“We’re very excited that these chefs have agreed to participate in our Gala,” says committee chair Leah Schroeder. Our neighborhood’s own celebrity chefs are the September 7 Gala star attractions, but there is more, so much more -- auctions, salons, live music and dancing.
Early in the Foggy Bottom West End Village (FBWEV) second annual Gala planning process, chefs from Rasika, Ris and the newly re-opened Watergate Hotel’s Kingbird are among the first to sign on to do presentations and host tasting tables.
It takes a village is no joke when it comes to planning the FBWEV’s second annual Gala. In addition to the neighborhood’s own celebrity chefs, the eight-member steering commit is crafting a rich program that includes live music and dancing as well as an open bar with white and sparkling wine for the September fund-raising celebration. The Gala will be held in the newly-remodeled Constitution Hall lobby.
Steering committee members are Lynette Asselin, salons; John Seichter and Mary Bernstein, donors and sponsors; C.B. Wooldridge, decorations; Lorna Grenadier, logistics; Leah Schroeder and Peter Sacco, co-chairs; Monroe Wright, auctions; Sally Willis, check-in, and Jane Scholz, publicity and ticket sales.
The committee is working with the multi-talented Will Layman for music. Layman, a working musician and music journalist, is also the executive director planning the 100th anniversary celebration for the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.
Bidders at the Gala’s silent auction will win meals, services and travel. Gala attendees can buy tickets for one or more of the planned eight to 10 salons; the salons were a very popular event series last year. Salons, hosted by individual village members in their homes, pair a small audience with a well-known speaker, perhaps an author or well-known expert or celebrity.
Committee members continue to book chefs, search out village salon hosts and programs as well as look for volunteers to help both before and after the Gala, Schroeder says.
The Gala is the village’s major fundraising event. Individual tickets to the Gala are $95. Salon tickets are $75 each.