Show 238, August 26, 2017: Alycia Harshfield, Executive Director, California Restaurant Association Foundation

Alycia HarshfieldThe California Restaurant Association Foundation (celebrating their 35th Anniversary in 2017) is part of the annual Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo (for the restaurant trade) starting this Weekend (Sunday, Monday & Tuesday) at the Los Angeles Convention Center. They will have a fundraising booth there but their big event is The 6th Annual Culinary Cocktail Clash on the Main Stage on Sunday afternoon.

The Clash is a lively cooking and craft cocktail competition between restaurant brands – all to raise money for The Foundation’s ProStart high school culinary arts program. 500 guests are expected.

The California Restaurant Association Foundation (CRAF) has introduced a new philanthropic branch to its foundation, Restaurants Care, an emergency assistance fund to support restaurant workers facing an unforeseen hardship. To celebrate the launch of this new fund, CRAF will host an inaugural benefit dinner and reception called The Grateful Table on Saturday, September 9th, 2017. Bringing together some of the Orange County’s most influential chefs including Ross Pangilinan of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar and Ryan Adams of 370 Common. The Grateful Table will feature a twilight reception followed by a farm-to-table family-style dinner held at the OC Fair & Event Center‘s Centennial Farm (88 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa 92626) on September 9th, 2017 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Individual tickets range from $250 – $300 and are available for purchase online.

“We’re cooking up stronger communities in California. We give young people the skills they need to land a job and go to college. We give current restaurant employees financial assistance and peace of mind during an unforeseen crisis.”

Alycia Harshfield, the Executive Director of the California Restaurant Association Foundation, joins us with a preview.