Toscana, Kathie and Mike Gordon named honorary chairpersons of Culinary Evening with California Winemasters
By Dolores Quintana
The 33rd Annual Culinary Evening With the California Winemasters’ gala of food and wine has selected Kathie and Mike Gordon, the co-founders of Toscana Restaurant Group, as honorary chairpersons of the gala as reported by Patch.com. Their management released a statement that said, “Being named the honorary chairpersons for the 33rd Annual California Winemasters event was a humbling surprise, an unexpected, much-appreciated recognition for more than 30 years of dedication to the restaurant industry.”
The Gordon’s restaurants include Toscana in Brentwood, Nerano and BG in Beverly Hills, and other restaurants in Los Olivos and Santa Ynez. As honorary chairpersons, they will be celebrated at the Culinary Evening With California Winemasters for their 30 years of service in the industry. The evening is a fundraiser for The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the May 14 event is sold out. Donations can still be made to The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Southern California Los Angeles here.
The event takes place every year on the Warner Brother’s studio lot and the backlot is filled with booths with wineries and chefs. There are one-of-a-kind auctions and live music at the event and, of course, wine tastings.
Because the Gordons are the honorary chairpersons of the event, Toscana Restaurant Group restaurants will be represented by Toscana chefs. Among them Michele Lisi, executive chef Nerano & BG Lounge; Luca Crestanelli, executive chef S.Y. Kitchen and Nella Kitchen & Bar; Justino Quirino, executive chef Bar Toscana; Miquel Martinez, executive chef Toscana Brentwood.
The Winemasters’ gala’s goal of raising money for Cystic Fibrosis resonated with the Gordons on a personal level. One of Mike Gordon’s childhood friends has a granddaughter who has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
“Because of the research, and thanks to the level of care she received, she is now living an independent, productive life as a student at UCLA.” said the Gordon’s per a statement from their management as quoted by Patch.com.
The Winemasters’ event has raised over $34 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation over the years. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is a nonprofit organization that works to cure cystic fibrosis and funds research and drug development that will help finally overcome the disease.
