Gluttons for Charity
Tim Zagat casually made the rounds at the City Harvest tasting event on Tuesday night, sampling dishes from 29 restaurants. The food ranged from chef Cheryl Smith's chicken wings topped with arugula, from Cheryl's Global Soul in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, to chef Luc Dimnet's foie gras, enriched with a caramel cherry vinegar sauce and served on tortillas, from Brasserie in midtown Manhattan.
Cait McDonough, Orion Davidoff, Debbie Weiner & Peggy Williams at the Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery station.
It would have been in character for the creator of the Zagat restaurant surveys to critique the fare, but Mr. Zagat seemed content with just about everything on offer.
"Tonight is solely about raising money to feed people; how simple can you get?" Mr. Zagat said.
In a fragile economy, fund-raising is more important than ever to the city's only emergency food program.
"Federal food agencies have been on the decline, so City Harvest has truly been all about action and progression: bringing in more food than ever in order to help those in need," Jilly Stephens, who has been an executive director of City Harvest since 2006, said.
City Harvest's young professionals group, Generation Harvest, organized the event, which drew more than 500 guests and raised $200,000.
Under the leadership of Generation Harvest's co-chairmen, Renée Fishman and Scott Sherman, the group doubled its proceeds from last year's event.
Many young professionals said they not only give money, but also volunteer with the organization.
Actor Josh Lucas said he often rides in the food delivery trucks in the South Bronx. "I really try to participate as much as I can with City Harvest," he said.
As the night came to an end, DJ trio the Misshapes took the stage. But guests were not easily distracted by the music: With alert taste buds and strong appetites, they continued to hit the restaurant stations.
Until the closing moments of the event at the Metropolitan Pavilion, chefs hurriedly gathered batches of lobster meat, barbecue sauce, and guacamole to prepare dishes for their tables. Reflecting the mission of City Harvest, no food went to waste.
agordon@nysun.com
