26th Annual Festival of Chefs

Benefits Easter Seals South Florida

Event Chef Chair Todd Erickson

Wednesday, November 12, 2014, at 6:30 p.m.
Nikki Beach
1 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach
305-547-4719 (Christina Jacomino)
CJacomino@SFL.EasterSeals.com

Easter Seals South Florida’s 26th Annual Festival of Chefs – “Where Culinary & Fine Arts Meet” – is one of South Florida’s longest-standing food and wine charity events. Festival of Chefs will be held on November 12 at beautiful Nikki Beach.

Co-Chairs for the event are Norma Jean Abraham and Shelley Daniel Rutherford, and the Event Chef Chair will be Todd Erickson, Executive Chef of HaVen and Huahua’s Taqueria. Chef Erickson is a critically acclaimed culinary professional and one of the region’s most celebrated toques, with more than 10 years of experience garnered at esteemed restaurants around the United States. Erickson’s approach reflects his passion for travel and regional cuisines, and has earned him a following with media and savvy diners alike.

Guests will enjoy the finest wines and dishes from Miami’s top restaurants. In addition to a fabulous multi-course feast, guests will enjoy sampling wines and spirits from the world’s finest producers. An important enhancement to the culinary focus of the event is the amazing silent auction featuring fine art, jewelry, fine wines, dining and travel packages and more. Proceeds from the event will benefit Easter Seals South Florida’s Culinary Arts High School, a vocational training program for young adults ages 16 through 22 with Autism and other disabilities.

Tony Guerra and Event Co-Chair Norma Jean Abraham

Top sponsors to date include The Batchelor Foundation, Inc.; Anthony Abraham Foundation; Norma Jean Abraham; Shelley Daniel Rutherford; Barry Solomon; and Greenberg Traurig.

Tickets are $125, if purchased in advance, or $150 at the door. Additionally, there is a wide range of sponsorship opportunities available for Festival of Chefs. For more information, contact Christina Jacomino, Special Events & Marketing Associate, at 305-547-4719 or by e-mail at CJacomino@SFL.EasterSeals.com.

About Easter Seals South Florida

What began in 1942 as a single classroom in a Miami church basement for children with polio who were not allowed to attend the public schools, now serves more than 2,000 children, adults, and their families annually in the ten sites throughout Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. Our services focus on the individual and the family unit to meet the unique needs of those we serve.

Mission Statement:

Our mission is to provide exceptional services so that children and adults living with autism, Alzheimer’s and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our community.

Current programs include:

Education and Therapy for Children and Youth:

Event Co-Chair Shelley Daniel Rutherford with culinary arts students

Specialized occupational speech, and physical therapy for children with disabilities (ages 8 weeks to 12 years old); quality child care for 60 children with special needs (ages 8 weeks to 3 years); 6 Head Start Centers providing quality early childhood education, behavior and family support for 488 low income children (ages 8 weeks to 5 years); after-school services for 185 youth with special needs; plus a summer day camp for 116 preschoolers, elementary, and high school students with autism and other disabilities.

Autism Focused Services:

Year round quality elementary and middle school education for children with autism; low student teacher ratios, and hands-on learning with Board Certified Behavior Analysts and special education teachers.

Adult Day Services for Alzheimer’s:

Three therapeutic adult day care centers located in Miami, Hialeah and Pembroke Pines serving 492 adults with Alzheimer’s and other memory disorders; case management, caregiver support groups, and transportation also provided; in-home respite services support an additional 200 caregivers in Miami- Dade and Broward County.

Vocational Training and Support:

A culinary arts training program for 35-40 young adults with autism and other disabilities, ages 16-22; vocational evaluation and support services to nearly 200 youth and adults with disabilities.

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