NYC’s Top Chefs Golf and Tennis Tournament Raises Food Rescue Funds to Feed the Hungry

NEW YORK (WEB PR)
September 23, 2022

The third annual Celebrity Chefs & Friends Benefiting City Harvest Golf and Tennis Tournament brought together more than 40 Michelin-starred chefs and restaurateurs, Gary Player, Paige Spiranac, and more than 120 golf and tennis enthusiasts, to raise enough money to feed nearly 850,000 New Yorkers in need. The annual fundraiser was held Tuesday, September 20, 2022 at Alpine Country Club in Demarest, NJ and Montammy Golf Club in Alpine, NJ. https://www.cityharvest.org/2022/06/celebrity-golf-tennis-2/

The one-of-a-kind, one-day golf and tennis tournament was created in 2019 by event marketer and connected foodie Herb Karlitz, offering an incredible food and wine experience, while giving attendees the opportunity to play golf or tennis. starred chefs including Geoffrey Zakarian, Michael Anthony, Preston Clark, Rocco DiSpirito, Jose Garces, Jamal James Kent, Alfred Portale, Marcus Samuelsson, David Shim and Cédric Vongerichten.

Joining the fray with host golf icon and philanthropist Gary Player and former professional golfer, model and personality Paige Spiranac were notables including NY Yankees pitcher and World Series champion CC Sabathia; Chris Young, MLB Network announcer and retired major league outfielder; Golf Channel’s Golf Today co-host, Shane Bacon; PGA Magazine Top 50 Golf Instructor Jonathan Yarwood; and actor Richard Kind, who stars in CBS’ new crime drama East New York.

“I am always impressed by the generosity of our New York chef and our culinary community, who always find time to give back despite the challenges they continually face,” said Herb Karlitz, tournament founder and City Harvest member. FoodCouncil.

Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, who served as golf tournament chair for the third consecutive year and is a member of City Harvest’s board of directors and chair of the organization’s food council, added. “I am thrilled to see this event flourish which has provided a great day on the golf course and tennis courts, while also generating funds for an amazing charity close to my heart.”

The guest experience went beyond playing alongside incredible star chefs, who also showcased their seasonal and signature bites during the event and its post-celebration round tasting reception with dishes such as pasta Truffle agnolotti, thin brick oven pizzas, lobster rolls, shrimp & grits, seared scallops, charred za’tar crusted octopus, meatballs, Grand Cru Galbi Ssam and wagyu from the fire station. The tournament auction included a golf trip to Ireland, private villas in Costa Rica, Grand Cayman and Tuscany, a ski getaway, a personalized and engraved LA Golf putter and VIP passes for the US 2023 LA Golf Open Party. One-of-a-kind auction experiences included playing 18 holes with Gary Player at his clubhouse in Florida and a private dinner for 10 at your home created by 3-star Michelin chef Alex Lee.

“I’m honored to return as host of this year’s golf tournament and to support fundraising efforts to feed New York families who don’t know where their next meal will come from,” said Gary. Player. “We all need to do our part in society and make a difference by helping each other.”

City Harvest saves and delivers millions of pounds of food for the growing number of New Yorkers struggling to put meals on their tables. According to disturbing new data released earlier this month by City Harvest, monthly visits to New York City pantries and soup kitchens are up 69% from 2019. As inflation and food prices hit a 40-year high, New York’s pantries and soup kitchens now see 14% more monthly visitors than in January 2022. In response to the high level of need, City Harvest will rescue and deliver at least 75 million pounds of food this year, supporting rescue and food delivery operations nearly 20% above pre-pandemic levels.

“Feeding people goes beyond basic nutritional needs, it also provides emotional nourishment and hope for the future,” Zakarian said. “A special thank you to all the chefs and sponsors who participated. The work we do with City Harvest is fundamental to making New York a supportive and resilient community.

Since March 2020, New Yorkers have had to overcome many challenges, including the current economic environment which makes City Harvest’s services in high demand.

“We are so grateful to legendary Gary Player, Herb Karlitz, and all of the wonderful chefs and athletes who came out to support City Harvest and our work to feed New Yorkers in need,” said Jilly Stephens, CEO of City Harvest. . “This year’s event will help us feed nearly 850,000 of our neighbours. As prices rise for basic necessities like food and rent, this support is more important than ever. »

Major sponsors included Porsche Englewood, offering a 2022 Porsche Macan as a hole-in-one prize; Lacoste, official sponsor of the tennis tournament and provided all tennis players with a polo shirt; NFTable, the official menu sponsor; and Fujikura Golf; as well as Cafe Spice; Wine Cantina Puiatti; Cloud water marks; Curamia Tequila; Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin; Holistic Spirits of Origen; and mindless.

