Little Lunchboxes, One Big Mission

Childhood memories of toting your favorite lunchbox to school most likely summons nostalgia for PB&Js and pudding cups – a time when life, and our palettes, were much simpler. But as Julie Panebianco comments on the iconic image, “You shouldn’t take it for granted. Think how many kids don’t have one.”

For Panebianco, along with Topaz Paige-Green, her fellow co-creator of The Lunchbox Auction – an annual fundraiser to benefit the Food Bank for New York City and The Lunchbox Fund of South Africa– the lunchbox holds an even more important position in their current lives, as a tool for the fight against hunger. Bringing together an impressive array of chefs, musicians, fashion designers, actors, and artists each year, the event offers one-of-a-kind lunchboxes designed by these prominent characters that go up for grabs in a week-long online auction.

Just in time for holiday season with the giving spirit at its peak, celebrities and general do-gooders alike joined this past Thursday at Milk Gallery for the third annual auction, thrown by Gourmet and hosted by Mario Batali and Michael Stipe, with cocktails by Indochine and hors d’oeuvres provided by Double Crown and Public. With 80 lunchboxes displayed throughout on white pedestals, potential patrons got a first look at this year’s selection– designed by personalities including Gwyneth Paltrow, Liv Tyler, Eva Mendes, Cameron Diaz, Paul Rudd, Tom Colicchio, Emeril Lagasse, Spike Jonze, Salman Rushdie, Beastie Boys, Julia Stiles, and the cast of Gossip Girl.

However, easily stealing this year’s show, comedic heavy-hitter Mike Myers designed a 4-foot-tall tin lunchbox—befitting his larger-than-life personality, as well as the message behind his work: “It’s a very hopeful time in the world, so I wanted it to be as big as that hope. Obama is our president, so we’re headed in the right direction.” And with a similar standout piece, CFDA-winning fashion designer Rogan Gregory, who designed a loudly honking box, powerfully states, “I’m trying to make noise about the cause. Especially at this time, given the economic situation, there are a lot of people in need that weren’t even a few months ago. It’s a time to help out your fellow human beings.”

While the event’s attendees may have to wait for the auction’s end to see if they will score their favorite celebrity lunchbox, host Mario Batali made sure guests didn’t walk away empty-handed – providing a special insulated travel tote gift bag (perfect for transporting food), well-stocked with goodies like Boar’s Head salami, Fiji water, a Joy Organic reusable shopping bag, the December issue of Gourmet, and Batali’s own Mario Tailgates Nascar Style cookbook.

~Leann Peterson

To bid on one of the priceless lunchboxes, check out The Lunchbox Auction online, which ends on December 18, 2008 at midnight.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sean Sime