Chefs for Equality bakes cakes to raise awareness
After last year’s triumphant win to pass same-sex marriage in the state of Maryland, those who rallied together for change are reuniting to celebrate and generate awareness for the remaining 36 states without marriage equality at the Human Right Campaign’s second annual Chefs for Equality event. More than 100 chefs, pastry chefs, and mixologists from the DC area are joining forces for an evening of food, drinks, music and an incredible auction at the Ritz-Carlton, Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, October 30, 2013 beginning at 6:30PM. The underlying theme for the evening is to don fashionable footwear that is creatively wicked and kinky.
The pièce de résistance is not just a piece of cake, but 10 masterfully decorated, multi-tiered wedding cakes that will add extravagant panache for guests to feast their eyes upon when entering the soirée. These grand displays of traditional wedding cakes will seduce dessert-lovers with seasonal punches of flavors and textures ranging from spiced Pumpkin and juicy Pear, to decadent Hazelnut Brittle and sumptuous Salted Caramel Buttercream.
The sweetest participants include Charm City Cakes, Laurie Weber of The Swiss Bakery, Peter Brett of Stratford University School of Baking and Pastry Arts, Georgetown Cupcake, Hello Cupcake, Tiffany MacIsaac of Bijoux Fine Cakes, Arnaud Chavigny of the Ritz-Carlton, Padua Player of Susan Gage Catering, Caitlin Dysart of 2941 Restaurant, and Lara Stuckey of Fluffy Thoughts Cakes.
DC chef turned prominent food columnist and cookbook author David Hagedorn has once again teamed up with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) to host the second annual fundraising event. With marriage legal in the District of Columbia and the Supreme Court’s recent move to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act, Hagedorn was able to marry his longtime partner, Michael Widomski, last month in an intimate ceremony officiated by Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg – a monumental step that he firmly believes should be a right granted to every couple. [Feature on their wedding in The New York Times.]
After years of fighting for change, Hagedorn, along with the Human Rights Campaign, hope the results in the remaining 36 states will end on a sweet note for all. From fall leaves to colorful fondant-covered confections, these cakes are just one tasty way of signifying the joy and bliss of a legally recognized union.
“I’m thrilled to bring together leaders of the culinary community for a very special night not only to celebrate how far we have come, but also raise awareness and funds to finish the job,” says Hagedorn. “With an evening of festivities that support such a worthy cause, these sweet wedding-themed displays will truly be… the icing on the cake!”
Tickets for Chefs for Equality are available for purchase on chefsforequality.org. Tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign’s efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
