Within 24 hours of its launch, however, the restaurant has raised close to $15,000 — and its largest donation comes from a notable name.
While most donations hover around the $20 mark, actor Russell Crowe donated $5,000.
Using his full name, Crowe’s generous donation got the attention of organizers Richard Hall and Amanda Bailly.
Russell Crowe attends the annual Cannes Film Festival on May 15, 2016.
Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Hall took to Twitter on August 12, tagging Russell Crowe: “Someone called Russell Crowe made a very generous donation to our Le Chef fundraiser. But not sure it’s *the* @russellcrowe.”
Crowe took credit for the donation, responded to Hall’s tweet a few hours later: “On behalf of Anthony Bourdain. I thought that he would have probably done so if he was still around. I wish you and LeChef the best and hope things can be put back together soon.”
Bourdain, who died in 2018, traveled to Beirut in 2006 for his Travel Channel show “Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations.”
The new GoFundMe goal is set for $15,000, with the additional money said to support the staff while the restaurant remains closed during extensive repairs. The fund was less than $650 away from the goal around 5:15 p.m. ET Thursday.
The organizers could not immediately be reached for comment.
Bourdain’s first time shooting in Beirut in 2006 took a turn when violence erupted between Israel and Lebanon, but he returned in 2015 with “Parts Unknown.”
At the time Bourdain and his “No Reservations” crew were in Beirut, Israel and Lebanon were on the onset of war.
Beirut Sidekick Interview
Source: www.cnn.com
