Look To The Stars News: Emeril Lagasse

Celebrity Chefs Cook Up Tasty Treats In Florida

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 13:59:00 -0000

The Food Network South Beach Food and Wine Festival took over the city last weekend for the yearly fundraiser to benefit various South Florida charities.

The annual event attracts food lovers from around the globe and it’s easy to see why. Some of the finest culinary experts – including Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay – flock to the event in efforts to support the charities, take part in cooking demonstrations, and to simply tantalize your taste buds.

From Rachael Ray's ‘Burger Bash’ to Tom Colicchio's ‘Bubble-Q’, the city was filled with the aroma of fine foods, tasty treats and highly sought after nibbles. Fancy cocktails, fine wine, and juicy burgers filled various tasting parties, which were held in chic tents sprawled out across the white sandy beaches.

The family friendly event offered everything from the Whole Foods Tasting Village to lectures on eating right and proper nutrition at the South Beach Diet presents Fun and Fit as a Family featuring Kellogg’s Kidz Kitchen.

Top Chef season 5 contestants were also on hand to do what they do best.

In addition to taking part in the Food Festival, the top chefs showcased their skills at Saturday evenings Top Chef party hosted by Jeff McInnis. The intimate event, held at the amazing penthouse of the Pelican Hotel, included a variety of tasting stations from Top Chef season five contestants Jeff McInnis, Hosea Rosenberg, Leah Cohen, Jamie Lauren, Melissa Harrison and season four winner Hung Huynh. From the ‘amuse bouche’s’ to the cucumber mojito’s, there wasn’t an unsatisfied guest in the suite.

Join Celebrity Chefs At Food Festival Charity Event

Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:30:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

One of the largest and most popular festivals of its kind, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival is set to take place February 19-22 in Miami.

Now in its eighth year, the event combines the international appeal of top-quality food and wine from around the world with the international appeal of the worlds most celebrated chefs to benefit multiple South Florida charities.

The four-day event showcases the talents of the world’s most renowned winemakers, chefs and culinary personalities. Those taking part this year include: Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, Rick Bayless, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio, Martha Stewart and many, many more.

Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU), the festival is against the backdrop of America’s Riviera, South Beach. Tickets are still available for some of the many exciting family friendly events, including: South Beach Diet’s Fun and Fit as a Family Featuring Kellogg’s Kidz Kitchen; Beyond Chicken Nuggets: How to Raise a Healthy Eater; and the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village.

They are also running an auction where you can bid on amazing travel packages, rare wine lots, fabulous dining experiences, jewelry, home goods and much more. It can be accessed here.

More info about the Festival can be found at the event website.

Cream Of The Christmas Celebrity Charity Auctions

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 15:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

It’s that time of year again when most of us are looking for the perfect gift for those we love, and Look To The Stars wants to make the choice a little easier for you by highlighting some of the great celebrity items up for grabs in the name of charity.

Born-to-run fans of Bruce Springsteen will be revving their engines to get hold of the rocker’s very own Harley Davidson this Christmas. The customized Fatboy motorcycle is up for grabs to benefit the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, the charity founded in 1994 by former professional tennis player Andre Agassi and dedicated to transforming U.S. public education for underserved youth.

“This is my Harley Davidson Fatboy FXFSTF,” said Springsteen. "I bought this bike from a friend in 1993. I did some light customizing and put 9,000 happy miles on it on the backroads of New Jersey. It’s got straight pipes, a McConey carburator, HD saddlebags, custom handle bars, forward controls and foot pegs. It’s extremely reliable and a great cruiser. So, if you’re “Born to Run,” this bike’s for you!"

The auction ends on January 8 and can be accessed here.

Also on sale to benefit the Andre Agassi Foundation is the chance to have a private soccer lesson with David Beckham at the LA Academy he set up to give young, aspiring athletes the chance to develop their skills, learn about teamwork, healthy living and, above all, understand the importance of having fun every time they step on the pitch. This auction ends on December 11, so you had better be quick. It can be accessed here.

And if music is your thing, then you will want to grab hold of the Andre Agassi Foundation’s special celebrity-signed Fender Stratocaster guitar. This once-in-a-lifetime item was autographed at the Summer of Stars Malibu Beach Parties by the Jonas Brothers, James Taylor, Pink, Donny Osmond, Boyz II Men, comedian George Wallace, Emeril Lagasse and many others! This auction ends on January 8, and you can find it here.

If the idea of an autographed guitar excites you, then maybe you will be interested in the rare WANDRE guitar signed by Eddie Vedder and the members of Pearl Jam to benefit Red Feather, a charity that builds sustainable homes for American Indian families. This is another sale you’ll have to be quick for – it ends on December 12 – and you can view it here.

