The top Manhattan and Hamptons chefs will cook together on Sunday, July 28th for the much anticipated and mouth watering 2013 Chefs Dinner & Meet the Chefs Cocktail/Tasting Party. The Chefs Dinner series is the primary fundraiser for Bridgehampton’s own Hayground School and an annual tribute to the late Jeff Salaway, a widely respected and beloved restaurateur and one of the school’s co-founders. It also happens to be one of my favorite events of the summer season!

Since it’s inception, this event has raised over $1,000,000 for Jeff’s Kitchen (a full service professional kitchen and classroom) and the Jeff Salaway Scholarship Fund. The cocktail/tasting party will begin at 5:30pm at the Hayground School’s campus (151 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton). Nosh on bountiful tastings by top chefs, sip specialty drinks, and groove to music by Lily and the Parlor Tricks.  A silent art auction featuring renowned East End artists, and exciting demonstrations in Jeff’s Kitchen by TV host/chef George Hirsch will add to the fun of this cultural culinary event.

Confirmed cocktail chefs at this year’s event include: Arjun Achuthan (Hayground School), Tom Colicchio/Ty Kotz (Topping Rose House), Bryan Futerman (Foody’s); Joel Hough (Il Bucco), Jason Weiner (Almond), Matt Michel (Rolling in Dough Pizza); Joe Realmuto (Nick & Toni’s), Davie Simmons (Uptown Juice Bar), Cheryl Stair (Art of Eating), Roy Wohlars (The RiverheadProject) and Christian Mir (Stone Creek Inn). Product sponsors include: Kona-Ice, Blue Parrot, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water, VerTerra, PLAIN-T, Greenport Brewing Company, Crystal Head Vodka, Wolffer Vineyards, Channing Daughters Winery, Diplomatico Rum, Nestle Waters/San Pellegrino and Shaw-Ross International Importers.

Following the cocktail party at 7:30pm,  Toni Ross will host an intimate VIP Dinner at her home in honor of 4-star chef, Eric Ripert. The dinner will feature a four-course meal prepared by a select few of the best chefs, paired with wines by Aldo Sohm (Sommelier – Le Bernardin).  Confirmed chefs attending the dinner include the following: Claudia Fleming (North Fork Table and Inn), Justin Smillie (Il Bucco Alimentari e Vineria), Michael Cavaniola (Cavaniola’s Gourmet Cheese Shop), Kerry Heffernan (Finalist “Top Chef Masters” season 4); Steffan Karlsson (Fond- Gothenburg, Sweden); Marc Murphy (Benchmarc Restaurants) and Taku Sato (Nobu57).  A portion of the produce used at dinner will be from Hayground School’s Slow Foods Greenhouse, as well as local products from D’Artagnan and Fishers Island Oysters.  At the end of dinner, there will be a live auction with exclusive culinary and travel packages.

About Hayground School

Hayground School is an independent alternative school, committed to a program of innovation in a community of diversity, both economical and cultural. Hayground students range from 3-13 years of age. The mission at Hayground is to provide an open, community school where conventional teaching methods are replaced by new ways of teaching and learning. We work to give our students the tools, perseverance and determination to be independent thinkers and continue learning throughout their lives.

Tickets for the cocktail party only are $175 per person.  Tickets for the dinner and the cocktail party are $1,000. Tickets for children will be available for $40, which includes kids dinner and creative childcare by Hayground Camp counselors.  You can purchase tickets online at http://www.greatchefsdinner.com/great-chefs-dinner-info.cfm

For more info on Hayground School go here