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2nd Annual Chef Showdown Raised $54,000

Center for Community Solutions (CCS) second annual “Chef Showdown: Taking a Stand Against Domestic Violence” attracted more than 400 people while raising $54,000 to support the Center’s diverse domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and intervention programs. The event showcased top local chefs in a highly entertaining culinary competition at the Courtyard of the Casa del Prado in Balboa Park on September 28, 2006.

The fundraiser, which honors National Domestic Violence Awareness month, featured two teams of five chefs each from top San Diego restaurants, including co-captains Gary Thompson, Viejas Casino and Dean Thomas, Barona Valley Ranch Resort; Victor Jimenez, JRDN at Tower 23; Amy Dibiase, Baleen; Augie Saucedo, The Shores; Brian Malarkey, Oceanaire; Neil Clooney, Cantina; Paul McCabe, J. Taylor’s at L’Auberge Del Mar; Maryjo Testa, Salad Style and Riko Bartolome, Asia-Vous.

In an approach similar to the Food Network’s widely popular “Iron Chef” show, the chefs were given a limited amount of time to create appetizers, entrees and desserts from “secret ingredients,” including two150-pound Opah fish, pumpkin and lamb, which were unveiled at the start of the competition. Lively commentary was provided by co-hosts Bernard Guillas, executive chef of the Marine Room; and Emmy award winner Sam Zien, a.k.a, “Sam the Cooking Guy.”

A panel of celebrity judges and well-known food critics sampled unique dishes before selecting the winning Viejas team with highly creative entries, such as seared opah with Tandori spices and green papaya-apple escabeche, pan seared opah with roast pumpkin and asiago ravioli, truffled pumpkin strudel with hon shimeji mushrooms and 100 year-old balsamic vinegar, seared lamb as well as fresh-made vanilla bean ice cream and a coco nib pecan praline served with a warm pumpkin custard shooter topped with shaved chocolate. Other members of the Viejas team include MaryJo Testa, Salad Style; Riko Bartolome, Asia-Vous; Neil Clooney, Cantina; and Paul McCabe, J. Taylor’s at L’Auberge Del Mar.

According to Verna Griffin-Tabor, executive director at Center for Community Solutions, this annual event is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness while extending the Center’s reach into the community. “We are so grateful for the widespread support of San Diego ’s top restaurants and chefs along with our many supporters who are helping us end the cycles of violence that affect our city,” she said. “We are proud to announce that this year’s fundraiser raised three times more proceeds than our inaugural event, giving us the opportunity to deliver more services to people and families in need.”

Viejas was the official sponsor of the Chef Showdown. Other sponsors included Chef Works, Dacor, Standards of Excellence, San Diego Culinary Institute, The Bitter End and Krakatoa Furniture. The event, which featured approximately 20 restaurants, featured live music, an espresso bar and a silent auction.

Center for Community Solutions thanks all the participating restaurants, sponsors, and attendees who supported the event to raise $54,000 to support the Centers’ numerous domestic violence and sexual assault prevention and intervention programs.

                                    
                      



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