Or maybe you would be more interested in guitars signed by the Jonas Brothers or 3 Doors Down. Both these items are going under the hammer for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, a non-profit organization that funds leading junior investigators whose work represents cutting-edge thinking in both conventional and integrative disciplines which focus on prevention, treatment and quality of life issues of leukemia, lymphoma and other related cancers. Also included in this auction are the chance to have dinner with astronaut Buzz Aldrin and spend a day with Petra Nemcova. These auctions all end on December 16 and can be found at www.charitybuzz.com.

So there can be no excuse for just finding socks under the tree this year.

12th Annual Andre Agassi Benefit Concert Raises More than $9 Million for Children

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 19:01:00 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

The 12th Annual Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children Benefit Concert presented by Genworth Financial proved to be a raging success last weekend, raising more than $9 million for the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation. The AACF raised $8.1 million through ticket sales and a silent auction, while Charles Heers, owner of Tuscany Suites & Casino in Las Vegas pledged an additional $1 million to bring the total to $9.1 million.

“I am grateful that there are so many people dedicated to helping kids,” Agassi said. “I’m thrilled with the turnout from the public, the generosity of our sponsors, donors and bidders, and the commitment and talent of the performers who so graciously give their time to the Grand Slam. It was one of the greatest nights of the year.”

The star-studded concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on October 6th attracted more than 8,200 fans who enjoyed live music by Tony Bennett, Kelly Clarkson, Matchbox Twenty and George Wallace. Several surprises throughout the night included performances by Jerry Seinfeld, the Goo Goo Dolls and Hall & Oats. Fans were also treated to a fantastic performance from Carlos Santana and Matchbox Twenty front man Rob Thomas, who teamed up to close the evening with their multi-Grammy Award- winning hit “Smooth.”

A pre-concert reception and live auction was held for VIP sponsors, who bid on a variety of items including a Porsche Cayenne from the Sopranos signed by James Gandolfini and Edie Falco; Robin Williams' movie premiere and after-party; an in-home food and wine pairing for 12 with Emeril Lagasse; an evening at a Six Flags park for 500 friends; and vacation packages such as a Costa Rican getaway with private tennis lessons from Agassi and Stefanie Graf.

The two most noteworthy auction items were the Porsche Cayenne and a Dale Chihuly chandelier. The 2005 Porsche Cayenne SUV, which was plucked from the set of the Sopranos, fetched $100,000. The vehicle once driven by ‘Carmela Soprano’ boasts a 4.5-liter V8 engine, as well as a 350-watt, 14-speaker Bose stereo and only has 6,758 miles on it. Richard and Theresa Beauchamp from Steamboat Springs, Colorado placed the winning bid for $90,000, but auctioneer Jack Williams added $10,000 of his own money to bring the total price to $100,000. The Beauchamps’ new ride comes complete with a bronze plaque bearing the signatures of Sopranos stars James Gandolfini and Edie Falco.

Perhaps earning the highest bid of the night was the Mercato del Pesce di Rialto Chandelier, sculpted by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Chihuly created the chandelier during his two years of work in Finland, Ireland, Mexico and Italy, where the chandelier was then suspended over the canals and piazzas of Venice. The historical piece is six feet wide and six feet tall and is composed of approximately 126 glass elements. Final bid: $250,000.

Since its inception in 1994, the Grand Slam for Children concert fundraiser to benefit the AACF has raised more than $70 million for charity. Specific charities benefiting from the AACF fundraiser include the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a model charter school in West Las Vegas; Andre Agassi Boys & Girls Club; Assistance League of Las Vegas’ Operation School Bell; Boys Hope/Girls Hope of Nevada; Child Haven; Cynthia Bunker and Joy McClenahan Memorial Scholarship Fund; I Have A Dream Foundation; Greater Las Vegas After-School All-Stars presented by Inner-City Games; Las Vegas Philharmonic’s Youth Concert Series; Las Vegas Sun Summer Camp; and YMCA of Southern Nevada.

The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation is a 501©(3) not-for-profit public charity created to provide recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk boys and girls. The Foundation strives to assist those underprivileged, abused and abandoned children who may be deprived of basic options in life. The AACF also offers a combination of emotional, physical and academic programs designed to enhance a child’s character, self-esteem and career possibilities. For information, visit http://www.agassifoundation.org.

Genworth Financial is a leading insurance holding company, serving the lifestyle
protection, retirement income, investment and mortgage insurance needs of
more than 15 million customers, and has operations in 24 countries,
including the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand,
the United Kingdom and 17 other European countries. For more information,
visit http://www.genworth.com.

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