James Beard Foundation Goes on the Road With Taste America Benefit Dinners

The James Beard Foundation tours the country with all-star chefs on their fifth annual Taste America series. This year, Taste America will visit ten cities for a weekend of dining and culinary events. Each weekend will feature a benefit dinner with a cocktail reception and a four-course menu created by a visiting Taste America All-Star chef and a local host chef. Guests can purchase tickets to the dinner, which includes the cocktail reception, or to the cocktail reception itself. There will also be free in-store consumer events in each city at Sur La Table, including culinary demonstrations, book signings, and more.

The 2017 tour will start with Phoenix on Sept. 22-23 with Traci Des Jardins (Jardiniere, San Francisco) and Nobuo Fukuda (Nobuo at Teeter House). In Los Angeles, Taste America will be held on Oct. 6 at Vibiana. The evening will start with a cocktail reception paired with hors d’oeuvres from some of the top local chefs including Evan Funke (Felix), Justin Hilbert (Maude), Sara Kramer (Kismet), David Schlosser (Shibumi) and Neal Fraser (Redbird). The dinner will feature Chef Barbara Lynch (No 9 Park, Boston) along with Chef Michael Cimarusti (Providence) and pastry chef Shannon Swindle (Craft Los Angeles).

On Oct. 13 and 14, events will be held in Philadelphia and Seattle. The dinner in Philadelphia will showcase Marc Murphy (Landmarc, New York) and local host chef Greg Vernick (Vernick Food & Drink). Seattle will be visited by Ashley Christensen (Poole’s Diner, Raleigh) who will cook alongside Matt Dillon (Sitka & Spruce).

Oct. 27-28 Taste America stops in Chicago with L.A.’s Michael Voltaggio (ink) and James Beard Award winner Stephanie Izard (Girl & The Goat). On the same weekend, there will also be Taste America events in San Francisco, featuring Hugh Acheson (Empire State South, Atlanta) and local chefs Stuart Brioza and Nicole Krasinski (State Bird Provisions). Chef Ludo Lefebvre (Trois Mec) heads to Austin on Nov. 3-4 to cook with local chef Tyson Cole (Uchi). On the same weekend, Chef Daniel Boulud (Daniel, New York) will be in Boston with chef Karen Akunowicz (Myers + Chang). The tour ends on Nov. 10-11 with a stop in Kansas City featuring chef Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia, Chicago) with Debbie Gold (The American).

James Beard Taste America takes place from Sept. 22-Nov. 11. Purchase tickets here.