James Beard Foundation's Star-Studded "Celebrity Chef Tour" Benefit Dinner Coming To Brevard Zoo Sept. 30

MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- For the first time ever, the James Beard Foundation is bringing its star-studded "Celebrity Chef Tour" to the Space Coast, with a benefit dinner planned for Brevard Zoo in Melbourne on Sept. 30. Proceeds from the event will benefit both the James Beard Foundation and sustainability efforts here in Brevard County, such as the Save Our Indian River Lagoon cleanup project.

Traveling to more than 20 U.S. cities each year, the Celebrity Chef Tour dinner series delivers a taste of what typically goes on inside New York's historic James Beard House, the former home of the late cookbook author, teacher and champion of American cuisine.

Each one-night-only tour event begins with a cocktail reception and is followed by a multicourse dinner – replete with wine pairings – prepared collaboratively by a diverse group of JBF Award winners, assisted by local chefs. The evening concludes with a decadent dessert course and a question-and-answer session with the participating chefs.

The elegant, safari-themed event Sept. 30 will start with passed hors d'oeuvres and bubbly on the balcony, where guests can interact with some of the zoo's wildlife inhabitants and listen to local musicians before entering the zoo's Nyami Nyami River Lodge for the elaborate six-course dinner.

The culinary headliners scheduled to take part at Brevard Zoo include "Top Chef" alumna Chef Tiffany Derry, of Dallas, Texas; "Hell's Kitchen" alumna Chef Paula DaSilva, of Coconut Creek, Florida; best-selling cookbook author Chef Doreen Colondres, from Puerto Rico; and two of restaurant reviewer Zagat's top 15 "badass female chefs" for 2018: Chef Deborah VanTrece, of Atlanta, and Chef Soraya Caraccioli-Kilgore, a pastry chef out of Miami.

The celebrity chefs will be hosted locally on the Space Coast by Chef Toni Elkhouri, the executive chef at Melbourne's Cedars Cafe.

The Brevard County-area chefs who will assist the touring celebrity chefs include Chef Katherine Fridl, of Foodscapes Consulting (in Cocoa Beach); Chef Justin Medina, of Brix Project (Titusville); Chef Brandon Basista, of The Bearded Chef Food Truck & Catering (Melbourne); Chef Josh Eslinger, of The Fat Snook (Cocoa Beach) and Crush XI (Melbourne); and Chef Kyle Hash, of Pizza Gallery & Grill (Viera). Bread service will be provided by Jacqueline Dittmore and Christophe Molitor, of Jacqueline's Bakery & Café (Melbourne). Local restaurateur Chef Scott Earick, of Scott's on Fifth (Indialantic), will serve as emcee for the evening.

"The Space Coast is honored to host such a prestigious culinary event, and we are thrilled that a portion of the proceeds will go toward improving our precious Indian River Lagoon for Brevard County residents and visitors," said Bonnie King, the interim executive director of Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism. "This will be a full evening of the best the Space Coast has to offer: delicious food, local musical entertainment, lively conversation and incredible outdoor experiences."

Brevard Zoo is located at 8225 North Wickham Road. Tickets for this event start at $130. For more information, visit the James Beard Foundation website.

ABOUT FLORIDA'S SPACE COAST

Florida's Space Coast is a family friendly destination located 45 minutes east of Orlando. Encompassing Cocoa Beach, Melbourne and The Beaches, Port Canaveral, Titusville, Palm Bay and Viera, it is home to the world's second-busiest cruise port and 72 miles of beaches (the longest stretch in the state), as well as 190,000 acres of wetlands and waterways full of habitat found nowhere else. Florida's Space Coast is home to NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where rockets still soar into orbit. For more information, contact the Space Coast Office of Tourism at (877) 572-3224 or visit VisitSpaceCoast.com.

URL: http://www.visitspacecoast.com

SOURCE: Florida's Space Coast Office of Tourism
430 Brevard Avenue
Suite 150
Cocoa, FL  32922
Phone 321-433-4470
Fax 321-433-4476
Toll-Free 1-877-57-BEACH

ABOUT THE JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION/"CELEBRITY CHEF TOUR"

Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures and honors America's diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. 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, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening.

The foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City's Greenwich Village as a "performance space" for visiting chefs. In September 2012, JBF launched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Office of Protocol and helped create the American Chef Corps as a way to champion American chefs abroad, promote American food products, and foster an interest in American culinary culture and history through international programs and initiatives.

The James Beard Foundation's "Celebrity Chef Tour" dinner series brings a taste of what happens at the James Beard House in New York City to more than 20 cities across the country each year. Each one-night-only event begins with a cocktail reception, which is followed by a multicourse dinner, with wine pairings, featuring a diverse group of JBF Award winners and local chefs. It ends with a decadent dessert course and a Q&A session with the evening's chefs. Come alone or with a guest, or entertain a group at one of these unique culinary collaborations!

ABOUT BREVARD ZOO and TREETOP TREK

Brevard Zoo is home to more than 900 animals representing 195 species from all over the world. As a not-for-profit organization, it is a leader in the fields of animal wellness, education and conservation. More information is available at www.brevardzoo.org.

Treetop Trek features five aerial obstacle courses that whisk guests above parts of Brevard Zoo and through lush Florida landscapes. More information is available at www.treetoptrek.com.

SOURCE Florida's Space Coast

Related Links

http://www.brevardzoo.org