40TH ANNIVERSARY CHEFS’ GALA

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Kongsgaard Wine, Premier Sponsor

This is the only event of the summer where guests can hear the very best Festival musicians in a private recital, taste the wine of one of the most renowned wineries, and enjoy the culinary masterpieces of the finest chefs of northern New Mexico: the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival’s 6th Annual Chefs’ Gala.

The Festival’s 40^th Anniversary Chefs’ Gala benefit, on Tuesday, July 17, will begin with a performance by Van Cliburn Gold Medalist Haochen Zhang, piano, at First Presbyterian Church.  Following the recital, guests will adjourn to the lovely Santa Fe Convention Center for a cocktails and hors d’oeuvres reception in the courtyard. This Gala, which was sold out months in advance last year, will culminate with a private, four-course dinner catered by the most acclaimed chefs in New Mexico. For one table of 10-11 guests, each chef will design their own theme and menu to create an unforgettable experience. Chef assignments are made by a double blind drawing and only revealed when the guests arrive, adding to the excitement of the evening!

6 pm:  Performance in the intimate Sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church
7 pm:  Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in the Convention Center’s lovely Courtyard
8 pm:  Dinner in the Center’s elegant Sweeney Ballroom

This summer’s Chefs’ Gala promises to be more unforgettable than ever thanks to the Kongsgaard Wine premier sponsorship. Through the generosity of Maggy and John Kongsgaard, the chefs’ four-course culinary creations will be paired with wine from the renowned Napa Valley winery, including the first tasting in the world of their 2010 Napa Chardonnay; the magnificent “The Judge” Chardonnay 2008 (declared “exquisite” and rated 97 by leading US wine critic Robert Parker of The Wine Advocate); and the Syrah 2007 Napa Valley (reviewed by Parker as “…a huge, massive force…full bodied…a stunning finish.”).

The Gala evening will also feature a fabulous auction and prize drawing:  for wine lovers, is the first-ever auction of Kongsgaard Wine’s limited edition 2007 Syrah and the 2007 The Judge Chardonnay (a magnum case of each). Click here for detailed dinner and auction wine information.

The prize drawing includes:

• 2013 smart fortwo passion coupe from Garcia Automotive Group
• A week-long retreat for two at Rancho La Puerta Resort and Spa
• Intimate dinner or Sunday lunch for up to 7 people, hosted by celebrated chef Deborah Madison in her Galisteo home
• Brushed-steel sculpture entitled “Open Heart ” by Santa Fe artist Leshek Zavistovski
• Mobius Square pendant cast in solid 14K gold by acclaimed designer Hillary Randolph of Somers Jewelry

The Chefs’ Gala is the largest annual fundraising event for the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival.  All proceeds from the Gala evening support the Festival’s annual season featuring many of today’s top musicians, plus its year-round musical education and outreach programs for children and adults in the greater Santa Fe community.

Tickets for the evening are $600 per person (with $250 being tax-deductible). To purchase tickets for the the Chefs’ Gala evening or for more information on the wine auction and prize drawing, please call Sarah Weiler at 505.983.2075, ext. 111, or click here to email.

40th Anniversary Gala

PARTICIPATING CHEFS

The 2012 Chefs’ Gala evening would not be possible without the dedication and generous contributions from these participating chefs:

Chef Christophe Decarpentries	Chef Eric DiStefano
Chef Eric DiStefano	Lesley B. Fay
Chef Patrick Gharrity	Chef Jennifer James
Chef Alain Jorand	Chef Marja Martin
Chef Mel Mecinas	Chef Kim Müller
Chef Andrew Nichols	Chef Catherine O’Brien
Chef Fernando Olea	Chef Jonathan Perno
Chef Brett Sparman	Chef Anthony Smith
Chef Joseph Wrede