Local Media Spotlight: Guest Chef Mavis Brings a Taste of Home to Ronald McDonald House New York

Ronald McDonald House New York was featured on CBS and FOX5 New York local news broadcasts last night, highlighting a special Guest Chef lunch hosted by the House’s Volunteers Team and led by six-year-old Guest Chef Mavis.

Both stations offered viewers a meaningful look inside RMH-NY—showcasing how family centered care, cultural connection, and community support come together to provide compassionate care for families navigating pediatric cancer and other serious illnesses.

CBS and FOX5 covered Mavis’s role as Guest Chef in the lower-level dining room, where she helped share several traditional Filipino treats with families staying at the House. The meal served as a powerful reminder of home for Mavis and her parents, reflecting RMH-NY’s commitment to holistic care that honors culture, identity, and emotional support during a child’s medical journey.

The coverage emphasized how Guest Chef meals are designed to do more than nourish—they help reduce stress, build community, and offer families moments of comfort amid treatment schedules and hospital stays.

The segments also highlighted the support of United Talent Agency, which sent 22 volunteers to assist with food preparation and meal service. UTA team members worked alongside RMH-NY staff and volunteers, reinforcing the vital role community partnerships play in supporting pediatric patients and their families.

In addition to the Guest Chef meal, volunteers helped transform the House into a festive Olympic Village in celebration of the start of the Winter Games. Children throughout the House participated in hands-on activities including decorating winter accessories, hockey pucks, and team jerseys, playing games such as ring toss, and posing for photos on RMH-NY’s official Olympic medal podium.

Both CBS and FOX5 used the event as an entry point to spotlight the broader mission of Ronald McDonald House New York—providing emotional support, stability, and a sense of normalcy for families facing serious childhood illness. The coverage underscored how programs like Guest Chef meals and volunteer-led activities help address social determinants of health by easing daily burdens and creating moments of joy and connection.

Learn more about the Guest Chef program at Ronald McDonald House New York.

By opening a window into daily life at the House, the stories helped audiences better understand how RMH-NY supports families beyond medical care, working alongside hospital partners to advance health equity for pediatric patients and their caregivers.