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TV’s Top Chef Finalist Wants to Make “Every Baby Born Healthy” a Reality
30-Sep-09 |
With only one reservation, event guests will savor the signature dishes of 30 area restaurants
Carla Hall, Top Chef season five finalist and owner and executive chef of Alchemy Caterers, has been named Honorary Signature Chef for the 2009 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction of D.C.
Signature Chefs Auction features 30 of the area’s best chefs and bartenders for an evening of culinary tastings. This year’s event will be held at 6:30 p.m. November 2, at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, DC Hotel. The evening will include live and silent auctions of unique dining packages, hotel stays and weekend getaways.
The event supports the work of the March of Dimes, whose mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
“One in eight babies is born too early,” says Hall. “These preemies are more likely to die or have disabilities. The March of Dimes and our participating chefs are working toward the day when every baby gets his or her nine months and is born healthy.”
Proceeds from Signature Chefs Auction will fund research to find answers to premature birth and provide comfort and information to families affected by it. Local programs include NICU Family Support programs at Children’s National Medical Center and Georgetown University Hospital, the Mama & Baby Bus and Stork’s Nest.
The event chairs are Karl Hobbs, men's basketball coach at The George Washington University, and JoAnn Marshall-Hobbs, president and owner of eXclusive Systems, LLC. The cocktail chair is mixologist Gina Chersevani of PS 7’s Restaurant. Special guests include Chef Rock Harper, March of Dimes celebrity chef volunteer and 2007 Hell’s Kitchen winner, Washington Capitals forward Eric Fehr and Capitals defenseman Shaone Morrisonn.
According to the latest figures, 16 percent of live births in Washington, D.C., were preterm. Preterm birth rates were highest for black infants (18.5 percent), followed by Hispanics (13.6 percent), Asians (11 percent) and whites (9.7 percent).
Sponsors of this year’s event include Bergmann & Moore, LLC, Fairfax Neonatal Associates, Infinitive, RockSalt Design, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Paxton International and KSG Strategic Consulting. Media sponsors include WTOP Radio, WJLA-TV, Washington Life, The Washington Informer, The Washington Examiner, The List Are You On It and Open Table.
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org.
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