Gourmet food for a worthy cause: Cooking for a Classic dinners return to Raleigh
Where can you enjoy food and drinks skillfully crafted by gourmet chefs while supporting a worthy cause? That would be Cooking for a Classic.
WRAL Out and About is a proud supporter of this annual event, where eight of the Triangle's top chefs compete side-by-side to prepare appetizers, entrees and desserts, each paired with a signature beverage, and serve them to you -- the judges.
Cooking for a Classic is a fundraiser for the Cary-based Lucy Daniels Center, which helps children with emotional, mental and social challenges succeed through evaluation and treatment, family involvement and education. Tickets, which range from $75 to $143 (for the final round), include six courses, a silent auction of chef-designed packages and a cocktail bar featuring local brews, spirits and wines for purchase. The best part is that 100 percent of the sales go to help Lucy Daniels serve more families.
These dinners make a fun date night or night out with friends or coworkers, but even solo diners will be entertained. Here's how it works: two chefs will compete each night, each preparing an appetizer, a main course and a dessert. After each course, diners use their phones to rate each dish based on presentation, taste, creativity and more. At the end of the meal, the host will reveal which chef made each dish, and a winner will be crowned.
“Last year’s Cooking for a Classic was a tremendous success and helped us raise $80,000,” said Don Rosenblitt, executive director of The Lucy Daniels Center. “Not only will you get a great meal, you’ll have a fun time and help a good cause.”
Winning chefs go on to compete in additional competitions, bracket style, until the final round, when one lucky competitor will win a restored classic 1949 GMC 5-window pickup truck.
Chefs from City Club, Dean's Kitchen + Bar, Whiskey Kitchen, Top of the Hill and more will be competing. You can view which chefs will be competing each night and buy tickets here.
Competitions start Jan. 22 and continue through Feb .7, the final round. All competitions will be held at 1705 East, an event venue located at 1705 East Millbrook Road in Raleigh.
