On Monday, February 1, 2026, Hailey Hernandez, owner of Side Piece Kitchen, was involved in a house fire. She was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where she was treated for second- and third-degree burns to her face, hands, forearms, legs, and feet.

The burns on the majority of her body are expected to heal without severe medical intervention other than some physical therapy and diligent wound care; however, time will tell as the burns reveal themselves. They are currently in the process of waiting to see what form of medical intervention will be needed for her more severely burned left hand. Hailey’s care team is expecting surgery, with the possibility of skin grafting and tissue replacement. She will know more later in the week. What is certain is she will require time away from work, involved wound care, surgery, possible physical therapy, as well as repair to her home. This doesn’t begin to cover the mental toll the traumatic experience has taken on both her and her husband, Dante Hernandez, also an owner of Side Piece Kitchen. Hailey is also currently 17 weeks pregnant.

Anyone who knows Hailey knows how she stands up for her community, employees, friends, and even strangers. Hailey is regularly organizing fundraisers and food drives where a significant portion of sales are donated to people and communities in need. She is an active, hands-on employer and business owner. She pours herself into her activism and is a rare person, full of passion and a truly authentic person. She is always one of the first people to reach out and provide support or help for her friends, family, employees, and community whenever someone is in need.

We are reaching out to the community in hopes of taking some of the financial burden off of her and Dante as they step away from full time work at their restaurant to manage the fallout and recovery. Our goal is ambitious. If you can’t donate, please consider showing support in other ways. Please visit her restaurant, Side Piece Kitchen, to support her and Dante's amazing staff in their absence.