MIAMI, FL – Miami-based Produce distributor Mr. Greens Produce recently played an integral role in helping raise more than $315,000 for the Diabetes Research Institute as the presenting sponsor of the Out of the Kitchen fundraiser at St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort, April 8, 2018. The sold-out event featured 20 of the most popular South Florida chefs and restaurants – including several of Mr Greens Produce clients. The produce company also offered to provide free produce to all participating chefs – client or not – to use for the event.
Bravo TV “Top Chef” Fan Favorite and celeb Chef Sam Talbot and INDULGE Magazine Editor-in-Chief Evan Benn hosted the event – which featured Culinary Chairs Chefs Bradley Kilgore of Alter, Dave Hackett of The Biltmore Hotel and Norman Van Aken of Three and In the Kitchen with Norman Van Aken, along with the following culinary maestros:
- Kal Abdalla, A Fish Called Avalon
- Sean Brasel, Meat Market
- Adrianne Calvo, Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar
- Raul A. Del Pozo, Lightkeepers at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne
- Patrick Duffy, The Addison
- Adrienne Grenier, 3030 Ocean
- Michael Jacobs & Laurent Isaure, SHG Miami
- Alex Kuk & Diego Ng, Temple Street Eatery
- Scott Linquist, COYO Taco
- Manuel Mattei, Dustin Atoique and Daniele Capobianco, Donna Mare
- Anthony Micari, Makoto
- Brian Nasajon, Beaker & Gray
- Alex Olivier, Area 31
- Raheem Sealey, KYU
- Franck Steigerwald and Tasos Chasekioglou, Atlantikos at the St. Regis Bal Harbour
- Dustin Ward, Serafina
- Jeffrey Williams, The Social Club
Each chef simultaneously prepared a gourmet multi-course dinner for their 12 adventurous diners inside the main ballroom of the Forbes five-star St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort. Along with a dinner, guests also enjoyed a cocktail reception with pop-up restaurants featuring BH Burger, Biella Ristorante and Market at Edition, a wine bar with an assortment of wines provided by Total Wine & More, and a raffle including a grand prize of a 2-night stay with a day villa, Spa treatments and dinner at the St. Regis Bal Harbour. After enjoying delicious desserts provided by Fireman Derek’s World Famous Pies. Each guest also went home with a complimentary signed copy of Van Aken’s new cookbook Florida Kitchen.
Special thanks are extended to the following event top sponsors who made this event possible:
- Amy & Scott Greenwald
- Greenberg Traurig
- Sabrina Gallo
- Stacy Joy Goodman Memorial Foundation
- Stearns Weaver Miller
- Gerson, Preston, Klein, Lips, Eisenber, Gelber
- The Klein Family
- Kevin and Sharon Venger
- Gables Insurance Agency
- Marla and Michael Melamud
- Beno & Rosa Schechter and Bernard & Liliane Eckstein
- David & Sheila Quint
- Marquis Bank
- Wild Oceans
The mission of the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation is to provide the Diabetes Research Institute with the funding necessary to cure diabetes now. The Diabetes Research Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine leads the world in cure-focused research. As the largest and most comprehensive research center dedicated to curing diabetes, the DRI is aggressively working to develop a biological cure by restoring natural insulin production and normalizing blood sugar levels without imposing other risks. Researchers have already shown that transplanted islet cells allow patients to live without the need for insulin therapy. Some study participants have maintained insulin independence for more than 10 years. The DRI is now building upon these promising outcomes by developing a DRI BioHub, a bioengineered “mini organ” that mimics the native pancreas. While various BioHub platforms are being tested in preclinical and clinical studies, the DRI is also developing strategies to eliminate the need for anti-rejection drugs and reset the immune system to block autoimmunity. #OOTKMiami
Source: Diabetes Research Institute Foundation
