Top Chefs to Cook for Maryland Marriage Equality
In an effort to raise awareness and critical funds just weeks before voters decide the fate of marriage equality in Maryland, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s LGBT civil rights organisation, and prominent food columnist and cookbook author David Hagedorn are bringing together Washington DC’s top chefs for Chefs for Equality, an evening of food, cocktails, fashion, music and an extraordinary auction.
The event will be held at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, October 24, 2012 beginning at 6:30 p.m.
“Chefs for Equality will feature Washington’s best chefs and great food all for the cause of marriage equality in Maryland,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “We are honoured to partner with David Hagedorn in bringing together an unprecedented number of chefs for what promises to be an evening of fine dining with a passion for equality.”
“Marriage equality is an important issue to me personally,” said David Hagedorn. “I’m thrilled to bring together leaders of the culinary community for a very special night to uphold Maryland’s law giving all its citizens the right to marry the one they love.”
Hagedorn is particularly excited by the seven Personal Chef tables (available for auction right now on the chefsforequality.org website), where award-winning chefs will work in pairs to cook five-course menus for tables of eight right in the middle of the action.
These duos include: Spike Gjerde and Erik Bruner-Yang; Cathal Armstrong and RJ Cooper; Michel Richard and Bryan Voltaggio; Vikram Sunderam and Nicholas Stefanelli; Ris Lacoste and Jamie Leeds; Enzo Fargione and Peter Smith; and Victor Albisu and Amy Brandwein. A top-flight sommelier will offer each Personal Chef table an exclusive wine pairing.
“Bidding will no doubt be vigorous for these unique offerings,” says Hagedorn.
Attendees will be greeted by a bevvy of beverage options from acclaimed area mixologists, including Derek Brown of The Columbia Room, Gina Chersevani of Eddy Bar, John Harris of Firefly, Rachel Sergi of Jack Rose and Todd Thrasher of TNT. Guests will also enjoy creative tasting stations from 25 DC area restaurants, including BLT Steak, Cork Wine Bar, Estadio, Kaz Sushi Bistro, Mintwood Place, Cedar and Pearl Dive Oyster Bar. Christopher Vazquez and Rick Davis of Amaryllis Floral + Event Design generously donated their services to design the entire event, whose theme revolves around the concept of two people joining together. Wedding-worthy fashions, donated for auction by clothiers such as Michael Andrews Bespoke, will be modelled as tableaux vivants throughout the event.
Tickets for Chefs for Equality are $300 and can be purchased at chefsforequality.org. All proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign Political Action Committee’s fight for marriage equality in Maryland.
In addition to the main event, an after-party will be held at Graffiato Restaurant at 10 p.m., featuring small plates by Mike Isabella, Scott Drewno of The Source and Teddy Folkman of Granville Moore’s, as well as cocktails from top mixologists. Tickets for the after party are $50.
CHEFS FOR EQUALITY DETAILS:
WHAT: An evening of food, cocktails, fashion and music to benefit marriage equality in Maryland.
WHEN: Wednesday, October 24, 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: The Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC
WHO: David Hagedorn, Christopher Vazquez and Rick Davis of Amaryllis Floral + Event Design and top Washington chefs and mixologists, including:
Victor Albisu, Taco Bamba
José Andrés, ThinkFoodGroup
Sebastien Archambault and Peter Brett, Blue Duck Tavern
Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve
Kyle Bailey, Birch and Barley
Justin Bittner, Bar Pilar
Jeff Black, Pearl Dive Oyster Palace
Danny Bortnick, Firefly
Devin Bozkaya, Westend Bistro
Amy Brandwein, Chef AmyB
Erik Bruner-Yang, Toki Underground
Jeff Buben, Woodward Table
RJ Cooper, Rogue 24
Logan Cox and Alison Reed, Ripple
John Critchley, Urbana
Scott Drewno, The Source
Enzo Fargione, Elisir
Teddy Folkman, Granville Moore’s
Spike Gjerde, Woodberry Kitchen
Dean Gold, Dino
Todd and Ellen Gray, Equinox
David Guas, Bayou Bakery
Scot Harlan, Green Pig Bistro
Michael Harr, Food, Wine & Co.
Mike Isabella, Graffiato
Jim Jeffords, Evening Star Café
Haidar Karoum, Proof / Estadio
Billy Klein, Café Saint-Ex
Ris Lacoste, Ris
Jamie Leeds, Hank’s Oyster Bar
Andrew Little, Sheppard Mansion
Tiffany MacIsaac, Buzz Bakery
Dennis Marron, Poste Moderne Brasserie
Jon Mathieson, BLT Steak
Cedric Maupillier, Mintwood Place
Aaron McCloud, Cedar
Harper McClure, The Federalist
Mary Lee Montfort, Mary Lee’s Desserts
Terry Natas, Carmine’s
Kaz Okochi, Kaz Sushi Bistro
Christophe and Michelle Poteaux, Bastille
Nora Pouillon and Todd Woods, Restaurant Nora
Leslie Poyourow, Fancy Cakes by Leslie
Michel Richard, Central
Kimberly Robinson, Makin’ Whoopie
Peter Smith, PS 7’s
Alli Sosna, Allison Sosna Group / Microgreens
Emily Sprissler, Mayfair and Pine
Nicholas Stefanelli, Bibiana
Vikram Sunderam, Rasika
Zoe Tsoukatos, Zoe’s Chocolate Company
Jeff Tunks, Passion Food Hospitality
Bryan Voltaggio, Volt
Rob Weland, Cork Wine Bar
Robert Wiedmaier, Marcel’s
David Winer, Eatwell DC
Demetrio Zavala, Lincoln
Featured Mixologists
Adam Bernbach, Proof / Estadio
Derek Brown, Columbia Room
Gina Chersevani, Hank’s Oyster Bar
Jeff Faile, Fiola
Jon Harris, Firefly
Corey Polyoka, Woodberry Kitchen
Rachel Sergi, Jack Rose
Andrew Shapiro, Green Pig Bistro
Bryan Tetorakis, Rogue 24
Todd Thrasher, TNT Bar
Rob Yealu, The Federalist