Cowgirls, Cowboys And Barbecue

By Christy Rost, April 2005

Spring is barely upon us and I'm already thinking of lighting up the grill, or to be more precise, SIX grills. April 13 to 16, 2005, the International Association of Culinary Professionals will host its annual conference in Dallas, Texas, and one of the biggest events happening that week will be a Texas BBQ Gala on Saturday April 16. And the best news of all? This fundraising Gala will be open to the public for the first time ever!

But let's back up, because there's another special event happening one day earlier, and it, too, will be open to culinary enthusiasts, whether you're in the culinary professional or just love great food. On Friday April 15, in the Discovery Gardens of Fair Park, a game dinner inspired by recipes from historical Texas cookbooks will take place. During the Endangered Treasures Dinner, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a multi-course menu paired with wines from Great Wines International, while internationally acclaimed chefs and television personalities, Jacques Pepin and Martin Yan explain how today's cuisine is still influenced by historical cookbooks.

It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to rub elbows with these famous chefs in the gracious surroundings of Dallas' Fair Park, while raising funds for the International Association of Culinary Professional's Culinary Trust, which provides hunger relief and culinary scholarships. It all gets underway at 6:30pm and tickets are $125. For reservations, please call Trina Gribbins at IACP headquarters at 800-928-4227, ext. 264.

On Saturday, April 16, an evening of unprecedented excitement and fun begins at 6 pm with a wine and cheese reception in the Chantilly Ballroom of the Wyndham Anatole Hotel. At 7 pm, guests will be the first to learn who won the prestigious Cookbook of the Year award during the annual IACP Cookbook Awards, an event which has never before been open to the public.

Immediately following the Awards, a Texas-size celebration called "Denim to Diamonds" kicks off in Anatole Park with live music, line dancing, a Western store, silent and live auctions, all the barbecue and fixin's you can eat, and a celebrity chef grilling competition featuring Jacques Pepin, Martin Yan, Rick Bayless, Elizabeth Karmel, Stephan Pyles, and Tom Perini. All of the grills and a bronze sculpture of horses by acclaimed artist, Lorenzo Ghiglieri, valued at $29,500 will be live auctioned to raise funds for the IACP Culinary Trust.

As Chairwoman of the "Denim to Diamonds" BBQ Gala, I can promise you and your friends an evening you'll remember. Tickets to this exciting event are $85 and include the wine and cheese reception, the Cookbook Awards, and the BBQ Gala. So pull on your favorite boots and Western duds and come join me for this exciting event. For tickets, please call Trina Gribbins at IACP headquarters at 800-928-4227, ext. 264.