For its 28th year, the fundraiser will bring together dozens of top-tier South Florida chefs under one roof and for a good cause. It’s happening on Friday, April 26, inside the Grand Ballroom at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
“This has become the staple event for the Ann Storck Center, bringing the community together to raise awareness and dollars for all we do,” Patricia Murphy, CEO of ASC, tells New Times. “It takes a whole lot of heart, an amazing staff and so many supporters, but it’s always an amazing time.”
Once known as the Pediatric Care Center and rebranded in 1981, ASC has been a Broward County nonprofit haven for more than 70 years. It focuses on enriching the lives of children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through a variety of services, spanning critical care to educational programming. Today, it operates a variety of facilities region-wide, including a school/therapy center, an adult day training program, and several group homes.
Funding from the event will benefit ASC’s programming as well as specific equipment for its facilities including helpful iPads and interactive Promethean boards. To date and throughout the years, Murphy says the annual event has raised more than $5.5 million. She expects more than 350 people to attend the 2024 event.
Among a number of participating restaurants, Abiaka will return in '24 to Ann Storck Center's Celebrity Chefs Event.
World Red Eye photo
Beyond cocktail hour, dozens of restaurants will be stationed in the grand ballroom for an all-you-can-eat, bites-style affair hosted by Florida Panthers arena host Aaron Shapiro and 101.5 LITE FM host Julie Guy. A notable restaurant newbie is BARTO, the new lobby bar and lounge at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach, in addition to set-ups from Abiaka, Tarpon River Brewing, Twisted Roots Kava Brewery, Burlock Coast, and more.
All of the food prepared by the restaurants and their respective staff time is donated, which makes it even more special.
“The amount of love and support we get for this event means everything,” she says. “We rely on the spirit of the community to make dreams come true, and you can feel that spirit in the room.”
Beyond the fundraising event, Murphy says the organization is always looking for volunteers to read, play music, and hang out with its programming recipients, who currently range from newborns to an 86-year-old resident.
Ann Storck Center’s 28th Annual Celebrity Chefs Event. 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, April 26, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; annstorckcenter.org. Tickets cost $150 via networkforgood.com.
