Washingtonians Open their Hearts and Wallets
The Signature Chefs Auction event benefiting the March of Dimes was a huge success. Thousands of dollars were raised in a matter of hours and everyone came together under one roof to enjoy a fabulous evening filled with amazing food, drink and people for a wonderful cause. Last year 1.1 million premature babies were born. Make a difference and help donate.
The event had more than 30 of DC’s top chefs, vitners and mixologists in the glitzy ballroom at the Ritz Carlton in Washington, D.C. There was a VIP reception, a silent auction and then a live auction. ABC7 anchor, Leon Harris served as the nights emcee and awesome packages were auctioned off like a dinner with Red Skins players or tickets to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, behind the scenes tour of The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, tickets to see Live! with Kelly and a private dinner with a former White House Executive Chef. Ahhmaze!
A Very Tasteful Night
I went around station to station tasting my way through the delectable evening and trying delicious bites like avocado and tuna tartare from and escargot volayvent with garlic herb butter pineapple and sage walnut pesto. Oh did I mention the Half Smoke Frito Pie and baby apple cobblers? The food was of course not to be out done by the drink.
Taha Ismail the head mixologist at Graffiato made me an incredible cocktail with Boyd and Blair vodka, rosemary, honey, lemon, yellow chartreuse and lavender bitters. An utter delight. And of course I had to try all the other fabulous cocktails there too.
Honorary Chair: Justin Bittner of Bar Pilar and Signature Cocktail Chair: Jo-Jo Valenzuela of Occidental
Participating Chefs: Art & Soul, B. Smith’s Restaurant, Bar Pilar, Bastille Restaurant, BLT Steak, Café St. Ex, Chef Geoff’s/Chef Geoff’s Downtown/Lia’s/Chef Geoff’s Tysons, DINO, Fuego Cocina y Tequileria, Georgetown Cupcake, Hank’s Oyster Bar, Hill Country Barbeque Market, Manor House at Poplar Springs, Michele Richard Citronelle, Poste Brasserie, Restaurant Eve, Stratford University, Taberna Del Alabardero, The Federalist, Westend Bistro, Willow Restaurant
Participating Wineries: Bacchus Importers, Benziger Family Winery, The Fess Parker Winery, The Hess Collection Winery, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines, Mumm Napa, Royal Cup Coffee, Trefethen Family Vineyards, Truchard Vineyards, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
Participating Mixologists: Duane Sylvestre and Jamie MacBain (Bourbon Steak), Taha Ismail (Graffiato), Michael Akin (Last Exit) and Jo-Jo Valenzuela (Occidental).
Ritz-Carlton
1150 22nd Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20037
Article by: Vanessa Camozzi, DC on Heels Blogger In Chief
