The popular food festival, which featured 34 chefs, drew 400 guests to mingle and sample the scrumptious fare. Renowned wineries, such as Duckhorn, Crown Point, Schramsberg, Three Sticks, and Chateau Montelena, were also a part of the mix. Guests were later seated on the lawn to sample desserts and be introduced to the chefs by emcee DawnMarie Kotsonis.
KidWorks’ incoming Board Chair and event co-chair Cory Alder shared the KidWorks’ story. Involved with the charity for 16 years, he lauded the nonprofit’s academic support, character and leadership development programs that empower students in Orange County’s underserved neighborhoods from pre-K through their college years. Despite the pandemic challenges, he said the nonprofit is addressing mental health challenges, making plans to expand into additional satellite campuses and adding programs to include Friday nights and Saturdays. “Despite all the challenges,” Alder said, “this is the eighth year in a row, we have 100% high school graduations and 100% college graduations.”
Fun was had as guests joined the Heads or Tails Game, with one guest left standing to claim the $500 prize. Luis Lopez was the winner of the 50-bottle premium wine tree raffle, generously donated by Mona Lee Nesseth and valued at $2,500. He generously donated it back to KidWorks, and it was auctioned for $5,500 to benefit the charity.
The event co-chairs included Lisa and Cory Alder, Tracy and Kevin Murphy and Kyle and David Team, with committee members Joey Booth, Karin and Jeff Garell, Linda Maggard, Leticia & Pat Merrell, Camille and Tim Strader, Jr., Chase Watson, and Sue & Nick Willett. Also attending were outgoing Board Chair Adrian Montero and KidWork’s CEO David Benevides. KM Productions was thanked for producing the event.
Following a generous Fund-A-Need portion, which helped boost proceeds to $820,000, the band, Flashback Heart Attack, took the heartfelt evening home.
The KidWorks’ mission is to restore at-risk neighborhoods one life at a time. Since 1993, KidWorks has grown into a vibrant community development non-profit that serves central Santa Ana students and families through a fully licensed preschool, after-school programs, tutoring, mentoring, and adult services in the areas of health, parenting classes, and support. KidWorksoc.org
Participating Restaurants/Chefs
Host Chef: Graeme Blair – Newport Beach Country Club
Backstage-A-Fair – Annie Morgan
Baja Shellfish - Pascal Olhats
Balboa Bay Resort & Club – Jacob Davis
Bluegold – Eugene Jang & Jorge Valines
Butterfight Food Service - Alan Ramirez
CafeEighteen48 – Scott Renney & Dominique Shelton
Cannery Seafood of the Pacific - Victor Soto
Catered Courses & Santa Ana Sweets – Rick Boxeth
C’est La Vie - Antonio Roa & Enrique Valenzuela
Chatos Bar & Grill – Sergio Ortega
Crestavilla – Bert Agor Jr.
Connected Culinaire – Chelsea Cruz
Dana Point Yacht Club – Jonathan Stanley
Descanso Restaurant – Fonzy De Zuniga
Filomena’s Italian Kitchen – Linda Johnsen, Santiago Castaneda & Carlos Roman Salazar
Haute Productions – Keith Prante
Kinimi Kitchen - Kirbee Miller
Loews Vanderbilt Nashville – Charly Houegban
Macheen Food Events – Jonathan Perez
Newport Rib Company
Nobu Newport Beach –Andy Huynh
Oceans & Earth – Chef Adam Navidi
Oliver’s Osteria – Erik De Marchi
Pacific Pearl Catering – Michael Campbell
Pedro’s Culinary Cuisine- Pedro Uribe
Pelican Hill Resort – Kyung Carroll
Prego Restaurant – Ugo Allesina
Seabutter – Peter Moon
Station Craft – Anthony Celeste
Suenos Laguna Beach – Yen Wu
Taste Collective – Chris Tzorin
The Waterfront Beach Resort, Huntington Beach Lewis Butler
The Winery Restaurant - Yvon Goetz
Thyme Well Spent Catering – Brandon Hall
