Chefs from Cranes, Leni, Oohh’s & Aahh’s, The Point DC to compete head to head
The 2022 Capital Food Fight by DC Central Kitchen returns the celebratory in-person chef competition to The Anthem in DC in just a few weeks. According to the host, VIP tickets for the April 7th event are sold out, but general admission tickets remain available. The Capital Food Fight dates back to 2004 when DC Central Kitchen Board Chair Emeritus José Andrés hosted it; the event is a popular spring competition between high-profile chefs.
Spike Mendelsohn, a celebrity chef and DC-based restaurateur, will serve as host. Local media personalities, Tommy McFly and Kelly Collis, will serve as MCs. DJ Neekola, a popular DC performer will enhance the evening ambiance. Attendees will also delight in sampling food from 50 of the DMV’s best restaurants.
“We are thrilled to be finally returning to The Anthem and celebrating the 18th Capital Food Fight with our family of supporters this April. Our city’s people and restaurants have been through so much, and this year’s event will celebrate what we have accomplished and overcome together while looking toward a brighter future,” said Mike Curtin, DC Central Kitchen chief executive. “We are so grateful for this year’s presenting sponsor, craigstable, the hunger-fighting coalition formed by legendary philanthropist Craig Newmark. craigstable’s support was instrumental to our record-setting delivery of 6 million emergency meals during the pandemic.”
Highly-regarded area chefs will face off in head-to-head competition on the main stage:
- Cranes Chef/Partner Pepe Moncayo
- Chef Brittanny Anderson from Leni
- Oohh’s & Aahh’s Chef Oji Abbott
- Chef Benjamin Lambert, executive chef of The Point DC
The use of secret ingredients always keeps the competition more interesting. DC Central Kitchen thanked Capital Food Fight pantry sponsor, Whole Food Market, with additional secret ingredients provided by Bowery Farms, Keany Produce and Land O’ Lakes.
Each dish will be judged by a panel of culinary icons, including James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio, lead judge and restaurateur of “Top Chef” will be part of a distinguished panel of judges. Food Network star and renowned chef Maneet Chauhan, Kristen Kish, a “Top Chef” season 10 winner and star of truTV’s Fast Foodies, and TV personality Andrew Zimmern, also a James Beard award-winning chef, round out the panel.
Tickets can be purchased at www.capitalfoodfight.org. All proceeds from the event, including donations and silent auction, go toward DC Central Kitchen’s ongoing mission.
The 2022 presenting sponsor is craigstable (Craig Newmark Philanthropies) and showcase sponsors are CoBank, DoorDash, and Occasions Caterers. Executive chef sponsors include Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clark Construction, CPR Multimedia Solutions, Raytheon Technologies, Wells Fargo, and Appliances A Better Way (ABW). Sous chef sponsors are Bank of America, AARP Foundation, PNC, and Aramark.
See www.capitalfoodfight.org for information on the event’s COVID policies.
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