That’s a little misleading, as this afternoon, the heavens opened up, and it positively down-poured.  However, tonight is the annual Great Chef’s Event in Philadelphia, and since the man and I were lucky enough to attend last year, I thought it was a good moment to bring attention to a great organization.

I should probably take this moment to make a little, eensy weensy, teeny tiny confession.

I work in the restaurant industry.

I know, I know – how have I spent over half my life working in the business of good food, and just now start cooking?  Pretty easy answer ~ I ate at work, or spent a lot of time with the people who did the cooking at work.

So, because I work in the industry and have a pretty well-connected boss who was super generous last year, we were able to attend.  And I have to say, the food was glorious.  Additionally, I was pretty sure I saw Tom Colicchio from a distance, and I got a little faint.  I’m a big fan.  In fact, I have one of his cookbooks on my shelf, and every once in awhile I page through it, and realize that while I’m closer to being capable of cooking some of his recipes, I’m just not there yet.  Trust me, when I do finally brave some delicate and intricate dish penned by Mr. Colicchio, I will let it be known!

The Great Chef’s Event benefits Alex’s Lemonade Stand, started by an inspiring and courageous little girl named Alex who lived in the Philadelphia area and was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer, just before she turned one.  After her fourth birthday (and a stem cell transplant) Alex informed her mother that upon leaving the hospital, she wanted to have a lemonade stand to raise money for “her” hospital and to help benefit other children like her.

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation partners with The Vetri Foundation once a year to hold the Great Chef’s Event (begun in 2006).  Major players in the hospitality and restaurant business participate, including Philadelphia heavyweights Jose Garces (Garces Restaurant Group), Steven Starr (represented this year by Executive Chef of Dandelion Robert Aiken), Michael Solomonov (Zahav), Daniel Stern (R2L) and of course, Marc Vetri (Vetri, Amis, Osteria).

Check out this link to see the picture gallery from last year (altho’ it should update to this year soon!~  http://www.alexslemonade.org/campaign/great-chefs-event/album

I have to tell you ~ it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  We got all dolled up (I even wore heels, eek!) and drove the Mini down to the Navy Yard.  All the glitterati of Philadelphia were there.  We wandered around, trying little bites from some of the best restaurants in the country.  I wish I could remember everything we had ~ I know there was a lemon crepe dish that melted in my mouth, and we went through the sushi line twice at one stand.  It was just the epitome of decadence.  I have in front of me the complimentary cookbook/program from the event, and I think I’ve found my new cooking challenge ~ finding and recreating some of the dishes we were salivating over!

But here’s the part that made it so amazing and special.  Liz and Jay Scott, Alex’s parents, thanked everyone for attending and spoke beautifully about their amazing daughter, who lost her battle to cancer in 2004.  And then the silent auction began, and the amount of money donated (for some pretty insane items, I may add ~ like a tour of Italy with Marc Vetri as your culinary guide, or a meal for 14 cooked specially by Mario Batali …you get the drift) would have blown your mind.  It did mine.  And my eyes filled with tears, because the power of being in a room where all these amazing and powerful people came together to raise money for a cause ~ well, it was incredible.

So, a year later, and sitting at home rather than all done up at a fancy event, I say Cheers! again to all the chefs and restaurants who participate, and I say even more Cheers! to Alex for being so generous and determined of spirit at such a young age, when fighting such a terrible disease.  And Cheers! to her parents, who have carried on her legacy, and continue to help so many children.

Now, I’m kinda in the mood for something with lemons …. Off to scour the kitchen!