Citi To Host 'Teammates In The Kitchen' at Citi Field To Benefit the James Beard Foundation and the Queens Economic Development Corporation

NEW YORK, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Citi announced today it will host an evening with Mets alumni and award-winning chefs at Citi Field, bringing together two of America's favorite pastimes, baseball and food, to benefit two local New York City institutions, the James Beard Foundation and the Queens Economic Development Corporation. "Teammates in the Kitchen" will take place on Wednesday, September 22, 2010, at the Delta Sky360 Club at Citi Field.

Mets alumni and greats Sid Fernandez, John Franco, Tom Seaver and Darryl Strawberry will join participating chefs James Beard Foundation Award Winner David Pasternack (ESCA, NYC and Catch of the Day, Citi Field) and other award-winners including Anita Lo (Annisa, NYC), Pastry Chef George McKirdy (Astor Bake Shop, Astoria, NY), John Schenk (Strip House, NYC; Houston; Las Vegas), Michael Sobelman (Acela Club, Citi Field), James Beard Foundation Award Winner Bradford Thompson (Miss Lily's Restaurant, NYC) and Flavien Trichery (Citi Field).

Fans of both baseball and the culinary arts can now make reservations to meet Mets alumni and join their favorite chefs for an evening that will celebrate, nurture, and preserve the City's diverse and rich culinary heritage, which is the heart of what the James Beard Foundation does on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the event will shine a spotlight on local businesses that are central to the mission of the Queens Economic Development Corporation, a longtime non-profit partner of Citi's New York Community Development team.  

Reservations to a 6 p.m. VIP Reception featuring an exclusive tasting of GTS Wines produced by Hall of Famer Tom Seaver, early access to Mets alumni meet and greet and chefs' tastings are available for $175. General admission entry from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. is available for $125. For reservations, please visit www.teammatesinthekitchen.com or call 212.627.2308 or 800.36.BEARD.

"We are happy to make a meaningful impact in the communities where we have a presence and our support of the James Beard Foundation and the Queens Economic Development Corporation through 'Teammates in the Kitchen' is an important step in giving back to the community with a fun night of delicious food and legendary players," said Mark Ingall, Managing Director, Global Strategic Media, Citi. "This is another example of Citi and the Mets coming together to make a difference in the community."

Citi and the Mets have teamed up in a series of community-themed initiatives throughout the past year, including the Citi Field Kids program, an educational and motivational community-based program for New York City school students. Additionally, Citi and the Mets have honored the Wounded Warriors Project, worked together to build homes with Habitat for Humanity and honored the spirit of service and volunteerism this past June when they celebrated "Teammates in the Community Week," a series of initiatives including planting trees and flowers at a garden in Harlem, painting a YMCA roof in Brooklyn white to conserve energy and repacking apples with City Harvest.  

Citi is pleased to team up with the James Beard Foundation to draw attention to the local food industry which is a vital and vibrant business that is at the heart of the City's multi-cultural and global identity. Culinary education and mentoring the new generation of chefs, central tenets of the James Beard Foundation's mission, will be highlighted at the event with a James Beard Foundation scholarship recipient from Queens in attendance.

Citi shares the Queens Economic Development Corporation's vision in growing local neighborhoods, assisting area businesses and promoting business development.

Almitra Gasper will be presented with the "Teammates in the Community" award on Thursday, September 16 during a pre-game ceremony at Citi Field prior to the Mets hosting the Pittsburgh Pirates at 7:10 p.m. Gasper is a volunteer with the Farmers Boulevard CDC, an organization which works closely with the Queens Economic Development Corporation. She will be honored for her exemplary commitment and dedication to serving and helping others and will be the ninth volunteer the Mets and Citi have feted with the award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment in giving back to the community.

Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

About the James Beard Foundation

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing, and preserving America's diverse culinary heritage and future. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. Today, the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships to culinary schools, and publications, and by maintaining the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs. For more information, please visit www.jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation's blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook. Follow the James Beard Foundation on Twitter.

The Queens Economic Development Corporation

The Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) is a not-for-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors that includes key business and civic leaders in Queens County. QEDC provides broader access to economic opportunity for all residents of Queens County. Our organization has been active for over 30 years with the mission to provide Queens residents and resident businesses broader access to economic resources and intellectual capital in order to cultivate multiple commercial, residential and cultural centers in the borough - which can provide entrepreneurs and business owners with a greater range of choice and flexibility to locate or accelerate their business enterprises. By providing a seamless spectrum of service to existing businesses, entrepreneurs, and commercial centers - to create, expand, or attract business - through the delivery of hands-on technical assistance, informational assistance or neighborhood-development assistance. 

SOURCE Citi