WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the sixth consecutive year, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation – the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization – and prominent food writer David Hagedorn are bringing together the capital region’s top culinary talent for Chefs for Equality, Washington, D.C.'s premier food event. The evening of food, cocktails, and music to benefit the fight for full LGBTQ equality will be held on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, for the first time at Dock5 at Union Market. In addition to the impressive fare, live and silent auctions benefiting the HRC Foundation will be held.

“We have 150 of the greatest chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists in the country standing up for equality, resisting politics of hate and fighting back against attacks that undermine the LGBTQ community,” said David Hagedorn, who created and co-chairs the event. “With the current state of the country under the Trump administration, the work of the HRC Foundation is more critical than ever.”

The jewels of the Chefs for Equality crown are nine personal chef tables – an opportunity to dine with celebrity chefs for a lavish five-course meal right in the middle of the action during the event. Celebrity chef groupings for these tables include: Kevin Tien, Carlie Steiner, Johnny Spero and Katsuya Fukushima; David Guas, Bill Smith and Bryan Voltaggio; Jeremiah Langhorne, Edward Lee and Joy Crump; David Shannon, Alex Levin and Scott Muns; Amy Brandwein, Victor Albisu and a special guest chef; Peter and Lisa Chang, Erik Bruner-Yang and Pichet Ong; Marjorie Meek-Bradley, Ris Lacoste and Cedric Maupillier; Jamie Leeds, Nick Stefanelli and Anthony Chittum; and Jeff Buben, Todd Gray, Doron Petersan, and Tarver King.

In addition to these nine tables is a centerpiece table for 16 guests, matched with Washington’s most celebrated fine dining chefs, including Patrick O’Connell, Frank Ruta, Aggie Chin, Fabio Trabocchi, Robert Wiedmaier and Cindy Wolf.  James Beard Award-winning chef and baker Mark Furstenberg of Bread Furst will provide the bread for all 10 of the personal chef tables.

As they have for the previous five years, Christopher Vazquez and Rick Davis of Amaryllis Floral + Event Design will transform Chefs for Equality’s venue into a wonderland and serve as two of the event’s premier sponsors.

An exciting new feature at Chefs for Equality this year is the “5/10/15 Speed Diner,” — 5 dishes/10 chefs/15 minutes — curated by chef Erik Bruner-Yang. Chefs for Equality ticket holders can purchase 15-minute time slots at two, diner-style, eight-person counters, created by Amaryllis Floral + Event Design in front of the Dock5 entrance. Once seated, guests will enjoy a specialty cocktail and a mini 5-course tasting menu prepared and served by five pairs of celebrity chefs, among them Cathal Armstrong (Kaliwa) and Tim Ma (Kyirisan); Scott Drewno and Danny Lee (ChiKo); Seng Luangrath (Padaek) and Bobby Pradachith (Thip Khao); and Kyle Bailey (The Salt Line) and Haidar Karoum (Chloë). The “5/10/15 Speed Diner” is a separate ticket option for Chefs for Equality ticket holders, available as a $50 per person add-on. Seatings are at 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 p.m. Purchase time slots at hrc.im/ChefsTickets and enjoy your 15 minutes of fab.

All proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s nationwide educational work for LGBTQ equality. The HRC Foundation works to educate the public and provides training and model policies that alter the fundamental nature of the institutions that govern the everyday lives of LGBTQ people everythwere. The HRC Foundation touches every aspect of LGBTQ life with programs that target our most sensitive and vulnerable interactions: helping with equal access to adoption and foster care; creating respectful and supportive school environments; helping healthcare providers increase LGBTQ competency; engaging in dialogue around LGBTQ equality in faith communities; helping corporate America adopt inclusive workplace policies and practices; and leveraging our domestic work to have an international impact. The critical work of the HRC Foundation enhances the lived experiences of LGBTQ people and their families by changing hearts and minds across the country and beyond.

Tickets for Chefs for Equality can be purchased at hrc.im/ChefsTickets. The lists of participating chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, and mixologists can be found at www.ChefsForEquality.org.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work, and in every community.

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