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R e s t a u r a n t D a i l y N e w s 7 0 TED ALLEN OF CHOPPED TO HOST SOFI AWARDS AT SUMMER FANCY FOOD SHOW Ted Allen, Emmy Award winner and host of three shows on Food Network, includ- ing the long-running hit series Chopped, will host the 43rd sofi Awards at the Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. Allen is a contributing writer for Esquire magazine and author of two cookbooks, including "In My Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Discoveries for Passionate Cooks" (Clarkson-Potter, 2012). He was also a series regular on Food Network's, "The Best Thing I Ever Ate," a judge on the first four seasons of Bravo's "Top Chef," and on Food Network's "Iron Chef America." He was the food and wine specialist on Bravo's "Queer Eye," which was nominated twice for an Emmy and won the award in 2004. The sofi Awards are the top honor in the $109 billion specialty food indus- try. They recognize creativity, innovation and excellence in 32 categories, includ- ing chocolate, cheese and vegan or gluten free products. Allen will serve as keynote speaker and present the awards at a red-carpet ceremony on June 29, 2015. The awards are the must-attend event at the Summer Fancy Food Show, the largest marketplace for specialty foods and beverages in North America. Owned and produced by the Specialty Food Association, the show will take place June 28 – June 30, 2015, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. "Ted brings with him a passion for food," says Association President Ann Daw. "Throughout his career he has influenced millions of people, showing them the importance of the craft, care and joy that food can bring. He is a true inspi- ration to the industry." A strong supporter of anti-hunger ini- tiatives, Allen will donate his speaking fee for the event to City Harvest, the Fancy Food Show's anti-hunger charity for 26 years. Allen is a member of City Harvest's Food Council and a frequent participant in the organization's fundraising events. "We have rescued close to 2 million pounds of high quality food from the Fancy Food Show and delivered it to hungry New Yorkers, and we are grateful for the support of Ted Allen who is gen- erously donating his speaking fee to sup- port our work," says Jilly Stephens, Executive Director of City Harvest. "City Harvest appreciates its 26-year relation- ship with the Specialty Food Association and we are proud to partner again on this exciting event, which is one of our largest annual food rescues." TOP CHEFS REUNITE IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY TO RAISE FUNDS FOR CHILDREN'S CANCER ASSOCIATION The three talented chefs who wowed judges and made it to the final rounds of the most recent season of Bravo's "Top Chef" Boston will reunite in the kitchen at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in Oregon's Willamette Valley for one night this sum- mer to raise funds for a great cause. Season 12 winner Mei Lin will fly in from Los Angeles to create a menu in collaboration with her Portland chef friends and fellow contestants Doug Adams of Imperial and Gregory Gourdet of Departure for one unforgettable night at the winery. The meal will take place against a backdrop of rolling vineyards, paired with stunning Penner-Ash wines personally selected by Winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash, and set to live music by Hook and Anchor to raise money for the Children's Cancer Association and their MyMusicRx pro- gram. MyMusicRx bedside and online music medicine programs deliver the heal- ing power of music to kids and teens fac- ing cancer and other serious illnesses. "We couldn't be happier to partner with the Children's Cancer Association to raise funds for their great work, and are thrilled to host these incredibly tal- ented chefs and musicians at the winery. Music and giving back are two things of high importance to both Lynn and I, and this event is going to be an amazing night of joy, food, wine and music for a truly worthwhile cause," says Co-Owner Ron Penner-Ash. In addition to this summer event, Penner-Ash has also partnered with the organization on other fundrais- ing events this year, including a blending seminar in June where guests will blend and select a special cuvée of Penner- Ash wine followed by a live performance from Portland folk supergroup, Alialujah Choir. Two barrels of the custom blend will be bottled and donated for future Children's Cancer Association benefits. Penner-Ash's passion for music is evi- dent in their sponsorship of MusicFestNW, where Penner-Ash is the exclusive wine seller of the festival. The winery will com- bine music and philanthropy at the winery once again on August 8, when Penner-Ash will host Eddie Palmieri in concert in con- junction with the Portland Jazz Festival, in a benefit for ¡Salud! The final summer benefit concert at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars will be on August 22, with Grammy award- winning Bela Fleck and his wife Abigail Washburn performing to support the Children's Cancer Association. James Beard award-winning chef Vitaly Paley will provide a buffet-style dinner on the patio and lawns of Penner-Ash. Tickets for the celebrity chef dinner and Hook and Anchor concert at 6 p.m. on July 23, 2015 are $250 per person, and can be purchased at www.pennerash- store.com. This dinner and concert will be held on the night before the International Pinvot Noir Celebration, perfectly timed for those attending the legendary wine festival to extend their Willamette Valley wine experience.