Joining forces to help the hungry

GROWERS from the Santa Monica farmers market and some of the chefs who patronize them will be among those donating their services to a special fund-raising dinner for the hunger relief group Share Our Strength on May 28.

The event, part of a series of Taste of the Nation dinners taking place across the country, will feature such market regulars as T. Nicholas Peter from the Little Door, Joe Miller from Joe’s, Mario Perez from Zax, Suzanne Tracht from Jar and Scooter Kanfer from the House.

As in the past, much of the produce will be supplied by farmers market growers. “On top of what they had already donated, last year on the afternoon of the event, a big truck pulled up at the kitchen filled with even more food,” says Kanfer. “These farmers are all small businessmen too, and for them to be so generous was absolutely amazing.”

The five-course dinner will be held at Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel; tickets cost $200. All of the proceeds will go to hunger relief organizations in Los Angeles, including Chrysalis, the L.A. Regional Food Bank, St. Joseph Center, L.A. Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness and California Food Policy Advocates.

For more information, call (310) 335-0212 or see www.lataste.org online.

-- Russ Parsons