.”