SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Thirty-eight award-winning chefs, including Graton Resort & Casino’s vice president of Food & Beverage, William Becker, participated in The Guy Fieri Foundation’s Chefs for Maui Fundraiser.
More than $1.5 million was raised at the intimate event held Oct. 21 at a private vineyard in Sonoma County Wine Country, where 150 guests were treated to a 15-course dining experience, live music and a chef meet-and-greet.
The money raised went toward disaster operations and relief supplies for Maui’s wildfire-ravaged communities.
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“The fires in August devastated the island and the communities in it,” Becker said. “Maui is still recovering and will be for a while.”
The Graton Resort & Casino was the title sponsor of the event.
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“The entire Graton Resort & Casino food and beverage team [was] honored to participate in the Guy Fieri Foundation’s Chefs for Maui event and support relief efforts,” Becker said.
In addition to Becker, participating celebrity chefs included Michael Mina, Hunter Fieri, Jonathon Sawyer, Ming Tsai, Tiffani Faison, Amanda Freitag, Britt Rescigno, Brooke Williamson, Sonoma County native Dustin Valette and many more.
All net proceeds from Chefs for Maui went to support the Foodservice Workers of Maui and The Salvation Army Hawaiian & Pacific Islands Division.
The Guy Fieri Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit charity based in Petaluma, uses food, cooking and education to support, uplift and encourage its communities. The foundation envisions a world where local communities are supported and local heroes are celebrated.
For those who could not attend the event but still wish to contribute to the cause, The Guy Fieri Foundation is accepting donations here.
Chefs Afterparty
Following the benefit event, Chef Dustin Valette of The Matheson in Healdsburg hosted a Chef’s Afterparty featuring a rooftop DJ, live music on the mezzanine, and a selection of Maui-inspired culinary creations.
Here are some of the notable happenings from the afterparty:
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