The annual dinner will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6.
Plant City residents can enjoy a mouthwatering meal and meet famous chefs next month — all for a good cause.
On Saturday, Feb. 6, food journalists and brothers Matt and Ted Lee will head to the John R. Trinkle Center on the Hillsborough Community College campus for the Celebrity Chef Dinner. All proceeds from the dinner, which is catered by South Florida Baptist Hospital’s 911 Catering, will benefit the United Food Bank of Plant City. Last year, the event raised $50,000, which the organization hopes to top in 2016. The event is its largest fundraiser of the year.
“I think it’s such a cool event that we get different celebrities in the food world to come and showcase their talent,” United Food Bank spokesperson Leigh Scott said.
The Lee brothers are Charleston, South Carolina natives and the founders of The Lee Bros. Boiled Peanut Catalogue. They have written for The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living and Southern Living, among others. They also appeared as commentators on “Unique Eats,” a popular show on The Cooking Channel, and currently host “Southern Uncovered with the Lee Bros.”
Brian West, who serves as a committee member for the United Food Bank of Plant City, suggested the brothers after watching their show and learning that they have led a demonstration class for Publix’s Apron’s Cooking School.
Once offered the opportunity, the brothers jumped on board.
“We’re excited,” Ted Lee said. “We love taking our show on the road. We love having the opportunity to bring the flavors of Charleston to Plant City.”
The United Food Bank has decided not do an appetizer throw down this year, instead focusing on the chefs’ tantalizing creations. At the Feb. 6 dinner, the brothers will do a cooking demonstration following the dinner. It will feature recipes from their latest cookbook, “Charleston Kitchen Cookbook.” Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase signed copies of the book.
“People think of Florida as the south,” Ted Lee said. “We’ve designed the event to specifically highlight Charleston ingredients.”
Southern food aficionados will go wild over the menu: everything from dibb lettuce and charred okra to sweet potatoes with sorghum marshmallows. Also on the menu is smothered bone-in pork loin with gravy and Brussel sprouts with benne and bacon.
“It’s really some of our most fun and vibrant recipes,” Ted Lee said. “We’re just really looking forward to it.”
Tickets for the event are $100 per person. The deadline to register for the Eighth Annual Celebrity Chef dinner is Monday, Feb. 1.
Contact Emily Topper at etopper@plantcityobserver.com.
Fighting Hunger
The United Food Bank serves 600,000 pounds of food to 30,000 people in one year, including students who miss out on meals during fall, winter and summer breaks from school.
“We only service 11 zip codes,” spokesperson Leigh Scott said. “Our community is who we are serving.”
The food bank also serves food baskets during the holidays and sponsors a monthly Feeding America event.
Additionally, the food bank provides grief counseling and free haircuts on a need basis. The organization would like to offer more services, such as a “Mommy and Me” program, if funding continues to grow.
“If funding continues, we can implement new programs,” Scott said. “We’re getting there, we’re close.”
Scott said that the food bank is grateful to the Plant City community for the continued support. Major sponsors this year include Star Distribution, Gordon Food Service and Unity in the Community.
“Those companies are very giving to us … in food donations, monetary donations and volunteering,” Scott said.
IF YOU GO
Eighth Annual Celebrity Chef dinner featuring Matt and Ted Lee
RSVP Deadline: Monday, Feb. 1.
Tickets: $100 per person; sponsorships and VIP packages available, including a meet & greet with the Lee Brothers.
When: Saturday, Feb. 6; dinner at 7:30 p.m.; cooking demonstration at 8:15 p.m.
Where: John R. Trinkle Center on the HCC campus, 1206 N. Park Road, Plant City.
MENU
Seared Salmon
Smothered Bone-in Pork Loin with Gravy
Brussel Sprouts with Benne & Bacon
Sweet Potato with Sorghum Marshmallows
Pineapple Cornbread Pudding
Cheesecake with Strawberry Drizzle