In-kind sponsors include Acme Smoked Fish; black diamond caviar; Bruno’s Bakery; Dynamic Marks; Fever-Tree, foie gras from the Hudson Valley; illy cafe; The Caravelle; Los Angeles Golf; Lucoli Brick Oven Pizza; First food distributor; Stella Artois; Urbani truffles; and Zakarian hospitality.

Participating chefs and restaurateurs include:

Cosme Aguilar, Casa Enrique

Michael Anthony, Gramercy Tavern

Nobile Attie, Lucoli Brick Oven Pizza

Franklin Becker, Press Club Grill

Eitan Bernath, Eitan Productions

Terrance Brennan, Brennan Group Hospitality

Kenny Callaghan, Boots and Bones

Josh Capon, Fly Fishing Club

Cesare Casella, casellasalumi.com

Preston Clark, Fishbar Lure

Mike Cole, Mikey loves ice cream

Michael Cressotti, The Mermaid’s Inn

Rocco DiSpirito

Josh “Shorty” Eden

Fabrizio Facchini, Urbani Truffles

Stephen “Octoman” fried

José Garces, Garces Events

Michael Ginor, foie gras from the Hudson Valley

Marc Glosserman, Hill Country BBQ

Esther Ha, Momofuku Ko

Kerry Heffernan (Tennis Co-Chair), Grand Banks

Matthew Katakis and Orlando Sanchez, butcher

Jamal James Kent, Crown Shy

Simon Kim (Tennis Co-Chair) and David Shim, COTE Korean Steakhouse

Alex Lee (Culinary Chairman), Alpine Country Club

Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya, Dhamaka

John McDonald, Mercer Street Hospitality

Edward McFarland, Ed’s Lobster Bar

Hari Nayak, coffee with spices

Helen Nguyen, Saigon Social

Don Pintabona

Alfred Portale, Restaurant Portale

David Rabin and bartender Samantha Casuga, Temple Bar

Dan Reilly, Reilly’s rib cage

Jimmy Rizvi and Zahir Khan, GUPSHUP

Jason Rosenthal, Brick + Dough

Marcus Samuelsson, Red Rooster Harlem

John Stage, Bar-B-Que Dinosaur

Ron Straci, Rao’s

Carlos Swepson, BLVD Bistro

Cedric Vongerichten, Wayan

Melba Wilson, Melba’s

Geoffrey Zakarian (Golf Chair)

About City Harvest

City Harvest is New York’s first and largest food rescue organization, helping feed millions of New Yorkers struggling to put meals on their tables. This year, we’ll save at least 75 million pounds of fresh, nutritious food and deliver it — for free — to more than 400 food pantries, soup kitchens, community partners, and our own mobile markets across the five boroughs. We work alongside our community partners to build community capacity, develop nutrition education and strengthen local food systems. For 40 years, City Harvest has always been there to feed our city, one day, one meal, one New Yorker at a time. To learn more, please visit http://www.cityharvest.org

About Gary Player

One of the greatest international players of all time, who has won 165 tournaments on six continents in seven decades. He is one of only five golfers to have won all four major championships in a career, known as Grand Slams, and is the only player to have completed a career Grand Slam on both the PGA Tour and its senior equivalent, the Champions Tour. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974 and received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012, making him the first international recipient of this award. In addition to his legendary golf career, he is known to be an avid fitness advocate, earning him the nickname “Mr. Fitness.” Nelson Mandela once commented that “…Gary Player’s accomplishments as a humanitarian and a statesman are equal and may even surpass his accomplishments as an athlete.”

About Karlitz & Company

An event producer, Karlitz & Company (KCO), for over thirty years, has been an industry leader in designing memorable experiences that allow its clients to engage with their clients and customers. KCO prides itself on taking simple concepts and designing something memorable. From food and wine experiences to music festivals, sporting events and destinations, KCO taps into the lifestyle verticals that best suit each customer. http://www.karlitz.com

Press contacts:

Adam Paige

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