Hard Dinners Take Place this Summer

HARD DINNERS TO TAKE PLACE THIS SUMMER


On February 16th, Scott Harding, aka Scotty Hard, a Vancouver-born, NY-based musician and sound engineer was involved in a hit and run accident in Brooklyn and is now paralyzed below the chest. Like many Canadians living and working in America, Scott is uninsured, hence beyond his medical difficulties, he is facing daunting expenditures in legal and medical bills as well as the necessary renovations that must be made to adjust his physical world to his reduced circumstances.

To aid Scott, a group of friends in New York, Paris and his home town of Vancouver have begun an international series of music concerts and private dinners as fundraisers, with all proceeds going to the Scotty Hard Fund One concert takes place today at Christ Church Cathedral (see details below).

Fiona Morrow told the background story of this fundraiser effort in last Thursday’s Globe and Mail. And you can learn more on the groups website blog.

A couple of weeks ago, Adam Pegg and Lucais Syme, executive chefs and co-owners of La Quercia (a Vancouver trattoria due to open on 4th Avenue on July 1st, 2008) held a dinner in cooperation with That’s Life Gourmet, which raised many needed dollars for the fund. But with many notable members of the Vancouver food and restaurant industry also offering to help, more special fundraising dinners and auctions should be on way. Keep an eye on our calendar of events in CityFood Online and we will keep you informed as to any further details. But so far, upcoming events may include the following:



- Vicki Gabareau is hosting a big dinner in early August at her home in North Vancouver. West's executive chef Warren Geraghty is in charge of the kitchen (Top Table Restaurants may also be featuring their other chefs and sommeliers as well). Top Table will also be donating items from each of their restaurants for a silent auction at the dinner.

- Boneta has just offered a 6-person chef's table with opening cocktail and wine pairing by Barb Mills of That's Life. They've also got Kurtis Kolt and Sean Heather on board for an event at Salt Tasting Room. These as well as the Surreal Gourmet dinner and "French Food at Home", a cooking class/dinner with Julie Marr) will probably be auctioned off.

- Jane Irwin, a Vancouver Art Gallery Board Member, is hosting up to 50 in her Shaughnessy home. No chef yet.

- Ken Pickering, the director of the Vancouver Jazz Festival, is hosting a Festival dinner. Date TBA.

- Alen Franey, director of the Vancouver Film Festival is hosting a VIFF dinner -- probably for July 17.

- Rick Hansen is interested in supporting/participating -- hopefully as host. Still in discussion.

- An ambitious young chef who's going to cook for the Canadian Olympics team in Beijing this summer is doing a 30 person, 9-course North African dinner at Le Marrakech on July 6.

- Linda Chinfen and Lorna Hemming are hosting a 15-person Waffle Breakfast on June 28.

- Kevin Beesley of Mint Records is hosting a big BBQ at Trout Lake--hopefully with a music angle. Date TBA.

- Christ Church Cathedral are hosting a dinner. No more details yet but organizers hope to have it ironed out at the concert tomorrow.

- Bill Grimshaw, Executive Chef at Shaugnessy's, is doing one in November.

- Rob Freeman, aka "Swedish Bob", former personal chef of the Eagles and Jethro Tull, now Executive Chef at Black's Private Club in Soho, London, is doing a dinner with at Craig Moyes' home or in the club. The date for this should be available by tomorrow.

- One dinner is being hosted in NY on July 8th.

- Margaret Galagher at the CBC is hosting and cooking one. Date TBA.

- Peter Berlin, editor, International Herald Tribune (Paris) is hosting one in October with Laura Calder, the French Food at Home host.

- Timothy Taylor, author of Stanley Park is cooking for one at Chris Elgin, in late July.

- Anne-Marie Fleming, filmmaker, has 25 places in a penthouse off English Bay. Susan Fiedler, jeweler, will host.

- The Farmstead Wine people, who do Frazee Supper Clubs, have indicated that they would like to host a dinner.

- There will be a hog roast at Phil Dwyer's Music School in Qualicum Beach on Aug 19.



Other donors, chefs, and hosts include:

HARD SUPPER DONORS
Boneta, That's Life Gourmet, Joie Winery, Liberty, R&B Brewery, Boathouse

HARD SUPPER CHEFS:
Don Letendre (Executive Chef—Opus and Elixir, Vancouver and Montreal)
Bob Blumer (Food Network's The Surreal Gourmet)
Laura Calder (Food Network's French Food at Home)
Jeemie Bastien, Executive Chef, Boneta in Vancouver
Bill Grimshaw, Executive Chef at Shaugnessy's in Vancouver
Adam Pegg & Lucais Syme, co-owner of La Quercia
Barbara Mills, wine rep for That's Life Gourmet
Julie Marr, former chef at Lumière, now JAM Cooking in Vancouver
Rob Freeman, former personal chef of the Eagles and Jethro Tull, now Executive Chef at Black's Private Club in Soho, London
Colin Alevras, Executive Chef and owner of the Tasting Room in New York
Alton Anfield, 20-year-old head prep at Le Marrakech Moroccan Bistro in Gastown who will represent BC in Canadian Olympic team kitchen in Beijing

HARD SUPPER HOSTS
Vicki Gabereau, TV host and broadcaster (Vancouver)
Ken Pickering, artistic director of the Vancouver Jazz Festival
Jane Irwin, artist and VAG Board member
Boneta restaurant in Vancouver--Mark Brand, Neil Ingram, Andre McGillivray, Jeremie Bastien
Allen Franey, director of the Vancouver Film Festival
Peter Berlin, editor, International Herald Tribune (Paris)
Timothy Taylor, author of Stanley Park and Globe & Mail columnist (Vancouver)
Anne-Marie Fleming, filmmaker (Vancouver)
Le Marrakech (Vancouver)
Susan Fiedler, jeweler (Vancouver)
Murray Siples, filmmaker (Vancouver)
Mark Medeski, keyboardist of Medeski, Martin and Wood (NY)
Dr Craig Moyes, King's College, London
Kevin Beesley, Mint Records co-owner and Rodney Graham bassist (Vancouver)
Chris Elgin, Vancouver lawyer



TODAY'S CONCERT AT CHIRST CHURCH CATHEDRAL (JUNE 13, 2008)

Holy Hardstock Friday June 13th Christ Church Cathedral
Artists: Jazzmanian Devils Jim Byrnes Simon Kendall (from Doug and the Slugs) Something About Reptiles Beatrice Smartt I Braineater Sandy Scofield John Korsrud's Latin Jazz Quartet Clare Love Brian W. Roy Goble (from the Subhumans) Trevor Jones Arntzen Bob's Lounge DJ David Love Jones. Tickets for Holy Hardstock!!! are only $25.00, and are now on sale at Zulu, Noize To Go , Red Cat, Bone Rattle Music, and the Christ Church Cathedral Parish office.


Personal donations can be made directly to the Scotty Hard Trust, payable to "The Scotty Hard Trust" c/o Heesok Chang, 970 Kent Ave #401, Brooklyn NY, 11205 USA


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