TASTE OF HOME GALA SIMPLY SUMPTUOUS

The Third Annual Taste of Home — A Night Among the Stars held recently at the Westin in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities was a gastronomic delight for the more than 500 guests. The event raised an impressive $250,000 for Ronald McDonald House. Located across the street from Alberta Children’s Hospital, the house offers a warm, welcoming and compassionate environment where families can stay close to their children receiving medical care. The house was built in 2007 and offers 27 private suites, a commercial kitchen, a play area for children and home-style living rooms and programming for all ages, facilitated by the house’s family services team.

Presented by Raymond James and Dilawri, the evening featured a six-course sumptuous dining experience, silent auction items, a raffle of an Arcticmark Canadian diamond, courtesy J. Vair Anderson Jewellers and a luxury B.C. retreat raffle for four including private jet airfare, golf and accommodation courtesy of AirPartners. Kudos to event co-chairs Ellen Dilawri and Christina Chow and bravo to the six renowned chefs who expertly prepared one course each.

The six chefs demonstrating their culinary wizardry this night were: Matthew Batey, executive chef at Teatro Group; Federico Causapin, executive chef at Austin’s Bar & Grill; Eraj Jayawickreme, executive chef at Fairmont Palliser; Paul McGreevy, chef de cuisine at The Nash; Michael Batke, executive chef at the Westin; and Roy Oh, executive chef at Anju. Chefs were divided into two teams — one red, one blue — of three chefs each. Judges Betty Jo Kaiser, Dave Lawrence and SAIT instructor Patricia Koyich awarded Top Chef Challenge honours to the blue team comprised of chefs Batke, Batey and Oh.

Event hosts Gery Schubert and Food Network’s Brad Smith did a great job of keeping the evening light and full of laughs. Others in attendance included: Ronald McDonald House Charities board chair Thomas Lui and his wife Annie with colleagues Julie List, Randy Mouflier, John Phin and Sandi Ferchau; Rockwood Custom Homes’ Allison Grafton and Titan Energy Services’ Kevin Taillefer; realtor Peter Appleby; Park Place Manufacturing ’s Heidi Neumann; Corinne Macdonald; Tom Dodd; TMG Events’ Stephen Furze and Eirin Lawrie; Sundial Growers’ Claire BuffoneBlair and her husband, Insights Matter’s Derek Blair; Take Flight president Vik Saini; Morgan Scott; Steve Knox; and Dilawri Group’s Tony Dilawri.

PHOTOS: BILL BROOKS Looking fabulous at the Third Annual Taste of Home in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities Southern and Central Alberta are co-chairs Christina Chow, left, and Ellen Dilawri. The fab fundraiser, held at the Westin Nov. 23, featured a six-course menu prepared by our city’s top chefs.

From left, Tom Dodd, Corinne Macdonald and Ronald McDonald House Charities’ John Phin.

Community advocate Betty Jo Kaiser and Calgary entertainer Gery Schubert.

Take Flight Group president Vik Saini and Morgan Scott.

Ronald McDonald House board chair Thomas Lui and his wife Annie Lui.