Annual Chefs Dinner at Hayground School

The 2011 Chefs Dinner at the Hayground School on Sunday, July 31 will put the spotlight on world-renowned chefs as well as local talent. Now in its seventh year, the Chefs Dinner is a fundraiser for the Hayground School’s Jeff’s Kitchen and the Jeff Salaway Scholarship Fund. [expand]

The evening’s line-up of chefs, both local and Manhattan-based, is impressive, including: Mark Forgione (Restaurant Marc Forgione and winner of “Iron Chef”), Marc Meyer (Five Points), Josh Capon (Lure FishBar), Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto and winner “Top Chef Masters”), Harold Dieterle (Perilla Restaurant and winner “Top Chef”), Michael White (Marea, Osteria Morini and Al Fiori), Gerry Hayden (The North Fork Table & Inn and James Beard nominee for best chef in North East), Claudia Flemin (The North Fork Table & Inn) and Special Guest “Chef” Isaac Mizrahi.

The night kicks off with a cocktail party from 5-to 7:30 p.m., where the chefs will display their talents with hors d’oeuvres made from East End bounty and locally grown ingredients. Specialty drinks and wines will accompany this great culinary start to the night.

Following the cocktail hour there will be a sit-down dinner from 8 to 10:30 p.m. A portion of the produce used for the fabulous four-course meal will be from the Hayground School’s Slow Foods Greenhouse, and each course will be paired with a local wine.

Food is not the only thing that will be the topic of conversation! There will also be a live auction held after the dinner featuring exclusive culinary and travel packages such as cooking sessions with celebrity chefs and five-star destination packages.

This annual event serves as a tribute to the late Jeff Salaway, who was one of the Hayground School’s co-founders and a highly respected restaurateur. The money raised benefits Jeff’s Kitchen, a full-service kitchen and classroom at the Hayground School, where classes in nutrition and cooking are offered for children and adults. The dinner also raises funds for the Jeff Salaway Scholarship Fund.

The Chefs Dinner and cocktail party will be held on the Hayground School grounds. Along with fabulous food and wines there will be live music to add to the evening. Tickets to the cocktail party and the dinner are $850; or $175 for the cocktail event only. VIP wine tables are also available featuring fine wine selections and premium seating in Jeff’s Kitchen, with prices starting at $1,750. Children are more than welcome at a ticket price of $35; they can enjoy a kids dinner and creative childcare by Hayground Camp counselors.

 2011 Chefs Dinner, Hayground School campus, 151 Mitchell Ln., Bridgehampton. For information and tickets call 631-537-7068 ext.113 or visit www.greatchefsdinner.com. [expand/]