Dinner raises $15,000 for culinary pursuits

About $15,000 was raised for culinary programs and student scholarships at the recent Friends of James Beard Dinner held at AnQi by Crustacean in South Coast Plaza, a news release said.

Guest chef Daniel Rose collaborated with master chef Helene An and chef de Cuisine Ron Lee to create a six-course meal for 170 attendees for the event in May.

The James Beard Foundation asks the restaurant hosting the dinner to donate $7,500. Elizabeth An, chief executive of House of An, which owns and operates AnQi, made a personal matching donation of $7,500, according to the news release.

Half of the money raised will benefit educational programs associated with the James Brown Foundation. The other half will go toward an AnQi scholarship that will be awarded at the Art Institute of California Orange County-Culinary School next year, the news release stated.

“Elizabeth An’s generosity in doubling the evening’s proceeds from the James Beard Foundation’s dinner at AnQi was unexpected and greatly appreciated,” said Diane Harris Brown, director of educational and community programming for the James Beard Foundation, in a statement. “The funds will support deserving culinarians of the future.”

The James Beard Foundation offers several educational programs and scholarships to culinary schools. For more information, visit https://www.jamesbeard.org.

— Chasen Doerr

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