Slow Food USA

[Camille-Beau]

Also on Agraria thread: Slow Food USA has announced it's first Sustainable Seafood Gala in Washington DC. Organized by Chef Barton Seaver with participation of several other local (and well-known) chefs.

Details:

Final_release_SlowFoodSeafoodGala_9.25.06.pdf Slow_Food_Sustainable_Seafood_Gala.pdf

ETA the link directly to registration for the event

[Ilaine]

At $250 a ticket, the message they're sending to me is that sustainable seafood is too expensive for ordinary mortals.

[Camille-Beau]

At $250 a ticket, the message they're sending to me is that sustainable seafood is too expensive for ordinary mortals.

Unfortunately dinner events that are benefits for a cause instead of just a regular dinner tend to cost more than average. Kinda like the $25 po' boys we all purchased at Acadiana to benefit the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, the $125 for Share Our Strength's Restaurant Relief Gala (also for the Katrina effort) and the $75/$200 Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation event to help eradicate childhood hunger. All very good causes I think and worth skipping a few other evenings out, perhaps, in order to pool the resources for these types of benefits.

[Ilaine]

Unfortunately dinner events that are benefits for a cause instead of just a regular dinner tend to cost more than average. Kinda like the $25 po' boys we all purchased at Acadiana to benefit the Hurricane Katrina relief effort, the $125 for Share Our Strength's Restaurant Relief Gala (also for the Katrina effort) and the $75/$200 Share Our Strength's Taste of the Nation event to help eradicate childhood hunger. All very good causes I think and worth skipping a few other evenings out, perhaps, in order to pool the resources for these types of benefits.

I belong to Slow Food -- take a look at other Slow Food events if you don't believe these prices are totally out of line. Link

Also, they aren't giving you any guidance as to what goes directly to the charity, and what's going to overhead. If the money is going to overhead, then it's not tax deductible.

Of course, if you work for a company in the industry, maybe your employer can deduct your ticket as a business expense.

Or, you could skip the fancy party and give directly to the charity.

[Camille-Beau]

I belong to Slow Food -- take a look at other Slow Food events if you don't believe these prices are totally out of line.

You mean like this one?:

Fertile Ground

October 5, 2006

6:30 pm

Industria Superstudio, 775 Washington St., NYC

Hosted by Marion Nestle, author of What to Eat and Food Politics, honoring Poppy Tooker, culinary activist,

with the First Annual Carlo Petrini Leadership Award

Reception and Dinner Menu created by

Galen Zamarra of Mas(farmhouse)

featuring foods from the Slow Food Ark of Taste as prepared by

The Catering Company.

Silent and Live Auction featuring artisan foods,

sought-after wines and exciting excursions!

Check back next week for a list of auction items available.

Tickets are $250 per person. Tables for ten available.

VIP tickets available for $500 per person, and include

a private reception hosted by Carlo Petrini at 6:00 pm,

premium seating with the evening's guests of honor, and acknowledgement in the Fertile Ground program.

It also seems like many of the other less-expensive events are listed as BBQs/pig roasts with cash bars. Since you belong to Slow Food, perhaps you can find out how much of the cost goes to charity for these events and post that information.

[Ilaine]

It also seems like many of the other less-expensive events are listed as BBQs/pig roasts with cash bars. Since you belong to Slow Food, perhaps you can find out how much of the cost goes to charity for these events and post that information.

You're right that the DC Slow Food events are horrendously expensive compared with most of the rest of the country. The link I posted had a lot of other events all over the country that, in my opinion, do more to promote the ideals of Slow Food for ordinary mortals who don't have expense accounts and don't work for lobby groups or corporations.

I just take the easy road and go to Charlottesville, where they do things that are more consistent with Slow Food's ideals.

Decided to see if I can get a response, sent this email.

Dear Ms. Gimes,

I am a member of Slow Food, considering whether or not to renew my membership.

I have some questions.

First, why are DC Slow Food events so expensive? I don't work for a lobby group, and am not on an expense account. These prices seem tailored to the super-rich and those who work for corporations.

Second, how much of the cost of these events goes to Slow Food, and how much to overhead? As you know, payments in return for goods and services are not tax-deductible.

Third, does Slow Food "comp" tickets to desireable attendees? If so, who have you comped tickets to in the past?

I look forward to your reply.

You might consider replying here:

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=3933

Sincerely,

Ilaine Upton

[Camille-Beau]

You're right that the DC Slow Food events are horrendously expensive compared with most of the rest of the country. The link I posted had a lot of other events all over the country that, in my opinion, do more to promote the ideals of Slow Food for ordinary mortals who don't have expense accounts and don't work for lobby groups or corporations.

Just to clarify my position, I wasn't stating that I thought the DC event was horrendously expensive. I was merely pointing out that different types of events carry different price tags, from a $45 BBQ in NJ, to a $75 all-tomato dinner in CA, to the $250 Sustainable Seafood event in DC, to the $500 VIP tickets to the NY event. To quote from the Slow Food USA website: Slow Food U.S.A. is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to supporting and celebrating the food traditions of North America. From the spice of Cajun cooking to the purity of the organic movement; from animal breeds and heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables to handcrafted wine and beer, farmhouse cheeses and other artisanal products; these foods are a part of our cultural identity. They reflect generations of commitment to the land and devotion to the processes that yield the greatest achievements in taste. These foods, and the communities that produce and depend on them, are constantly at risk of succumbing to the effects of the fast life, which manifests itself through the industrialization and standardization of our food supply and degradation of our farmland. By reviving the pleasures of the table, and using our tastebuds as our guides, Slow Food U.S.A. believes that our food heritage can be saved.

