The 8th Annual Symphony of Chefs Gala Goes Global
(Featured photo: Georgia and Marc Lyons, Diana Crawford, Jane McGarry, Vinette and Mike Montgomery.)*
The 8th Annual Symphony of Chefs was held on Monday, February 26, 2018 at Sixty Five Hundred benefiting KidLinks. The night began with the sounds of Corey Breedlove on guitar during a hors d’oeuvres reception prepared by Chef Partner Justin Yoakum from Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. Notable guests included Jolie & Bart Humphrey, Carmaleta & Otis Felton, Margo & Bill Goodwin, Dr. Tana Roberts & Tim Roberts, Daffan Nettle, Jeanie & Bert Conly, Karen & Mike Dollar and founding event chairs Bonnie & Nathan Shea. As the dinner bell chimed, 250 guests took their seats in front of the 25 featured dinner chef tables. Co-chairs Vinette & Mike Montgomery and Georgia & Marc Lyons welcomed guests to the 8th annual event before turning the podium over to WFAA’s Good Morning Texas co-host Jane McGarry. After recognizing a host of new and returning sponsors and a few brief remarks about the night it was time for the chefs and guests to enjoy their first course.
This year, Honorary Chef Chair Emeritus Salvatore Gisellu of Urban Family Restaurants passed the knife on to Honorary Chef Tiffany Derry who assembled an army of accomplished chefs including Tre Wilcox, Joanne Bondy, bbbop Seoul Kitchen’s Sandra Bussey, Fitzgerald Dodd, Chad Houser and Truluck’s Manny Vera. They were among the 25 Featured Dinner Chefs who created a global inspired 4-course dinner that was prepared table-side and paired with over 40 wines representing 8 regions donated by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits D&E Fine Wine Group along with Toro de Piedra wines from Chile.
As the final courses were being prepared CEO Diana Crawford, during her remarks, noted the fact that 12 of the 25 tables for the 2018 event were hosted by sponsors who had come back to this annual dining experience 5 or more times, and that 7 had been to all 8 years of the event. It was proof that this is one dining event not to be missed! However it was her words of inspiration about KidLinks longstanding 35 plus years of history providing healing, hope and happiness to hospitalized and special needs children that opened the hearts of donors in the room allowing the non-profit to raise an additional $37,000 with just a few special auction packages and an appeal. Even Dallas Cowboys special guest #98 Tyrone Crawford got in on the action by upping the ante to one of the live auction packages helping KidLinks hit a new fundraising record of just over $260,000 raised!
The evening came to a close with a presentation of macarons from Haute Sweets Patisserie Executive Chef Gianni Santin and a decadent chocolate dessert from Dunia Borga from La Duni Baking Studio. Keeping with the night’s theme of “global fare,” KidLinks presented each guest with a perfect bound cookbook of recipes from the chefs to remember the evening by.
Funds raised from this event will support KidLinks efforts to provide Healing, Hope and Happiness for the special needs of children through music and media. For more information, visit http://www.thekidlinks.org/soc.html
2018 PARTICPATING CHEFS
HORS D’OEUVRES RECEPTION – RISING STAR CHEF
Justin Yoakum, Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar – Plano
COURSED DINNER – FEATURED CHEFS
Joanne Bondy, Stocks & Bondy
Justin Box, Private Chef
Sandra Bussey, bbbop Seoul Kitchen and Chicken Moto
Robert James Clifford, Private Chef
Tiffany Derry, Roots Chicken Shak
Fitzgerald Dodd, Private Chef
Michael Ehlert, The French Room
Gorji, Canary by Gorji
Mark Guatelara, Asador
Chad Houser, Café Momentum
Uno Immanivong, Chino Chinatown and Red Stix
Juan “Pancho” Jasso, Nick & Sam’s Park Cities
John Kleifgen, Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse
T.J. Lengnick, Dee Lincoln Prime
Juan Orocio, 4R Ranch Vineyards & Winery
Ken Patrick, Private Chef
Anastacia Quiñones, The Cedars Social
Jeramie Robison, City Hall Bistro
Tony Sinese, AT&T Stadium – Home of The Dallas Cowboys
Enrique Urrutia, Bravazo Rotisserie
Anthony Van Camp, Private Chef
Manny Vera, Truluck’s
Tre Wilcox, Tre Wilcox Cooking Concepts
Jacob Williamson, Five Sixty by Wolfgang Puck
Yutaka Yamato, Yutaka Sushi Bistro
DESSERT RECEPTION – PASTRY CHEFS
Dunia Borga, LaDuni Baking Studio
Gianni Santin, Haute Sweets Patisserie
This event was made possible in part by Urban Oil and Gas Group, Dallas Cowboys/Legends, Georgia & Marc Lyons, Moss Adams LP, Faye C. Briggs, Ann and J.W. Brown, Cristi and Kevin Ryan, Alliant Insurance Services, Inc., Cardinal Midstream, Edge Natural Resources LLC, Kaari & Jim Wicklund, Liz and Eric Pitcher, BDGHS Partners, Cinco Oil & Gas, LLC, Thompson & Knight Foundation, Trek Resources, Inc., Vinson & Elkins LLP, Wilson Midstream Services, LLC, Blackhill Partners, Pitts Oil Company, Jeanie & Bert Conly, Ben E. Keith Company, Ashford Inc., Martin Preferred Foods, Seafood Supply, FreshPoint, Empire Baking Company, Murray Media, Sásta, POSH Couture Rentals, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits D&E Fine Wine Group, Toro de Piedra wines, ROXOR Artisan Gin, SweetBeat Vodka, J.R. Ewing Bourbon Whiskey, The Macallan, Tequila Sheela, Peticolas Brewing Company and PATRON Magazine.
*Photos by Gabriel Sheffield Photography.
March 8, 2018 On-the-Scene report courtesy KidLinks.
