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Renowned Chefs cook for cancer cure at Philadelphia's Osteria
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The Osteria restaurant, 640 North Broad Street, hosts the Fourth Annual Great Chefs Event on Wednesday, June 18, from 6 to 9 p.m. to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer. The food-filled affair features over 25 world famous chefs, including Tom Colicchio, renowned chef and head judge on Bravo’s Top Chef, Michael Symon, former host of Dinner Impossible, and Bobby Flay of The Food Network, preparing dishes for and speaking with guests.
The showcase marks the maiden voyage of the newly formed Vetri Foundation for Children (VFFC). Established by Marc Vetri, Jeff Benjamin, and Jeff Michaud of Osteria, VFFC helps support other foundations by raising money and awareness for children’s causes. They are thrilled to have so much support from the culinary community.
“The Great Chef's Event is the ideal venue for us to increase awareness of childhood cancer nationwide," said Benjamin. “The event allows to us to continue Alex's dream, taking important steps toward the cures we so desperately seek, one plate at a time.”
During the entertaining evening guests will have an opportunity to meet and greet all of the world-class chefs while tasting the fantastic fare prepared in front of their eyes. They will enjoy food and wine and relax outside at tables or under a catering tent at the high-end restaurant’s front.
Alexandra “Alex” Scott was the second of four children born to Jay and Liz Scott of Manchester, Connecticut. S
he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer, shortly before her first birthday. Doctors did not expect her to walk if she beat the cancer, but the feisty little girl proved them wrong and used leg braces to help with mobility.
Two years later, Alex’s tumors returned, and at age four she received a stem cell transplant. She then informed her mother of her desire to have a lemonade stand, the proceeds of which she donated for research to find a cure for cancer.
Her first lemonade stand later that year netted $2,000.00, so Alex continued running her small business in the family’s front yard each year. Her story became an international sensation and soon others from around the world followed suit with stands of their own, donating proceeds to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania.
Alex raised over one million dollars for cancer research, but, unfortunately, she did not survive to see a cure. The girl who touched so many lives and won the hearts of people everywhere passed away in August of 2004 at age 8. Her family, including brothers Patrick, Eddie, and Joey, carried on her fight through Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, which to date, has raised more than 25 million dollars to fund over 80 research projects nationally.
Participants in the Fourth Annual Great Chefs Event are donating their time, food, and efforts, many closing their restaurants for the day to attend. They are cooking for a cure and urging foodies and non-foodies alike to come and enjoy their offerings.
“Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is constantly amazed by the chefs participating in the annual event,” stated Alex’s mother, Liz Scott, “especially the enthusiasm and dedication to the fight against childhood cancer that they embody.”
Some of the great chefs are James Beard Award winners and nominees like host chef Michaud of Osteria, Daniel Stern of Gayle/Rae Restaurant, Brad Spence of Vetri, Clark Fraiser and Mark Gaier of Arrows/MC Perkins Cove/SummerWinter in Maine, and Paul Kahan of Blackbird/Avec in Chicago. Other talents appearing are Dan Barber and Josh Lawlor, of New York’s Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Franklin Becker from New York’s Abe & Arthur’s, John Besh of Restaurant August/Besh Steak/Luke/La Provence in New Orleans, Chris Bianco of Phoenix’s Pizzeria Bianco, Pane Bianco, and Bar Bianco, Neil Fraser from Grace in Los Angeles, Katsuya Fukushima from TinkFoodGroup in Washington, D.C., Suzanne Goin from Lucques/A.O.C. in Los Angeles, Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson and Bobby Stuckey of Colorado’s Frasca Food and Wine, Joseph Manzare of San Francisco’s Zuppa/Globe/Tres Agaves/Pescheria, Food Network star Masaharu Morimoto from Morimoto, Marco Rossi from Italy’s Osteria Le Cantine D, Michael Symon of Detroit’s Lola-Lolita, Cleveland/Roast, Sue Torres from New York’s Suenos, and Rocco Whalen from Cleveland’s Fahrenheit Restaurant.
The Philadelphia region’s restaurant scene is well-represented. Chefs are Kiong Bahn of Twenty Manning, Jose Garces at Amada /Tinto/Chifa/Distrito, Emilio Mignucci of DiBruno Bros., Luke Palladino of the soon to be opened Ombra, Eric Ripert and Jennifer Carroll of 10 Arts, Bryan Sikora of Newtown Square’s Talula’s Table Restaurant, and Michael Solomonov from Zahav.
Tickets cost $250.00 for general admission and $400.00 for special VIP sit-down service. Visit www.AlexsLemonade.org or call (610) 649-3034 for tickets and more information.
For information regarding becoming a sponsor, contact Cynthia Ellis at Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, 333 Lancaster Avenue, #414, Wynnewood, via email at Cynthia@AlexsLemonade.org or call (866) 333-1213.
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