The Southeastern Foundation invites all university friends and alumni to its 28th Annual Chefs Evening fundraiser. Several restaurants and bakeries will be participating including Buddies Bar and Grill, Yum Yum Bakery, Jacmel Inn, Eddies Frozen Custard, Chookies Seafood and Oysters and University Donuts. It will be held on Sunday, April 1 in the Pennington Student Activity Center (PSAC). There will be a large variety of food offered from king cake and donuts to grilled seafood and hand-made ravioli.
The event will be business casual. Ticket prices vary from $75- $1,000 and can be purchased online through March 27. There are only 250 tickets available for the President’s Toast; however Chef’s evening tickets will be available at the door.
Chef Phil O’Donnell, Southeastern alumni and Chef of Phil’s Market, will serve paired wine and appetizers at the pre-event, the President’s Toast, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Following the pre-event toast, guests will proceed to the PSAC for Chefs Evening where 40 restaurants and vendors will be set up to serve food and beverages from 5 to 8 p.m.
“People sit around talk, eat, dance and have a good time,” said Jacki Bellairs, Southeastern Foundation annual giving coordinator.
The patron table is the most exclusive ticket available for $1,000 and includes 6 tickets to the Presidents Toast, 6 tickets and a reserved table to Chefs Evening, 6 wine glasses, 2 bottles of wine, inclusion in program, VIP entrance prior to the event, valet parking, personal wait staff and entrance to the wine tasting area.
Individual tickets to Chefs Evening only start at $75 and include a single ticket. However, there are individual tickets offered that include access to the President’s Toast, Chefs Evening and participation in the wine-tasting events for an additional fee.
The proceeds from the fundraiser are divided and donated to the five colleges of Southeastern. The money raised will then be used by these colleges to benefit the university and its students. In the past, it has been used for financial assistance, technology, faculty, staff and student recruitment.
Last year the fundraiser raised over $75,000, the highest amount raised since its start 28 years ago. This year’s event is expected to raise even more due to the addition of numerous activities including a live auction, patron tables and community volunteer committees. Unlike previous years, discounted tickets are offered to members of the Southeastern faculty and staff.
The foundation includes a volunteer staff who went out in the community to sell tickets and promote the event.
“Students are an important part of the event,” added Bellairs. “It would not be successful without their help. We are very fortunate to have them as volunteers.”
For more information and to purchase tickets visit the website at www.selu.edu/alumni. The foundation welcomes questions via email at chefsevening@selu.edu. Southeastern Foundation representatives are also available Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at 985-549-3770 or 866-474-4438.