'Top Chef' Michael Voltaggio Leads Area Chefs In Annual Thanksgiving Meal At LA Mission

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — More than 3,500 meals will be served Wednesday at the Los Angeles Mission's annual Thanksgiving event.

Volunteers, led by "Top Chef" winner Chef Michael Voltaggio, began preparing the traditional feast for 3,500 people at 4:30 a.m.

Voltaggio was aided by other top LA chefs such as Susan Goin (The A.O.C. and Lucques), Josiah Citrin (Mélisse), Steve Samson (Sotto), Ray Garcia (FIG), Josef Centeno (Bäco Mercat) and Duff Goldman (Charm City Cakes).

"We're doing the full Thanksgiving Day meal. The turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce," Chef Ray Garcia said.

Among those helping to serve the meals were be Bella Thorne ("Shake It Up"), Maitland Ward ("Boy Meets Girl"), Andrea Bowen ("Desperate Housewives"), Rick Schroder ("NYPD Blue"), Kevin Nealon ("Weeds"), Susan
Yeagley ("Parks and Recreation"), Emma Kenney ("Shameless"), Pamela Bach-Hasselhoff ("Baywatch"), Aeriel Miranda ("Pretty Little Liars"), Octavius Johnson ("Ray Donovan"), Mayor Eric Garcetti, City Attorney Mike Feuer and Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck.

Flu shots, foot care and exams, socks, tarps and blankets were also be given out to attendees.

Thanksgiving, which has been an LA Mission tradition since 1936, was served at 11 a.m., with the event wrapping up around 3 p.m.

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