Chef Showdown Competition to Raise Funds and Awareness for Center for Community Solutions Programs

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by Wendy Lemlin

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Ingrid Croce and Bernard Guillas will once again judge the culinary creations of competitors in the 10th Annual Chef Showdown.

To see “whose cuisine will reign supreme”, be sure to mark your calendar for the 10th annual Chef Showdown on Thursday, September 18th, when two teams of San Diego’s top chefs and mixologists will once again compete in an Iron Chef-style culinary battle, while an expected 5-600 guests will enjoy delectable tastings from 45 restaurants and specialty food and beverage vendors.  This one-of-a-kind fast paced, intense, and yet friendly competition will benefit the programs and services of Center for Community Solutions, a San Diego nonprofit that provides advocacy, legal support, healing and prevention services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse.

For the Chef Showdown, two teams of chefs and mixologists will compete in multiple courses with cocktail pairings, using a secret ingredient revealed to the participants for the first time at the start of the battle. Their dishes will be judged by a panel of six local gastronomy rockstars and two very fortunate auction winners. The roster of competitors and judges is a virtual Who’s Who of San Diego’s most respected culinary experts. Team 1 features the following chefs:

And mixologists

Team 2 is:

And mixologists

Judging the teams’ creations will be Chefs:

In addition, two judge spots will be available to bid on during a live auction portion of the evening. Emmy Award winner Sam Zien, aka TV’s Sam the Cooking Guy, will host the competition.

Founded in 1969, Center for Community Solutions assists more than 11,000 women, children and families affected by domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse each year. CCS operates the only Rape Crisis Center in the City of San Diego, and is the only agency in San Diego assisting victims of elder abuse.  Additionally, CCS provides a 24-hour bilingual crisis helpline as well as hospital and court accompaniment services for rape survivors, legal and advocacy for domestic violence and elder abuse survivors, and prevention and education outreach to youth of all ages. CCS provides two 24-hour emergency shelter and transitional housing programs for victims of domestic violence and their children.

According Jennifer Lynaugh, CCS Special Events Coordinator, the goal of the Chef Competition, one of two annual signature fundraising events for the Center, is to raise at least $100,000 in much needed funds to support CCs’s programs. “This is a major event for us,” Lynaugh explains. “Because only 67% of the CCS’s operating budget is covered by grant monies, the remainder must come from other gifts, private donations, foundations, and special events such as Chef Showdown. We have some fantastic items and experiences this year for the silent and live auctions, as well as the raffles, so I’m expecting a very fun—and productive—evening.”

Chef Showdown is co-chaired by Isabel Cruz, Executive Chef and Owner of Isabel’s Cantina and Barrio Star, Dee Dee Castro, Community Relations Manager at Viejas Casino and Resort, and Josh Kopelman, Publisher of DiningOut San Diego. Special thanks go out to Pirch and Dacor, who will be providing the ovens and stoves for the competition’s food preparation.

Chef Showdown will be held from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at an exciting new venue, San Diego Harley Davidson, 4645 Morena Boulevard. Tickets to the event are $150 each or $250 for a VIP reservation, and can be purchased by calling (858) 272-5777, ext. 120. The perks of VIP tickets include early admission to a private reception held from 5:30-6:30. And for those who want to attend spontaneously, walk-ins are welcome, as well, space permitting.

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