Feeding the need

Chefs invite you to eat and help hungry kids.

It sounds incongruous: Feast on fine food to fight childhood hunger. More than 60 top chefs from Broward and Miami-Dade restaurants will assemble on Friday for South Florida Taste of the Nation.

The event takes place at Soho Studios, 2136 NW First Ave., in Miami, and will feature food, wine, spirits, music and an auction. Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength, a national nonprofit that works with impoverished children and families through its No Kid Hungry program.

The event is personal for local chefs who grew up poor. Share Our Strength says one in four children in Florida struggles with hunger. No Kid Hungry has provided more than 500 million meals to needy children, and educates families about shopping and cooking on a budget. Taste of the Nation Palm Beach, held in April, raised more than $100,000 for the charity.

Participating restaurants for the Miami event include: Alter, Antico Pizza, Area 31, Artisan Beach House, Bazaar Mar by José Andrés, Beaker & Gray, Bird & Bone, BLT Prime, Bocce, Bourbon Steak Miami, Burlock Coast, Byblos Miami, Corsair, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood, db Bistro Moderne, Edge Steak & Bar, Fi'lia by Michael Schwartz, Finka Table & Tap, Fooq’s, 4Rivers Barbecue, Glass & Vine, Grown, Jaya at The Setai, Katsuya South Beach, Kuro, KYU, Lure Fishbar, Macchialina, Malibu Farm, Market at Edition, MC Kitchen, Meat Market, Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Olla Miami, Ono Poke Shop, Ortanique On the Mile, Pao by Paul Qui at Faena Miami Beach, Phuc Yea, Pinch Kitchen, R House Wynwood, Red the Steakhouse, Sarsaparilla Club, Scarpetta by Scott Conant, Sugarcane, Sushisamba, SuViche, Talde Miami Beach, Temple Street Eatery, The Bazaar by José Andrés, the Café at Books & Books, 3030 Ocean, TheDutch, the Salty Donut, Whisk Gourmet, Wild Sea Oyster Bar & Grille and Zest.

Timon Balloo of Sugarcane in Miami is the chef chairman for the event, which will be hosted by Nick Pena of Y-100 and Lisa Petrillo of CBS-4. Alternative rock band the Strumbellas will perform an acoustic set.

There will be an “Instant Wine Cellar,” where guests can win wine by unlocking a mystery door and an “Urban Beer Garden” featuring local craft brewers Biscayne Bay Brewing, Concrete Beach, J. Wakefield, MIA Beer Company, Tank Brewing and Wynwood Brewing.

New to the event will be a speakeasy presented by Breakthru Beverage Group featuring mixologists from Alter, Beaker & Gray, Better Days, Bitter Truth, Repour Bar and Wynwood Diner.

There will also be an afterparty at R House Wynwood, 2727 NW Second Ave. Taste of the Nation will run from 7 to 10 p.m. (6 p.m. opening for VIP Plus ticket holders). The afterparty will take place from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.

Tickets cost $125 per person, $175 for VIP including afterparty, and $200 for VIP Plus including early admission and afterparty. There are $75 tickets available for the afterparty alone. For tickets and information, go to NoKidHungry.org/ SouthFlorida.