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What if your next martini was delivered by Chrissy Teigen—or your entrée by Orlando Bloom? Tomorrow night, that might actually happen. Teigen, Bloom, Dorinda Medley, Sophia Bush, Heidi Gardner and other boldfaced names are trading red carpets for aprons at Server for an Hour, a celebrity-studded event hosted by One Fair Wage to spotlight the national fight for a living wage.
Now in its third year, the campaign pairs stars with restaurant workers to draw attention to the affordability crisis and the millions of tipped employees still earning subminimum wages. Teigen, who once worked in restaurants herself, has emerged as the face of the initiative. “This year’s event feels especially meaningful,” she said. “So many families are struggling right now... Everyone deserves the chance to live with dignity—and that starts with being paid a living wage.”
The dinner service doubles as a launchpad for the Make America Affordable Now PAC, a new political arm advocating for wage reform ahead of the 2026 elections. The PAC, backed by One Fair Wage, the National Education Association and other labor groups, will endorse candidates running on affordability and wage-justice platforms. Elected officials, including NYC Comptroller Brad Lander and City Council Labor Chair Carmen de la Rosa, are expected to attend, along with speakers from several state legislatures.
Saru Jayaraman, president of One Fair Wage and director of the UC Berkeley Food Labor Research Center, said, “Affordability is the top issue on every poll and determining all elections at the moment—and also determining the fate of our democracy.”
The event follows a series of living wage wins across the country, from Los Angeles hospitality workers’ landmark deal ahead of the 2028 Olympics to New York’s own grassroots wage campaigns. According to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator, there isn’t a single county in the U.S. where a worker can meet basic needs on less than $25 an hour—a stat One Fair Wage hopes to change.
So if your Lower Manhattan server looks suspiciously like a Bravo icon this Thursday evening, you’re not imagining it. Just be sure to tip generously—Teigen and company will definitely appreciate it.