As part of Wild Turkey Bourbon's annual With Thanks campaign, the 'Dallas Buyers Club' star joins forces with Operation BBQ Relief to cook, package and deliver 800 dinners for emergency workers.

• Nov 4, 2019

AceShowbiz - Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey turned line chef on Friday, November 1, to help prepare meals for hundreds of first responders working overtime to tackle the Los Angeles wildfires.

The "Dallas Buyers Club" star and bosses at Wild Turkey Bourbon, for which he serves as creative director, joined forces with officials at Operation BBQ Relief to cook, package, and deliver 800 barbecue turkey dinners for emergency workers at 20 fire stations, while they also provided another 800 meals for local homeless shelters.

The generous gesture was part of the alcohol brand's annual With Thanks campaign, through which McConaughey was able to personally express his gratitude to firefighters and their colleagues for their hard work as they continue to try and contain the multiple blazes across his "second home" of California.

"Teaming up with Operation BBQ Relief as part of the Wild Turkey 'With Thanks' (campaign) has never been more meaningful," McConaughey shared in a statement, obtained by PEOPLE.

"Little did we know when planning this annual event that California, my second home, would once again be hit with devastating fires. Being able to provide meals to the men and women who put themselves on the line is an honor...".

"We are grateful to be here today to say thank you, shine a light on their unwavering conviction, and hopefully inspire others to get involved and help in their own communities".

McConaughey is making his presence at Wild Turkey's charitable campaign events a regular occurrence - last year (18), he surprised first responders in his home state of Texas by visiting several fire stations and hospitals in the Dallas area, thanking those who had helped during Hurricane Harvey in 2017.