Top Chef–Winner Hosea Rosenberg Is Fighting For His Daughter’s Life

There’s one thing referred to as the Miracle Window, and though it feels like some form of wonderland, it has foreboding margins. For Sophie Feder Rosenberg, the soon-to-be three-year-old daughter of chef Hosea Rosenberg and his spouse Lauren Feder Rosenberg, their private Miracle Window marks the transient timeframe throughout which Sophie’s signs for multicentric carpotarsal osteolysis (MCTO), a particularly uncommon and painful genetic dysfunction, are comparatively manageable.

Solely 30 folks on the planet are recognized to undergo from this syndrome, a degenerative skeletal illness that, in essence, eats away on the intricate carpal (wrist) and tarsal (ankle) bones of the physique whereas additionally inflicting kidney failure. Because the illness progresses, Sophie will turn into crippled in her fingers, toes, and probably different joints, and most certainly want a kidney transplant sooner or later throughout her childhood.

Lauren and Hosea, who received Bravo’s Top Chef season 5 and is the chef-owner of Blackbelly and Santo in Boulder, knew one thing was incorrect early on in Sophie’s life. When most kids begin strolling, Sophie resisted. When she was 18 months previous, her tentative steps introduced grimaces of ache. The couple sought medical assist and obtained a prognosis of juvenile arthritis. It was a blow, however with braces, remedy, and drugs, Sophie made progress. It wasn’t till many months later that genetic testing revealed the presence of MCTO.

That devastating prognosis got here in mid-March—the exact same week eating places, together with Blackbelly and Santo, have been closed to in-person eating because of COVID-19. “We went into some deep, darkish holes,” says Hosea. The couple reached out to Shriners Hospital in St. Louis, one of many few hospitals with expertise working with MCTO sufferers. Sophie’s appointment was scheduled for early Might, however because of COVID-19, it’s been moved to August. “The method is already disheartening,” Lauren says. “The medical doctors have mentioned ‘Don’t include excessive hopes.’ There’s not lots of people, so [MTCO] isn’t a spotlight and there’s no main profit to create a therapy.”

However for Hosea, Lauren, and Sophie, that’s merely unacceptable; they’re taking issues into their very own fingers. “We have to cease this in its tracks earlier than it advances,” Lauren says. Whereas additionally making an attempt to maintain their eating places in enterprise, the couple has devoted each waking second to launching a basis, Sophie’s Neighborhood, which has the bold purpose of elevating $2 million in 2020.

Julia Vitarello, who created the wildly profitable Mila’s Miracle Foundation to discover a treatment for her daughter, who suffers from Batten Illness, is standing alongside Hosea and Lauren to assist information the method. “Julia thinks $2 million is the magic quantity to get a medical trial below approach,” Lauren says. “It’s all about cash, and though we don’t often wish to ask for assist, we’ll use no matter connections and sources we’ve to get this completed for Sophie.”

On Might 30, Sophie’s third birthday, the inspiration will maintain its inaugural fundraiser. As a result of state of the world within the midst of a pandemic, the occasion will take the type of a virtual silent auction. However Hosea and Lauren are excited that occasion has no bounds. “It doesn’t matter the place you might be. All you should do is flip your pc on,” Hosea says. The public sale will kick off at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Might 30 and finish at 9 p.m. that night time.

As you may think, a High Chef winner and a pillar of the Boulder culinary group has far-reaching connections: The silent public sale lineup is proof. A number of the nationwide and native highlights embrace:

• a 30-minute video name (plus a signed copy of Bringing It Home: Favorite Recipes from a Life of Adventurous Eating) with High Chef host Gail Simmons

• a 15-minute video chat and premium autograph from Tremendous Bowl Champion and New Orleans Saints Professional Bowl Extensive Receiver Emmanuel Sanders

• a digital chat or bass lesson from Bob Crawford of the Avett Brothers

• a digital guitar lesson by acclaimed musician Jake Cinninger of Umphrey’s McGee

• one-on-one digital cooking lessons by High Chef contestants; i.e. home made pasta with chef Joe Sasto (different contestants providing lessons for public sale embrace Hosea, Fabio Viviani, Michael Voltaggio, Lee Anne Wong, Angelo Sosa, Denver’s personal Carrie Baird, Casey Thompson, and plenty of extra)

• a weekend of glamping and guided mountain biking in Pigs Forest, North Carolina for as much as six folks (no expiration)

• a never-before-shared kolache recipe and video lesson from Caroline Glover of Annette

• a personal blissful hour with Cocktail Caravan’s cell bar (Denver/Boulder solely)

• a yard barbecue from Señor Bear and Mister Oso with a Latin-inspired smorgasbord of smoked and grilled meats, ceviche, and barbecue accoutrements

A full preview of the public sale might be seen here; extra gadgets can be added on a rolling foundation till Might 30. Along with signing up by way of that hyperlink, it’s also possible to entry the public sale by way of cell by texting “Sophie” to 243-275. In fact, donations will also be made on to the inspiration’s website.

Bonus: Not surprisingly, the tight-knit native restaurant group is rallying round Sophie in myriad methods outdoors of the public sale. On Might 30, Fruition and Mercantile Dining & Provision will donate 10 p.c of carryout dinner gross sales to Sophie’s Neighborhood; Kevin Morrison of Tacos Tequila Whiskey is funneling all proceeds from the restaurant’s annual liquor locker leases to the inspiration; Gelato Boy has created an ice cream taste (Berries & Graham) in Sophie’s honor with proceeds going to the inspiration; and Fortuna Chocolate crafted a custom flavor for Comino Food Stories with 50 p.c of gross sales going to Sophie’s Neighborhood.