kansas city: save the date… (harvesters chefs classic 2015)

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This is my fifth year serving on the planning committee for the Chefs Classic, a charity dinner hosted annually at The American Restaurant that raises money for Harvesters, a food bank that serves the greater Kansas City area.  Because I obsess over documenting and recording things, I asked Harvesters to send me a complete roster of all of the chefs who have cooked at this event.  By our accounting, this will be the eighteenth annual Chefs Classic, which has brought nearly one hundred chefs from around the country to Kansas City.  I have included the complete list of past guest chefs at the bottom of this post.

This year’s Chefs Classic will take place at The American Restaurant on Sunday, June 28, 2015.  Please save the date.

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As in recent years, this year’s Chefs Classic will feature three, local Kansas City chefs (including hosting chef Michael Corvino of The American Restaurant) and three, out-of-town chefs.  I am pleased to announce them here, together with this year’s honorary chair.

 

Honorary Chair
MARK LARRABEE
(President and CEO of Arvest Bank)

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JOHN BROGAN
(Passed Hors d’Oeuvres)
(Rye; Leawood, Kansas)

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NICOLAS BLOUIN
(Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek; Dallas, Texas)

MICHAEL CORVINO
(The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)

JOSH EANS
(Happy Gillis Café & Hangout; Kansas City, Missouri)

NICHOLAS ELMI
(Laurel; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

HOWARD HANNA
(The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange; Kansas City, Missouri)

BENJAMIN SUKLE
(Birch; Providence, Rhode Island)

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Please check the Harvesters website for ticketing information.

You’ll find photos of last year’s dinner here.

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The following is a complete list of all of the chefs who have cooked at the Chefs Classic at The American Restaurant.  Please note that the chefs are listed with the restaurants at which they were working at the time they cooked at the Chefs Classic.

2014

Honorary Chair: Kent Sunderland of Ash Grove Cement Company

Ryan Brazeal (Novel; Kansas City, Missouri)
Gerard Craft (niche; St. Louis, Missouri)
Colby Garrelts (bluestem; Kansas City, Missouri)
Debbie Gold (Kansas City; Missouri)
Jonathan Justus (Justus Drugstore; Smithville, Missouri)
Gavin Kaysen (Café Boulud; New York, New York)
Stephanie Prida (Manresa; Los Gatos, California)

2013

Honorary Chair: Carla and Danny O’Neill, Owners of the Roasterie

Michael Beard (715 Mass; Lawrence, Kansas)
Vinny Dotolo (Animal Restaurant; Los Angeles, California)
Kelly English (Iris; Memphis; Tennessee)
Nancy Olson (Grammercy Tavern, New York, New York)
Patrick Ryan (Port Fonda, Kansas City, Missouri)
Todd Schulte (Genessee Royale & Happy Gillis, Kansas City, Missouri)

2012

Honorary Chair: Joe and Carol Suhor

William Bradley (Addison at The Grand Del Mar; San Diego, California)
Howard Hanna (The Rieger Hotel Grill & Exchange, Kansas City, Missouri)
Susur Lee (Lee in Toronto, Canada and Shang in New York City, New York)
Matthias Merges (Yusho; Chicago, Illinois)
Danica Pollard (Lidias; Kansas City, Missouri)
Carl Thorne-Thomsen (Story; Prairie Village, Kansas)

2011

Honorary Chair: Clark Hunt, Chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs

Sean Brock (McCrady’s; Charleston, South Carolina)
Charles D’Ablaing (Chaz at the Raphael; Kansas City, Missouri)
Curtis Duffy (Avenues at the Peninsula; Chicago, Illinois)
Josh Eans (Blanc Burgers + Bottles; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Foust (The Farmhouse; Kansas City, Missouri)
Sean Gawle (Corton; New York, New York)
Debbie Gold (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)

 

2010

Trey Foshee (George’s at the Cove; La Jolla, California)
Debbie Gold (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)
Carmen Gonzalez (New York, New York)
Andrew Kneessy (Kansas City Country Club; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Laiskonis (Le Bernardin; New York, New York)
John McClure (Starker’s Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)
Alex Pope (R Bar; Kansas City, Missouri)
Nick Wesemann (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)

2009

Graham Elliot Bowles (graham elliot; Chicago, Illinois)
Linda Deurr (JJ’s; Kansas City, Missouri)
Colby and Megan Garrelts (Bluestem; Kansas City, Missouri)
Ted Habiger (Room 39; Kansas City, Missouri)
Dan Swinney (Lidia’s; Kansas City, Missouri)
Albert Tash (Ameristar Casino & Hotel; Kansas City, Missouri)
Bill Telepan (Telepan’s; New York, New York)

 

2008

Eddie Allen, Ameristar Casino & Hotel;
Roberto Donna (Bebo Trattoria; Washington, D.C.)
Joe Hafner (Gracie’s; Providence, Rhode Island)
Howard Hannah (The River Club; Kansas City, Missouri)
Mike Lata (FIG; Charleston, South Carolina)
Keith Luce (The Herb Farm; Woodinville, Washington)
Jonathan Justus (Justus Drugstore; Smithville, Missouri)
Dan Swinney (Lidia’s; Kansas City, Missouri)
Nick Wesemann (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)

 

2007

Ashley Archer (Ameristar Casino; Kansas City, Missouri)
Jennifer Maloney (Café Sebastienne; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Peterson (Trezo Mare; Kansas City, Missouri)
Giani Respinto (Gianmarco’s; Birmingham, Alabama)
Celina Tio (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)
Lorin Watada (Roy’s Restaurant; Las Vegas, Nevada)
Patrick Williams (Pierpont’s; Kansas City, Missouri)

 

2006

[No event.]

