Skip to main content

ChefsGiving Week & Gala raised a projected $750,000 and counting for Northern California Fire Relief

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact:

November 21, 2017 Emily Rudisill: emily@magnumpr.com

 

ChefsGiving Week & Gala raised a projected $750,000 and counting for Northern California Fire Relief

 

Restaurants from around the Bay Area participated in ChefsGiving Week, which culminated in a gala on November 19

San Francisco, CA — On Sunday, November 19, the ChefsGiving Gala brought a full week of giving to a ceremonial

close. Co-hosted by ChefsGiving founder Liam Mayclem and Leslie Sbrocco of KQED, the gala attracted a capacity

crowd of 1,050 guests from across the Bay Area who came to drink, eat, and give in the Grand Hall at San

Francisco’s iconic Ferry Building. Profits from ticket and wine sales, as well as a live and silent auction, will be

donated to two charity partners in an effort to help those devastated by the Northern California fires: Tipping Point

Emergency Relief Fund and Restaurants Care .

 

Williams Sonoma presented the inaugural ChefsGiving Humanitarian Award to SF FIGHTS FIRE , San Francisco’s

restaurants and food purveyors committed to helping those affected by the wildfires. This group of big-hearted chefs

mobilized quickly and efficiently and took food to those who needed it most, first responders, and those displaced in

shelters. Chefs Ravi Kapr (Liholiho Yacht Club), Sam Mogamman (Bi-Rite,) and Stuart Brioza (State Bird

Provisions and The Progress) were on-hand to receive the award.

 

Live and silent auctions raised more than $100,000 with lots including dinners at Chef Dominique Crenn’s farm that

brought in $30,000, and a two-night trip for four to Las Vegas with Chef Hubert Keller, which sold for $10,000.

“I could not be more proud of our amazing team of volunteers who made the impossible, possible, and pulled off

an exceptional gala and a restaurant week in just five weeks. Here’s to our next Gala in 2018,” said ChefsGiving

founder Liam Mayclem.

 

Eleven of San Francisco’s top bars, including Bourbon & Branch, Elixir, and Smuggler’s Cove mixed cocktails for

guests, and fifty wine tables representing more than 200 brands from around the country and world poured their

selections. The impressive list included:

 

● Dom Perignon

● Freeman Vineyards, Sonoma

● AldenAlli by Dan Kosta

● Peay Vineyards

● Unti Vineyards

● Shafer Vineyards, Napa

 

More than 30 diverse food vendors including Dandelion Chocolate, Slanted Door , and Mijita Cocina Mexicana

kept guests full for the four-hour extravaganza. At the sold-out, 200-person VIP hour, caviar was served by The

Caviar Company and wine was poured by Opus One .

 

“In all my years of producing or chairing galas, the community spirit and the positive energy was felt by all

in ways that I have never seen at a fundraiser before. The good energy in the room exceeded all expectations,” said

Gala Chair Debbie Zachareas.

 

Emotional points throughout the evening brought the community together. Winemaker Dan Kosta, who lost his

Sonoma home in the recent fires, spoke of his loss and of the gratitude for having his family safe. “We were lucky.

We escaped alive but many people did not. Our hearts are with them,” said Kosta.

The amount of money raised is still an estimate, as donations from restaurants that participated in ChefsGiving Week

are still coming in. FundCru , a new blockchain-powered fundraising platform that funds causes through e-commerce

transactions and direct donations launched ahead of schedule to help fundraise for ChefsGiving . Donations are still

being accepted at https://go.fundcru.com/raise/chefsgiving.

 

Additional monetary contributions to ChefsGiving were given by:

 

● Andrew Miller Foundation

● Bay Club

● Sun Basket

● UberEATS

● Williams Sonoma

 

Photos of the gala are available via the links below:

 

● Drew Altizer’s photos are available here: http://bit.ly/2mQjyvl

Lisa Vortman’s gala photos are available here: http://bit.ly/2AkAyQC

As part of ChefsGiving Week, restaurants around the Bay Area including Rich Table, Slanted Door, State Bird

Provisions, Outerlands, Robin, August (1) Five, Tosca, ‘aina, Foreign Cinema, The Riddler , and many more

raised money for Tipping Point Emergency Relief Fund and Restaurants Care through special ChefsGiving

menus, dedicated menu items, or fundraising events the week of November 13-19. On the national front, Chef José

Andrés donated proceeds from a week of dinners from Bazaar Meat in Las Vegas and Chef Russell Jackson of

Subculture Dining in New York donated a dinner for two at his upcoming pop-up.

