On Friday, September 22, from 6-11:30pm, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of San Diego will take over the oceanfront Windsor Lawn at Hotel Del Coronado for an unforgettable evening of epicurean splendor showcasing the talents of over 25 of the best chefs from San Diego and Baja at the 2nd annual Chef Throwdown tasting event and fundraiser.
Chef Throwdown will be a progressive evening that will bring together local fashionable foodies awarding a 'People’s Choice' award, as well as a Culinary Council of area celebrity top chefs and food critics, who will present the Chef Flor Franco Award for Culinary Excellence. This year’s judges include local food celebrities like Sam "The Cooking Guy" Zien, Bernard Guillas from the Marine Room, Fishmonger Tommy Gomes, Paella Wine Fest creator Armando Rodiel and more. Food Network's Melissa d'Arabian will serve as the MC for the evening.
Chef Throwdown begins on Hotel Del's picturesque Windsor Lawn with appetizers from local chefs served between 6-7:30pm. Participating chefs include Mario Cassineri of Officine Buona Forchetta, Tommy Fraioli of 10 Barrel Brewery, Geordie Moulios of Big City Chefs, David Meade of Nobu, Patrick Ponsaty of Hotel del Coronado, and more. After the 'Throwdown' portion of the event, guests will head to the oceanfront ballroom for a 4-course seated dinner from 7:45-9:30pm, followed by a brief discussion, live auction and award presentation including honoring Roger Harrington of Specialty Produce with the Industry Leader Award.
San Diego’s Young Professionals will host the NightCap, the Chef Throwdown after-party, where guests can enjoy dancing in the ballroom with desserts, craft-cocktails made by local mixologists, and savory hors d'oeuvres. The People’s Choice winner of NightCap will be crowned and given a spot to compete on the lawn for Chef Throwdown 2018. CHEERS! (mixologist) and Best for Last (dessert) winners will also be crowned as well.
Tickets to Chef Throwdown are available online for $250 (Tax-deductible $45) and include all the components above. NightCap-only tickets are also available separately for $75 (not tax-deductible). Sponsorships are available from $5,000 (Tax-deductible $1,580). This exciting culinary challenge benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and its ongoing mission to cure cystic fibrosis and provide all people with the disease the opportunity to lead full, productive lives.
For more information on Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Chef Throwdown, visit chefthrowdown.eventscff.org and check out the video below from last year's event.
