Mawn and Home Appétit Give Back to Key Elementary School

For those of us who still haven’t scored a reservation at Mawn, any mention of the restaurant in the news can be a frustrating reminder of our own inability to master the OpenTable notification system. But last month saw a decidedly more inspirational bit of press for the lauded Cambodian noodle house, when it was announced that Mawn chef and Francis Scott Key School alum Phila Lorn would leverage a partnership with Home Appétit to raise funds for Key.

For one week at the end of October and beginning of November, Home Appétit offered a limited-time, at-home Mawn menu, raising $13,000 for Francis Scott Key Elementary School to support expanded library access at Key. The best part of this story is why Lorn picked Key. After a recent visit to the school, Lorn says current students lit up when they saw a successful chef from their own neighborhood, someone who once sat in their seats. He also saw a staff that stretches its resources to give those kids everything it can.

That’s quite a tribute to Fellow Pauline Cheung and her team at Key, and it’s a beautiful full-circle moment for a school that has served South Philly families for more than 125 years. Congratulations, Pauline!