Remember how I said chef collaboration dinners are becoming a thing? Well I just found out about this nonprofit called Chef Celebration that brings together a group of more than 50 local chefs who raise money by putting on an annual spring dinner series to fund scholarships for other aspiring San Diego chefs. I can appreciate the concept of chefs laying the foundation for a future of other great chefs to follow in their footsteps. The group has been around for 20 years and has raised more than $283,000 for 100+ scholarship recipients. The lower and mid-level cooks who receive the scholarship are sent to an all-inclusive training course at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in Napa, Calif. with all their expenses paid.
The 2016 dinner series began in March (sorry for the late notice!) but you still have three opportunities to check it out. Reservations are available from 5 to 9 p.m. and should be made by calling the host restaurant directly. Select beer or wine pairings for each menu are available for an additional fee. The series culminates on May 1 with a food and beer festival featuring food from 14 local chefs.
- Tom Hom’s Lighthouse dinner on April 19
5-course menu, $65/person
Participating chefs:
Kyle Kovar | Tom Ham’s Lighthouse
AG Warfield | Churchill’s Pub & Grille
Joe Pastry | Water’s Fine Foods & Catering
Stephen Gage | Underbelly North Park
Andy Halvorsen | Moto Deli - Tidal dinner on April 26
5-course menu, $65/person
Participating chefs:
Amy DiBiase | Tidal
Acursio Lotta | Solare Ristorante
Patrick Ponsaty | Bellamy’s Restaurant
Aaron Obregon | Bay Park Fish Co.
DJ Tangalin | JRDN - University Club atop Symphony Towers dinner on May 3
5-course menu, $65/person
Participating chefs:
Lance Repp | University Club
Phillip Esteban | Cork & Craft
Chris Gentile | Double Standard Kitchenetta & Bar
David Roshensky & Mark Kropczynski | Grant Grill
Aron Schwartz | Marina Kitchen at Marriott Marquis - Food- and- beer-pairing festival at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on May 1 (noon to 3 p.m.)
14 breweries + 14 chefs, $49/person
Taste 14 small dishes created by several local chefs, paired with craft beer from Stone Brewing
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