Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner Tickets Are On Sale Now

There are few nights in the Valley's busy culinary event season that pack as much star power as the annual Friends of the James Beard Benefit Dinner. This fundraiser (the longest running James Beard Foundation fundraiser in the Southwest, by the way) brings together some of the country's top chefs...

By Lauren Saria

February 16, 2015

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There are few nights in the Valley's busy culinary event season that pack as much star power as the annual Friends of the James Beard Benefit Dinner. This fundraiser (the longest running James Beard Foundation fundraiser in the Southwest, by the way) brings together some of the country's top chefs for a very glamorous -- and expensive -- night of dining and drinking.

As in with past events, this year's lineup of chefs includes nationally recognized names, James Beard Award winners, and even Michelin-starred chefs from coast to coast.

This year's benefit dinner will feature the following chefs:

Ben Pollinger(Oceana, New York, NY)Jennifer Jasinski (Rioja, Denver, CO)
Masaharu Morimoto (Morimoto Philadelphia, PA)
Sherry Yard (Helms Bakery Los Angeles, CA)
Michael Ginor (Hudson Valley Foie Gras and Restaurant Lola, Great Neck, NY)
Host Chef Chris Masco (The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa)
Host Chef Roberto Madrid (The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa)

The James Beard Benefit Dinner will be held on Thursday, March 26 at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa in Scottsdale. The evening begins at sunset with an outdoor reception, hors d'oeuvres, aperitifs, and wine at the resort's Dreamweaver's Canyon. Following tradition, the reception ends with a Scottish bagpiper on the 18th green.

From there, attendees will move onto dinner, a multi-course menu with wine pairings. The main event will be followed by a live auction.

Tickets to the Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner cost $225 per person or $2,100 tables of 10. For more information check the Scottsdale Culinary Festival website.

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