I'm very happy to support this event in DC next week and am appreciative of the time and effort donated by the participating chefs, even if only $1.00 of my ticket price goes toward this very important and beneficial group.

-Camille

[Waitman]

You're right that the DC Slow Food events are horrendously expensive compared with most of the rest of the country. The link I posted had a lot of other events all over the country that, in my opinion, do more to promote the ideals of Slow Food for ordinary mortals who don't have expense accounts and don't work for lobby groups or corporations.

I just take the easy road and go to Charlottesville, where they do things that are more consistent with Slow Food's ideals.

Decided to see if I can get a response, sent this email.

Dear Ms. Gimes,

I am a member of Slow Food, considering whether or not to renew my membership.

I have some questions.

First, why are DC Slow Food events so expensive? I don't work for a lobby group, and am not on an expense account. These prices seem tailored to the super-rich and those who work for corporations.

Second, how much of the cost of these events goes to Slow Food, and how much to overhead? As you know, payments in return for goods and services are not tax-deductible.

Third, does Slow Food "comp" tickets to desireable attendees? If so, who have you comped tickets to in the past?

I look forward to your reply.

You might consider replying here:

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=3933

Sincerely,

Ilaine Upton

These are good questions (if asked a little prosecutorily) to ask any charity about any event. As you know, we in DC do like to honor our own generosity with the occasional high-overhead, high glitz bash under the aegis of some charity or another.

On the other hand, to the extent I know them or know of them, the chefs involved all seem to be committed to the ideals Slow Food embraces. With any luck, your misgivings will be proved unwarrented.

I am curious to see the response.

[bTW, did you submit your question via the FAQ space on the ticket order website?]

[Ilaine]

I'm very happy to support this event in DC next week and am appreciative of the time and effort donated by the participating chefs, even if only $1.00 of my ticket price goes toward this very important and beneficial group.

-Camille

Different folks for different folks. Just remember, if only $1 goes to Slow Food, you can only deduct $1 as a charitable contribution for this event.

Or, you could just donate the entire $250 directly to Slow Food. Link

Your choice.

And, to your second question, I submitted my question directly to the person's email address.

[crackers]

This is a bit off topic because it's not specifically about this event. A quick review of this month's Washingtonian Magazine benefits calendar shows that $250 is by no means out of the ordinary for a Washington DC charitable event like this. Some people prefer to just write a check and skip the passed apps, but others who are fortunate enough to afford it, like to get out and have a bit of fun along with their donation to a worthy cause. And in this town, there are plenty of opportunities to do both. Waitman makes a good point though - it is always worth checking out the charity's track record. Here is a good place to start with that, although as far as I can tell, this particular charity is not listed.

[Camille-Beau]

Different folks for different folks. Just remember, if only $1 goes to Slow Food, you can only deduct $1 as a charitable contribution for this event.

That's ok since I'm not concerned about the tax deduction

Or, you could just donate the entire $250 directly to Slow Food. Link

Great idea -- I believe I'll do both. Beau and I are looking forward to the event itself in order to meet Sandhya Rao, the development officer in charge of coordinating it.

[Camille-Beau]

Philippe Cousteau to Speak at Slow Food Sustainable Seafood Gala

Slow Food America has invited AIWF members to join Ris Lacoste and five other great chefs at Agraria Restaurant for the Sustainable Seafood Gala which will benefit Slow Food's sustainable seafood initiatives. Jacques Costeau's grandson, Philippe, is carrying on a family tradition of educating the public that by making smart environmental choices as individuals, we can lead our friends and neighbors towards a brighter, more sustainable future. Philippe will be the featured speaker at this fabulous dinner. Agraria is located in Georgetown's Washington Harbour and is the first farmer-owned fine dining restaurant of its kind.

AIWF members are invited to attend at the Slow Food member rates of $175 ($75 off the individual ticket price) and $250/couple ($100 off the couple ticket price).

Link to http://www.slowfoodusa.org/events/seafood_gala.html for more information and ticket purchases. Look below for the menu.

Monday, September 25, 2006

6:30pm at Agraria Restaurant

Washington Harbour / Lower Georgetown

3000 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20007

A delicious five-course dinner will be prepared by six highly-acclaimed local chefs, led by Chef Barton Seaver at Café Saint-Ex, an advocate of sustainable food systems who actively promotes the use of eco-friendly ingredients within the culinary industry.

The delicious menu and participating chefs include:

Certified Organic Marine Shrimp from Florida

prepared by Chef Barton Seaver, Café Saint-Ex

Cured Marbled Salmon from Alaska with Heirloom Tomatoes drizzled with Armando Manni Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Japanese Sea Salt

prepared by Chef Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve

Baked Cape May Salt Oysters with Moscato Zabaglione, Leek Fondue, Preserved Lemon and American Caviar

prepared by Chef Todd Gray, Equinox Restaurant

Seafood Stew with Mussels, Alaskan Spot Prawns and Massachusetts Barramundi in Pernod-Citrus Broth with Homemade Orange Aioli

Prepared by Chef Ris Lacoste, previously with 1789

Pan-Seared Wild Striped Bass with Gruyere Cheese Potato Cake in Aged Sherry-Shallot Butter Sauce

Prepared by Chef Robert Wiedmaier of Marcel's

Assorted Cheeses provided by Cowgirl Creamery

Concord Grapes with Prosecco Panna Cotta and Peanut Butter Biscotti prepared by Chef Robert Underwood, Agraria Restaurant

Proceeds from this event will support Slow Food's sustainable seafood initiatives in the United States. Slow Food USA is a 501 ©3 nonprofit organization.

[Camille-Beau]

This event was worth every penny. Thanks to all the participating chefs -- your dishes were excellent!