The San Antonio Chapter of the Les Dames D'Escoffier is hosting its annual Plate Changer fundraising event on September 12 from 12pm to 2pm at the Briscoe Western Art Museum featuring culinary creations from celebrity chef, Claudette Zepeda.
Claudette Zepeda, an award-winning, San Diego-based celebrity chef and culinary entrepreneur known for her fearless style and bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine, will be the featured chef for this exciting event. The James Beard nominated chef with more than 20 years of experience working in restaurant kitchens and extensive travels around the world and throughout Mexico, Zepeda is sure to deliver an unforgettable culinary adventure for attendees. A fierce competitor in the culinary competition world, attendees will recognize her from appearances on Netflix’s editions of Iron Chef and Iron Chef: México, Top Chef and Top Chef: Mexico, and Food Network's Bobby's Triple Threat.
Local celebrity, Tanji Patton, will be the master of ceremonies for the event. Known for her show, Good Taste with Tanji, in which she highlights restaurants & chefs from all over the state, Tanji has committed the last 17 years to showcases the best of Texas cuisine. Learn more about Tanji here.
The menu will feature fascinating flavors of Mexico including a barbacoa short rib entree. In addition to 3 courses by Chef Zepeda, guests will be treated to a welcome cocktail as well as wine pairings during the event. VIP guests will meet Chef Zepeda and taste one of her signature crudos during a meet & greet with photo op held after the luncheon. And of course, it wouldn't be a Les Dames event without a raffle filled with culinary delights.
Funds raised during this event will enable LDEISA to make a difference in the lives of young women studying culinary-related fields. Through scholarships, LDEISA aims to empower women to strive for further education in the fields of food, beverage, nutrition, and hospitality. In addition to funding scholarships, the proceeds from the Plate Changer event will also contribute to the nonprofit's efforts at expanding local community gardens, such as C.I.E.L.O. Gardens, which provides the refugee population of San Antonio with the opportunity to grow their own food. Funds will also be used for a holiday celebration for the children at Roy Maas Youth Alternatives. Through the funds raised at the Plate Changer event, LDEISA will be able to continue this tradition and create magical memories for children in need.
These causes are all near and dear to Chef Zepeda, as in 2019 Zepeda Founded Viva La Vida, LLC. which helps Mexican women support their families establishing micro businesses with single mothers throughout Mexico’s seven regions to import their heirloom ingredients previously unavailable in the U.S. She then expanded into a 501c3 to establish a fund dedicated to helping Hispanic women break from generational poverty in the United States.
The Plate Changer event will take place at the Briscoe Western Art Museum located at 210 West Market Street San Antonio, TX 78205 on Thursday, September 12th from 12pm to 2pm. Tickets for the fundraiser are available for purchase via Eventbrite. More information about the event can be found at the LDEISA website here.
MORE INFORMATION:
Les Dames D’Escoffier International is a nonprofit organization made up of women in the culinary and hospitality industry. The San Antonio Chapter, founded in 1995, provides support for several community projects throughout the city. To learn more about their continued efforts, visit their website at www.ldeisanantonio.org.
Les Dames D’Escoffier International is a nonprofit organization made up of women in the culinary and hospitality industry. The San Antonio Chapter, founded in 1995, provides support for several community projects throughout the city. To learn more about their continued efforts, visit their website at www.ldeisanantonio.org.
Claudette Zepeda is an award-winning, San Diego-based chef and culinary entrepreneur known for her fearless style and bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine. A celebrated culinary anthropologist, Zepeda draws upon 20+ years of experience working in restaurant kitchens, as well as her extensive travels around the world and throughout Mexico that inform her vast knowledge of indigenous ingredients and cross-cultural expressions of cuisine. Zepeda's multi-faceted expertise is showcased in her role as Founder/ Creative Director of Chispa Hospitality, overseeing the creative vision of projects in Nashville, Australia, and México. Previously, Zepeda garnered more national acclaim for her time as the executive chef & partner behind (the now closed) San Diego-based El Jardín, a regional Mexican restaurant concept. El Jardín received a glowing review from the New York Times, inclusion on Esquire’s 2018 & 2021 Best New Restaurants list, and recognition from Michelin on their 2019 Bib Gourmand list. Zepeda was named both Eater San Diego and San Diego Union Tribune’s Chef of the Year in 2018 and was a James Beard Best Chef West semifinalist in 2019.
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