City Harvest, the food-rescue nonprofit that helps to feed 1.5 million needy New Yorkers a year, recently moved its operation to a new, 150,000 square-foot facility in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

The near-100,000-square-foot expansion couldn’t come at a better time. The organization has been an indispensable provider for 40 years — never more so than during the pandemic.

On March 14, 2020, world-renowned chef Eric Ripert and his wife, Sandra, dropped in at the City Harvest Mobile Market in the South Bronx to help distribute food.

Ripert had closed his three-Michelin-star restaurant Le Bernardin the day before. The city was in lockdown. Fear and uncertainty filled the air.

“There were long lines. It  was extremely cold,” the chef recalled. “But it felt really good to be active. We were being cautious with Covid, but in that moment I forgot about all our problems. It’s one of my greatest memories of helping City Harvest.”

City Harvest CEO Jilly Stephens was there, too, and remembers it well.

“Eric and Sandra saw for themselves in a tangible sense how many more people were on line than in the month before.”

City Harvest delivers 111 million pounds of food annually to food pantries, soup kitchens and community partners  in the five boroughs.

The Riperts have been prime movers in the nonprofit’s efforts for 25 years. Le Bernardin has donated nearly 600,000 pounds of  food since 1997 and helped distribute over 17 million free meals. The Riperts, using donations from Le Bernardin itself and from fundraising efforts, helped to contribute more than 20 million pounds since 1997.

They will be feted for their efforts on Tuesday at City Harvest’s annual fundraiser gala at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Ripert, a City Harvest board member since 2002 and a vice-chair since 2013, is also chairman emeritus of the nonprofit’s Food Council, a group of 80 local chefs who donate food, help raise funds.

Starting in May of 2020, when Ripert wondered  whether he’d ever be able to reopen Le Bernardin to the public, his kitchen cooked 400 meals a day, using food collected by City Harvest. Their partner, chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen, delivered meals to shelters.

Following the indoor-dining resumption in February 2021, Le Bernardin earmarked  $5 from each customer’s dinner check  for City Harvest. Since lunch service resumed last year, the donation continues on the three-course, $90 bar/lounge lunch menu.

Sandra Ripert is the gala’s co-chair.  Throughout the year she visits City Harvest’s facilities, helps pack food for mobile markets and brings awareness to the organization by hosting events.

Stephens said, “They are by our side at every turn. Their contribution is almost inestimable.”