For Immediate Release
FLIPANY Expands Popular Chefs Up Front Dinner
Evening of Culinary Creativity Benefits Local Families
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (July 10, 2014) – Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition To Youth has added twelve additional tables to Chefs Up Front, the organization’s biggest foodie fundraising event of the year, and almost doubled its goal to $90,000. Chefs Up Front, which offers a rare and coveted dining opportunity for guests to experience a delicious five-course signature meal prepared and presented tableside, will now feature 32 notable South Florida chefs at both the W Fort Lauderdale on August 22 and The Biltmore on September 5.
Chefs Up Front allows guests to experience the unique culinary interests of host chefs, who always delight with the personal touches they add to every course. In addition to the intimate dinner setting, each evening will feature a reception and silent auction. Ryan Phillips, morning meteorologist at NBC6 and long-time FLIPANY supporter, returns to emcee at the W Fort Lauderdale. Lisa Petrillo, entertainment reporter for CBS4, joins this year as emcee of The Biltmore event.
“Last year we expanded to two locations and had great success,” said Lynne Kunins, president and chief executive officer of FLIPANY. “This year, Dr. Colin Knight, our event chair, has challenged us to raise our goal so we can increase our reach and double our impact in the community!”
Chefs Up Front benefits Cooking Matters™, a program that teaches children and their families how to make healthy food choices, cook healthy meals and shop for nutritious foods on a budget. FLIPANY is the only agency providing the program in South Florida and is the lead partner of the national Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters’ program. All money raised from Chefs Up Front goes directly to supporting Cooking Matters™ for schoolchildren and their families in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County.
Chef Carlos Jorge, FLIPANY’s chef liaison for both events, returns to host at W Fort Lauderdale. Chef Gregory Pugin, French chef at The Biltmore, will again host at that location. Other chefs that have graciously lent their time and culinary talent at the W Fort Lauderdale include the following: Chef Jason Smith of the hotel’s Steak 954; Chef Robyn Almodovar, Palate Party and 2011 FOX Hell’s Kitchen Finalist; Chef Elizabeth Barlow, Dos Caminos, Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Beach Hotel; Chef Stanton Bundy, Royal Pig Pub and Kitchen; and Chef Marc Gruverman, The Capital Grille.
Biltmore chefs include Chef Giuseppe Galazzi, Fontana at The Biltmore; Chef Adrianne Calvo, Chef Adrianne’s; Cristian Cuevas, Swine Southern Table & Bar; Chef Aaron Dreilinger, Chef David Schwadron Catering & Event Design; Chef Danny Grant, 1826 Restaurant & Lounge; Chef Nuno Grullon, R House; Chef Makoto Okuwa, Makoto; Chef Carla Pellegrino, Touché Rooftop Lounge & Restaurant; Chef Luis Quant, BULLA Gastrobar; Chef Giorgio Rapicavoli, Eating House; Chef David Sears, SUSHISAMBA; and Chef Cesar Zapata, The Federal. For bios and photos of the chef line-up, visit the event chef page. Additional chefs will be announced soon.
On August 22, Chefs Up Front at W Fort Lauderdale begins at 5:30 p.m. with a silent auction and reception. The dinner and program start at 7:00 p.m. On September 5, the silent auction and reception at The Biltmore start at 6:00 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 7:30 p.m. Attendance to Chefs Up Front is currently only available via sponsorship. For more details, please visit our sponsorship page. Individual tickets are $175 per person and will be available July 14 via the event website.
Current sponsors of Chefs Up Front include the following: The Biltmore, W Fort Lauderdale, Audi, Gables Capital Management, Greater Miami Caterers, Miami Associates in Pediatric Surgery, Master Host Dinner Service & Catering, and Toshiba Business Solutions.
FLIPANY empowers youth and adults through nutrition and fitness programs while raising awareness and creating policy changes for healthier, more food-secure communities. FLIPANY has been instrumental in helping the community recognize the importance of their health, how to make healthy lifestyle choices, and the critical role nutrition and physical activity plays in the health and development of children and adults. To-date, FLIPANY nutrition and fitness professionals have educated more than 30,000 participants, worked with more than 500 volunteers and partnered with more than 60 community agencies to combat childhood hunger and obesity. www.flipany.org; @FLIPANY; FLIPANY on Facebook
Contact: Jennifer R. Hudson
PR Chair, FLIPANY Chefs Up Front
305.333.0315
jen@wethinkbeyond.com