“We are thrilled at the Gala turn out and the enormous giving spirit shown by our community. The restaurant

participation was beyond our hopes and dreams with more than 127 restaurants signed up,” said Chef Chair

Dominique Crenn, who raised $16,000 from two nights of special menus at Atelier Crenn and Petit Crenn.

ChefsGiving menus and dishes from restaurants like 4505 Burgers & BBQ and Craftsman & Wolves The Den were

featured on the UberEATS app, and Uber has pledged to contribute up to $50,000 to the participating charities in

support of the initiative.

 

About ChefsGiving Week

ChefsGiving Week (November 13-19) is a fundraising effort to support those devastated by wildfires in Northern

California. During the week, restaurants of all price points held a variety of events to support Tipping Point

Emergency Relief Fund and Restaurants Care. The Bay Area’s most recognized chefs and restaurants joined,

including Atelier Crenn, Slanted Door, Robin, Outerlands, The Riddler, La Folie, Foreign Cinema, Donato Enoteca,

The Restaurant at CIA Copia, La Costanera, Shakewell, La Marcha, Dumpling Time, Navio at The Ritz-Carlton, Half

Moon Bay, and fast-casual spots like 4505 Burgers & BBQ, Souvla, and Media Noche.

 

The Tipping Point Emergency Relief Fund directly supports low-income communities affected by the devastating

fires in the North Bay. Restaurants Care , an emergency assistance fund for restaurant workers formed by the

California Restaurant Association Foundation , has dedicated specific funds to support restaurant workers who

are affected by the fires.

 

For more information about this year’s ChefsGiving Week and Gala, visit chefsgiving.org , and follow along

on social media for the latest news: @ChefsGiving on Instagram , Twitter , and Facebook .

ChefsGiving marketing partners include the Golden Gate Restaurant Association, San Francisco Hotel Council, San

Francisco Travel, KPIX-TV/CBS Radio, restaurant and hospitality public relations and marketing professionals

throughout the Bay Area, and many more.

 

###

 

ChefsGiving Executive Committee

Liam Mayclem, CBS (Founder and Executive Producer)

Diana Haven, Ellipses PR (Producer)

Gwyneth Borden, Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Producer)

Jen Pelka, Magnum PR (Chef Committee)

Emily Rudisill, Magnum PR (Publicity)

Maddie Emodi, Magnum PR (Chef Relations)

Yuliya Patsay, Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Digital Marketing/Website)

Chhavi Sahni, Golden Gate Restaurant Association (Restaurant & Donation Coordination)

Amanda Shepherd, Ellipses PR (Social Media)

ChefsGiving Wine and Gala Committee

Debbie Zachareas, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, Oxbow Cheese and Wine Merchant (Chair)

Kristen Green, Kristen Green PR

Shelley Lindgren, A16 and SPQR

Leslie Sbrocco, KQED’s “Check, Please! Bay Area”

Natasha Merritt, Paula LeDuc Fine Catering

Patricia Wilson (Partnerships)

Colleen Buckley-Reynolds, Reynolds & Buckley, LLC Fundraising Auctions (Auction)

ChefsGiving Chef & Restaurant Committee

Dominique Crenn, Atelier Crenn (Chair)

Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière

Ranjan Dey, New Delhi Restaurant

Sara Deseran & Joe Hargrave, Tacolicious

Mark Dommen, One Market

Gerald Hirigoyen, Piperade

Hubert Keller, Fleur and Burger Bar

David Lawrence, Black Bark BBQ

Laurent Manrique, Café de la Presse and Aquitaine

Roland Passot, La Folie

Charles Phan, Slanted Door

Anna Weinberg, Park Tavern and Marlowe

William Werner, Craftsman & Wolves

Xavier Salomon, The Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay

ChefsGiving Advisors

H. Joseph Ehrmann, Elixir

Christine Farren, CUESA

Andrew Freeman, af&co.

Mary Risley, Food Runners

Kevin Carrol, Hotel Council of San Francisco

Rick Camargo, Camargo Photo

Corporate and Media Supporters

CBS Radio (KCBS, Alice, Live105, 99.7Now)

Chen Design Associates

Eventbrite

Myxr

OpenTable

Williams Sonoma

Yelp!

###