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Annual Charity Event Attracted
Renowned Culinary Experts Eric Ripert,
Marc Murphy, Michael White, Tom Colicchio,
Gail Simmons, and More
New York, NY – April 14, 2011 –
Cynthia Nixon,
Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award-winning actress, hosted
City Harvest’s 17th annual An Evening of
Practical Magic on Wednesday, April 13th at
Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The event,
which honored Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and
Founder of Horizon Media, raised
$1.5 million and attracted approximately 700 guests – an
increase of $200,000 and 150 guests as compared to last
year’s affair.
Notable event attendees included: Kelly
Rutherford, Miss USA Rima Fakih, and Shoshanna
Gruss as well as renowned culinary experts: Eric
Ripert, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons,
Michael White, Marc Murphy, Top Chef Masters
judge Ruth Reich, Le Bernadin’s Maguy Le Coze,
Porter House chef Michael Lomonaco, Tracy
Nieporent of Myriad Group, Oceana chef Ben Pollinger,
restaurateur Ariane Daguin, chef François Payard
of François Chocolate Bar, cake designer Ron
Ben-Israel, Donatella Arpaia, Stanton Social’s
chef Chris Santos and Cake Boss’ Buddy
Valastro. Also in attendance were prominent members of
New York society, including: Heather Mnuchin, Nina
Rennert Davidson, Inge Rennert, Lise & Michael
Evans, Henry & Marie-Josée Kravis, Nigel Parry,
Stephanie Wolkoff, David Windreich &
Chris Hikawa, and Caryn & Jeff Zucker, among
others.
Highlights from the auction include:
NEAPOLITAN NEW YORK:
Impossible-to-get Thursday night reservations at Rao’s
for eight guests, as well as a pizza-making demonstration
and dinner from renowned chef Donatella Arpaia at her
hot new restaurant, Donatella.
Winning bid: $45,000
SURF & TURF:
Surf lessons for two in the Hamptons with Landmarc chef and
Chopped judge Marc Murphy, plus dinner for 10
prepared by Marc and his company, Benchmarc Events, at the
winner’s Hamptons home. Winning
bid: $20,000
TASTE OF ITALY:
Chef Michael White will recreate his lauded
restaurants Marea and Al Fiori in two winners’ homes,
preparing dinner for 20 guests each. Winning bid:
$70,000
FRENCH FEAST:
Chef Eric
Ripert of New York
seafood mecca
Le Bernardin will prepare a custom-designed tasting menu for
12 guests in the winner’s home.
Winning bid: $80,000
An Evening of Practical Magic
paid tribute to the efforts of individuals and organizations
that have gone above and beyond in their dedication to the
fight against hunger. City Harvest’s efforts to feed hungry
individuals and families by rescuing food that would
otherwise go to waste have been referred to as practical
magic. Support for City Harvest is critical, as soup
kitchens and food pantries have seen no decrease in the
record numbers of New Yorkers seeking emergency food since
the recession began.
City Harvest
acknowledged Hunts Point Terminal Produce Cooperative
Association Inc. as Food Donor of the Year for donating
21.5 million pounds of farm-fresh food in the past decade.
City Harvest also applauded two of its longstanding food
donors for donating millions of pounds of food in over 20
years of partnership: Longest Retail Food Partner,
D'Agostino Supermarkets Inc., and Longest Farm-Fresh
Food Partner, GrowNYC's Greenmarket Program.
Ticket prices for An Evening of Practical
Magic ranged from $750 to $2,500 and tables from $10,000
to $50,000. Thanks to the support of Barclays Capital and
the generosity of the City Harvest Board of Directors and
the event co-chairs, 100% of the ticket price directly
supports the efforts of City Harvest to feed hungry New
Yorkers.
About City Harvest
Now serving New York
City for over 25 years, City Harvest (www.cityharvest.org)
is the world’s first food rescue organization, dedicated to
feeding the city’s hungry men, women and children. This
year, City Harvest will collect 28 million pounds of excess
food from all segments of the food industry, including
restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers
and farms. This food is then delivered free of charge to
nearly 600 community food programs throughout New York City
using a fleet trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on
foot. Each week, City Harvest helps over 300,000 hungry New
Yorkers find their next meal.
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