The Urbane Jungle : Explorers Get a Taste for the Wild at Cancer League Benefit
About 450 guests went wild for fine food and wine at the jungle-themed “Taste For Life” benefit staged Sunday by the South Coast Cancer League.
For the party-goers, the black-tie “Safari Stalks” was a chance to hunt down gourmet specialties prepared by more than 20 Orange County restaurants and sample wine from domestic and international wineries, all gathered under one large tent at the Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Center in Costa Mesa. The $125-per-person gastronomical gala was expected to raise more than $100,000 for the American Cancer Society-Orange County Unit.
Tropical Delights
“Taste For Life” has become a proven crowd-pleaser because guests can wander among the food stations at will, eating to excess the creations of some of the county’s best chefs.
“This is so different from the usual rubber chicken,” said Jeanne Price, league president. “The restaurants really put their best foot forward. These guests are potential customers, so they want their cuisine to stand out.”
The chefs try to outdo each other both with their culinary skills and food station decor.
Alan Greeley, owner of the Golden Truffle, created an elaborate jungle scene at his food station complete with a massive papier-mache parrot and 12-foot tiger that looked like something out of Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise. He served “snow cones” filled with Caribbean-style coleslaw and spicy jerk chicken.
“It’s important to do this right,” Greeley said. “There are a lot of good people here, and this is for a good cause.”
Bangkok Four erected a gazebo decorated with tropical greenery and flowers. Among the Thai specialties served by chef Nina Taweepong was crying tiger--rare tenderloin with Thai chili sauce “hot enough to make a tiger cry.”
Other offerings included: Parmesan risotto, marinated shrimp and chocolate espresso cake from Prego Ristorante; chicken apple sausage and shrimp brochettes from Robert Mondavi; smoked salmon stuffed with goat cheese and marinated egg plant from Tutto-Mare, and assorted candies, cakes and cookies from the Cake Box.
Bungle in the Jungle
When they weren’t grazing, guests danced to the music of the Four Freshmen. A few party-goers were dressed according to the safari theme. Mary Dell Barkouras, next year’s event chairwoman, wore a zebra-striped sequined tunic. Mona Lee Nesseth, event chairwoman, turned up in a strapless gown of leopard-printed chiffon.
“I thought it was perfect for the jungle theme,” Nesseth said.
A live auction added to the fund-raiser’s success, with guests bidding on such eclectic items as a safari to Kenya, cooking classes with Greeley and a gem mining tour in San Diego.
Proceeds go to cancer research, prevention and support programs for patients.
“Most of the people here have been somehow touched by cancer. That’s really why they come,” said Valaree Wahler, last year’s chairwoman.
Among the faces in the crowd were Michael and Isabel Mondavi, George and Judie Argyros, Joseph Basso, Donna Blue, Jim and Kay Burra, Sharon Crommett, Ben and Carmela Du, Jim and Patty Edwards, Henry and Sharon Huta, Robert and Gail Johnson, Richard Moriarty, Gail Robson, Gloria Ruston, Matt and Tina Schafnitz, Ted and Mary Jean Simpkins, Joseph Sperrazza, Thomas Ways and Steven and Karen Winnett.