Gathering to celebrate with food and wine has been a nonprofit mainstay for decades as a tool to help raise funds for a good cause or bring attention to a must-see cultural event.
November is yielding a number of such opportunities where one can eat, drink and share the love – great events and causes to support with a glass and fork in hand.
Sunday, Nov. 14 at the Italia-America Bocca Club is an event designed to give love and support to legendary Chef Rich LoRusso, owner of LoRusso’s Cucina. LoRusso. LoRusso, who has given mountains of love and support to countless charities throughout the St. Louis community, can now use a little extra love and support after being diagnosed with one of the rarest forms of ALS. For the Love of the Chef will provide an opportunity to help provide funds to help the LoRussos meet the challenges and medical care costs.
Cara Barbieri DiFranco, For the Love of the Chef co-chair, reports the event’s 500 tickets sold out in under three hours. However, there are still ways to share and enjoy the event, like signing up as a volunteer to work the event, or placing a bid online on one of the more than 100 auction items. For the Love of the Chef auction goes live online Nov. 10. Before and after the event has passed continue to show your love and support – go enjoy dinner at LoRusso’s.
Epworth’s 19th annual Wine Dinner and Auction on Saturday, Nov. 13 at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis is a hybrid fundraiser offering an in-person black-tie event, as well as a full at-home experience that includes food and wine. All proceeds will benefit Epworth’s life-impacting programs and services, which also includes crisis care and outreach through the Drop-In Center and food pantry. The in-person option begins at 6 p.m. and features a reception with passed hors d’oeuvres, five-star dinner and live music, along with live and silent auctions.
Each course will be paired with rare wines or Champagne curated by certified sommelier Jason Main, owner of The Wine Merchant. The chef’s menu appeals to both gourmets and gourmands and features sophisticated plates, which includes a second course standout of wild mushroom ravioli, duck confit, asparagus slivers and butternut squash puree – a dish Main pairs with a unique White Burgundy.
French-inspired cuisine is the perfect dinner to enjoy when taking in Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience, the art installation now on exhibit on the south parking lot at the Saint Louis Galleria, which generously donates a portion of each ticket sale to support the St. Louis arts via Keep Live Alive Saint. An exhibit all St. Louis artists applaud, especially the culinary artists of Café la Vie at Le Meridien St. Louis Clayton who have created a three-course van Gogh dinner. Featured each Wednesday night, the Café la Vie van Gogh dining experience has created unique plates designed to delight both the foodie and the art lover.
“We’ve created an extension of how visitors can immerse themselves in van Gogh’s artwork through a living piece of art and history, alongside an artful culinary experience to inspire the senses of taste, smell and vision,” said Andrew Hargis, Le Meridien general manager, noting each dish reflects the artist’s greatest masterpieces, The Potato Eaters, a Loaded Potato Agnolotti with bacon lardon, white cheddar fondue, crispy potato skins and scallions; the entrée, The Lying Cow, a beef short rib lying in Tuscan kale risotto; and the aptly named signature dessert, Starry Night, a mirror glazed chocolate torte.
