James Beard Foundation to return to Philadelphia with Taste America
There will be a dining event as well as a gala. It's designed to highlight the foundation’s work including food-waste reduction, sustainability, inclusivity and chef advocacy.
Taste America, the traveling food series from the James Beard Foundation, will return to Philadelphia for a third year from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.
The weekend in Philadelphia, designed to highlight the foundation’s work including food-waste reduction, sustainability, inclusivity and chef advocacy, will start with Raising the Bar, a cocktail party focusing on sustainability, on Thursday, Oct. 30 at Porta Philadelphia. Among chef and bartender participants will be Michael Strauss (Mike’s BBQ), Mike Cher (LaLo), Resa Mueller (LaLo), Caroline Hough (Porta), Judy Ni and Andy Tessier (Baology), Paul MacDonald (Friday Saturday Sunday), Aaron Deary (R&D), Colleen Nealon (Porta), and Maria Polise (In the Valley). Ticket information ($75) is here.
Then comes a Nov. 1 benefit dinner at Fitler Club that will begin with what organizers are calling a VIP pre-reception presented by Marc Vetri, who oversees the private club’s kitchen. A reception will feature cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from chefs and restaurateurs including Jennifer Carroll and Billy Riddle (Spice Finch), Ange Branca (Sate Kampar), and Eli Collins (a.kitchen). Then comes a dinner overseen by chef Michelle Bernstein of Miami;s Cafe la Trova, as well as Vetri and Michael Solomonov. Desserts will be handled by James Matty (Suraya) and, Kate Jacoby (Vedge), with stationed bites by Samantha Kincaid (Cadence). Chairs for the benefit are Ellen Yin (Fork, a.kitchen), Aimee Olexy (Talula’s Garden, Talula’s Kitchen, Talula’s Daily) and Laura Burkhardt of Visit Philadelphia. Ticket info ($350/$650) is here.
The weekend will conclude with a culinary lab, intended for people in the industry, designed to highlight the foundation’s sustainability initiatives.
The Beard has partnered with Food Recovery Network to ensure that Taste America events are Food Recovery Verified, meaning that surplus food from these events will be recovered and donated to hunger-fighting nonprofits.
This year marks the third time that the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America has visited Philadelphia. Expanding for the first time to span nearly a full year, Taste America 2019-20 will also be traveling to: Atlanta; Boston; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles; Louisville; Miami; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Nashville; New Orleans; Phoenix; Portland, Ore.; San Francisco; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.