 

2005

Honorary Chair: Mayor Kay Barnes

Edward Allen (Bugatti’s Ristorante & Café at Ameristar Casino; Kansas City, Missouri)
Nathan Feldmiller and Jonathan Phillips (Circe; Kansas City, Missouri)
Ted Habiger and Andy Sloan (Room 39; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Morris (Two Sisters at the Hyatt Regency; Coral Gables, Florida)
Robert Merrifield (Polo Grill; Tulsa, Oklahoma)
Kirk Parks (Rathbun’s; Atlanta, Georgia)
Dan Swinney (Lidia’s; Kansas City, Missouri)

 

2004

Honorary Chairs: Harvesters Founders

Mark Ayers (Highland Park Hyatt; Carmel, California)
Ray Comiskey (The Capital Grille; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Cressotti (Sushi Samba; New York, New York)
Tim Doolittle (City Tavern; Kansas City, Missouri)
Christopher Elbow (Elbow Chocolates; Kansas City, Missouri)
Colby Garrelts (Bluestem; Kansas City, Missouri)
Elissa Narow (Blackbird; Chicago, Illinois)

 

2003

Honorary Chairs: Charles and Jacqueline Sullivan

Stephen Gontram (Harvest; St. Louis, Missouri)
Tim Johnson (The Webster House; Kansas City, Missouri)
Frederick Ortega (Lacroix at the Rittenhouse; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Patrick Quillec (Hannah Bistro; Leawood, Kansas)
John State (California Grill; Lake Buena Vista, Florida)
Marc Valiani (Grand Street Cafe; Kansas City, Missouri)

 

2002

Honorary Chairs: Harvesters Founders

Patrick Coston (Ilo; New York, New York)
Emanuel Langlade (Aixois; Kansas City, Missouri)
Tim Kelley (Zoe; New York, New York)
John Korycki (Milano; Kansas City, Missouri)
Susan & Miguel Sanchez (Honeymom’s Cafe; Kansas City, Missouri)
Troy Thompson (Jer-Ne at the Ritz-Carlton; Marina Del Ray, California)

2001

Honorary Chairs: Bert and Joan Berkley

Suzanne Goin (Lucques; Los Angeles, California)
Dominique Macquet (Dominique’s; New Orleans, Louisiana)
Jennifer Maloney (Café Sebastienne; Kansas City, Missouri)
Monica Pope (Boulevard Bistrot; Houston, Texas)
Mano Rafael (Le Fou Frog; Kansas City, Missouri)
Shelly Pierre Rash (Zin; Kansas City, Missouri)

2000

Honorary Chairs: Fred and Virginia Merrill

Steve Cole (Café Allegro; Kansas City, Missouri)
Susan Goss (Zinfandel; Chicago, Illinois)
Udo Nechutnys (Jordan Winery; Healdsburg, California)
Michael Peterson (Grand Street Café; Kansas City, Missouri)
Susan Spicer (Bayona; New Orleans, Louisiana)
Rafael Torano (The American Restaurant; Kansas City, Missouri)
Michael Turner (Classic Cup; Kansas City, Missouri)

1999

Honorary Chair: Mrs. Hymie Sosland

John Hogan (Savarin; Chicago, Illinois)
Steve Cole (Café Allegro; Kansas City, Missouri)
Cody Hogan (Lidia’s; Kansas City, Missouri)
Jennifer Maloney (Café Sebastienne; Kansas City, Missouri)
Patrick Weber (The Stolen Grill; Kansas City, Missouri)
Takashi Yagihashi (Tribute; Detroit, Michigan)

1998

Honorary Chairs: Don and Adele Hall

Lidia Bastianich (Lidia’s; Kansas City, Missouri; and Felidia, New York, New York)
Bill Cardwell (Cardwell’s at the Plaza; St. Louis, Missouri)
Steve Cole (Café Allegro; Kansas City, Missouri)
Doug Flick (Ritz-Carlton; Kansas City)
Jean-Louis Palladin (Las Vegas, Nevada)

1997

Honorary Chair: Morton Sosland

Lidia Bastianich (Felidia, Becco and Frico; New York, New York)
Steve Cole (Café Allegro; Kansas City, Missouri)
Doug Flick (Ritz-Carlton; Kansas City)

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Photos: Gavin Kaysen, Stephanie Prida, Gerard Craft, Colby Garrelts, Jonathan Justus, and Ryan Sciara at the 2014 Harvesters Chefs Classic at The American Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri; and Gavin Kaysen, Colby Garrelts, and Debbie Gold at the 2014 Harvesters Chefs Classic at The American Restaurant in Kansas City, Missouri.