Hi Michelle,

We partnered with Schoolcraft College, which houses our state's leading culinary arts program, to create the Michigan Foodways Chef Challenge on April 21, 2007. It's a fundraiser that challenges three Schoolcraft alums and one current student to create the ultimate Michigan dish (using identical chef pantries).

Celebrity judges (food writer, chefs, etc.) will taste and rate the dishes; the event will be hosted by a celebrity emcee (to be determined). Attendees will watch the event live on projection screens situation throughout the dining room; during the proceedings, they will be treated to a strolling dinner. Live judging (Iron-Chef style) commences after dinner. Tickets are $100 and include a high-quality, strolling dinner, beer and wine, dessert, coffee, and admission to the event. Expenses are $40-50 a person, but this doesn't take into account the publicity the event will attract.

Schoolcraft is giving us the facilities (amazing, with crazy audio and video capabilities) rent free; they are recruiting the chefs and establishing event parameters; we are paying for the catering and recruiting the judges and emcee. We're splitting the net profits 70/30 (MHC = 70).

The partnership -- and that there is something in it for Schoolcraft -- is key. We'd never be able to recruit chefs or design the competition on our own (unless we chose an informal event). Plus, Schoolcraft will target some of their food-related donors. We hope to sell at least 200 tickets.

Incidentally, we talked about more informal events -- non-professional chefs, tent venue, maybe just grilling, etc. -- but once we started working with Schoolcraft, using their facilities seemed the way to go.

Hope this helps!

Greg

PS -- We also have a Michigan Foodways Dinner at one of the state's leading restaurants (which happens to be in a Key Ingredients town). They are giving us a four-course, Michigan-themed dinner (with four wine pairings) at cost; we're selling tickets at $100 each; all proceeds benefit the Michigan Foodways companion exhibit to Key Ingredients. We hope to sell 140 tickets for this event.

***********

Dear friends,

Has anyone ever hosted an iron chef competition for Key Ingredients?  If you have, can you please tell me how your Council got it started and off the ground?  Any information is greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance.  Hope all is well.

Best regards,

K. Michelle Quisenberry
New Mexico Humanities Council
Program Officer
(505) 277-4151
[log in to unmask]


_________________________________________________________________
Need personalized email and website? Look no further. It's easy
with Doteasy $0 Web Hosting! Learn more at www.doteasy.com