FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 23, 2009

Contact: Nancy Uber

(415) 672-2950

 

CITY’S HOTTEST CHEFS COOK TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD HUNGER 

IN SAN FRANCISCO AND ACROSS AMERICA

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® San Francisco Hosts 

Annual Culinary Event on Thursday, April 23

[SAN FRANCISCO, CA] — With a passion to fight childhood hunger, San Francisco’s hottest chefs, restaurants, and mixologists will gather for Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®, the city’s premier culinary benefit. Taste of the Nation San Francisco will raise critical funds needed to support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in the Bay Area and across the nation.  This year’s event will be two-fold with a Gala Dinner ($250) and general admission Taste Event ($75) which will both take place on Thursday, April 23 at Acme Chophouse.

More than 20 of the city’s finest chefs and restaurants will participate in the gastronomic Taste Event that is bound to please the most discerning of foodies.  Along with Honorary Co-Chairs Chef Traci des Jardins (Acme Chophouse/ Jardinière/ Mijita) and Chef Jamie Lauren (Absinthe), participating restaurants include: A16; Alembic; Ahwahnee; Bar Tartine; COCO 500; Cortez; Marinus; Maverick; Midi; The Moss Room; Perbacco; Poleng Lounge; Postrio; Scala’s Bistro; SPQR; Spruce, Zare at Fly Trap and more.  Guests can sample cuisine from all of these restaurants under one roof while sipping on hand-crafted cocktails and wines.

This year’s Gala Dinner includes a four-course meal expertly created and prepared by Chef Michael Symon of Cleveland’s Lola and Lolita;  San Francisco’s Chris Cosentino of Incanto fame; Gavin Kaysen from Café Boulud in New York City ;and Koren Grieveson from Chicago’s Avec.  Chef Elizabeth Falkner will once again provide the dessert course, and Host Chef Thom Fox has graciously opened his Acme Chophouse kitchen again to host.  All VIP guests will be able to access the Taste Event at 5:30pm and will receive a gift bag to take away from the event.

Spearheading the chefs’ efforts and hosting for a third year is Traci des Jardins.  “I believe so strongly in the mission of the organization,” says des Jardins, whose work with SOS began over a decade ago. “How can hunger still exist in a nation as wealthy and prosperous as our own?” The socially-minded super chef has received numerous industry honors, including The James Beard Foundation Award for “Best Chef: Pacific” while her restaurants are the frequent recipients of critical acclaim, such as Jardinière, listed as one of the "Top 100 Restaurants" in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle each year since opening.

Area charities that will benefit from this year’s event include Food Runners, Children of Shelters and Sports 4 Kids.   Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $70 million for organizations in the United States, Canada and abroad.

With more than 12 million children facing hunger in America, Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation works to end childhood hunger in the United States and abroad by ensuring that children and their families have reliable access to nutritious food, and by addressing the deeper causes of these conditions. Funds raised through Taste of the Nation events provide grants to organizations in the United States, Canada and abroad that work successfully to end childhood hunger.

“An end to childhood hunger in the United States is within reach,” said Bill Shore, Founder and Executive Director of Share Our Strength. “With all the participants in Taste of the Nation San Francisco sharing their strengths, we are creating more resources for the greater good of the Bay Area and our great nation.”

Taste of the Nation is nationally sponsored by American Express, Sysco, Food Network, Brown-Forman and S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. Taste of the Nation San Francisco’s local media sponsors include 7x7 Magazine and KGO Radio. One hundred percent of ticket sales help ensure no kid in America grows up hungry.

Tickets for Taste of the Nation San Francisco are $75 for the Taste Event (General Admission) and $250 for the VIP Gala Dinner and can be purchased by calling 1-877-26-TASTE  (82783) or visiting TasteOfTheNation.org.

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About Taste of the Nation

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation® is the nation’s premier culinary benefit dedicated to making sure no kid in America grows up hungry. Each spring, the nation's hottest chefs and mixologists donate their time, talent and passion at more than 45 events across the United States and Canada, with one goal in mind: to raise the critical funds needed to end childhood hunger. Taste of the Nation is nationally sponsored by American Express, Sysco, Food Network, Brown-Forman Corporation and S.Pellegrino Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $70 million. Funds raised in 2008 supported 156 organizations in the United States, Canada and abroad. To purchase tickets or to get involved, visit TasteOfTheNation.org.

About Share Our Strength

Share Our Strength® is the leading national organization working to make sure no kid in America grows up hungry. We weave together a net of community groups, activists and food programs to catch children at risk of hunger and ensure they have nutritious food where they live, learn and play. We work with the culinary industry to create engaging, pioneering programs like Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation®, Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale®, Share Our Strength’s A Tasteful Pursuit®, Share Our Strength’s Great American Dine Out ®, and Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline®. Visit Strength.org.