If you don’t have your tickets to the annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs Gala, time is running out and tickets are almost sold out. Next Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton, 1150 22nd St. NW, 23 chefs and eight bartenders/mixologists will come together to help raise money to help prevent birth defects, premature births and infant mortality.

Jo-Jo Valenzuela, vice president of the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild, is the honorary cocktail chair. This is his fourth year participating in the Signature Chefs Gala. “It’s just such an honor to do it,” he told DC on Heels. “I just like doing a good deed whenever I can help the community and give something back. … Doing something nice is unbeatable.”

(Video: Christopher Smith/DC on Heels)

Valenzuela has been bartending since he moved to the DMV in 1997 for the Philippines, where he is from. “I was a musician, a very ambitious musician when I was in the Philippines,” he told videographer Christopher Smith. He was fascinated by drink when he moved here. “I did the wrong way of bartending, which is by learning from bartending school. But I was passionate enough that I did well. A lot of people think if you go to bartending school that you’ll land a job. It’s not how it works.”

Over the years, Valenzuela has worked behind the bar at the Occidental Grill, Old Glory, City Tap House, Ris and Chef Geoff’s among others. He currently bartends at Bobby McKey’s and Gypsy Soul. He is also the brand ambassador—or “gin connoisseur,” to use his exact title—for Beefeater Gin and Plymouth Gin, both of which are owned and distributed by French company Pernod Ricard.

Joining Valenzuela is Ben Wiley from Cafe St. Ex, Jamie MacBain from Daikaya, Christine Kim from Tico, Paul Taylor from Rhodeside Grill, Aaron Joseph from Wit and Wisdom, Glendon Hartley from Cava Mezze and Rico Wisner from Graffiato. Each will be mixing up a signature cocktail for attendees to try.

The evening will also include auctions with unique dining, entertainment, travel and leisure packages. All proceeds benefit the March of Dimes, raising awareness for its mission and vital revenue to help prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Fall is here and that means cooler temperatures, falling leaves, Oktoberfest and the March of Dime’s Signature Chefs Gala. Mark your calendar now for 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 12 when the DMV’s culinary masters come together for an elegant evening of wine, cocktails and dining.

More than 40 of the area’s celebrated chefs, mixologists, bartenders and vintners will serve up tasty bites and drinks. The evening will also include auctions with unique dining, entertainment, travel and leisure packages. All proceeds benefit the March of Dimes, raising awareness for its mission and vital revenue to help prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Chef Lonnie Zoeller from Vinoteca grills squid. This will be his third year participating in the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Gala. (Photo: Chris Smith/DC on Heels)

This is the third year executive chef Lonnie Zoeller of Vinoteca, 1940 11th St. NW, is participating in the Signature Chefs Gala.

With so many food-centric events happening in the DMV, Zoeller said choosing which of the many good causes Vinoteca supports. “It’s a matter of timing. It is hard to be involved with every one. We pick one or two really good causes every seasons – the ones that are more important to us,” Zoeller told DC on Heels. “My daughter just turned 2 so I like to support the March of Dimes in educating parents and soon-to-be parents” about preventing birth defects.

Zoeller hasn’t decided what he’ll be serving since the event is still a few months away and he prefers “ingredient-driven cuisine, using what’s in season and what’s available to me.” The first year he served a smoked fish and potato salad and last year a country ham and white bean stew.

The chef explained that he prefers buying whole or half animals to create his dishes at Vinoteca so he “knows where the product comes from. It comes from the farm to us without going through a processor or two. It also keeps cost down and we can pass it on to our customers.”

Zoeller said he likes to keep the dishes easy to serve so he can have conversations with the people at the gala, where about 500 guests walk around the ballroom of the The Ritz-Carlton in Foggy Bottom sampling the chefs’ dishes and mixologists’ drinks.

Other participating chefs include honorary chef Mike Isabella of G, Graffiato, Kapnos and Kapnos Taverna; chef Douglas Alexander of Art & Soul; chefs Christophe and Michelle Poteaux from Bastille; chef Erin Reed from Brabo; chef Geoff Tracy from Chef Geoff’s and Lia’s; chef Kyle Bailey of ChurchKey; chef Victor Albisu from Del Campo; chef Dean Gold of Dino’s Grotto; chef Sam Henderson from Food Wine & Co.; chef Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery, We the Pizza and Bearnaise; chef Jamie Leeds from Hank’s Oyster Bar; chef Michael Abt of Le Diplomate; chef Robert Wiedmaier from Marcels and Brasserie Beck; chef Matthew Adler of Osteria Morini; chef Kyoo Eom from Poste Moderne Brasserie; chef Travis Croxton of Rappahannock River Oysters; chef Javier Romero from Taberna Del Alabardero; chef Ethan McKee of Urbana; chef Adam Barnett from Westend Bistro; and chef Tracy O’Grady of Willow along with representatives of Oliva Macaron and Paul.

Participating bartenders and mixologists include Jo-Jo Valenzuela from D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild; Jamie MacBain of Bourbon Steak; Ben Wiley from Café St. Ex; Christine Kim of Tico; Paul Taylor from Rhodeside Grill; Aaron Joseph of Wit and Wisdom; Glendon Hartley from Cava Mezze and Rico Wisner of Graffiato.

Tickets and more information along with an updated list of chefs and mixologists are available here.