SAN DIEGO – Friday, May 10, approximately 780 guests attended Mama’s Day 2013, the original food-tasting event in San Diego, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at the Aventine. The poolside affair featured a line-up of 55 of San Diego’s top restaurants and executive chefs, and raised a record-breaking $215,000 for Mama’s Kitchen, a non-profit organization which prepares and delivers hot, nutrition-specific meals free of charge to men, women and children affected by AIDS or cancer throughout San Diego County.
Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien returned for the fifth consecutive year as the event’s culinary host, entertaining VIPs at a private, exclusive pre-event reception alongside Ian Ward, an award-winning mixologist and co-founder of Queen Connor Ward. The pair performed a cooking and cocktail demonstration at the special reception with a hosted bar sponsored by Stone Brewing Co. and St. Petersburg Vodka.
“This is by far the most successful Mama’s Day fundraiser to date,” said Alberto Cortés, executive director, Mama’s Kitchen. “I would like to thank the volunteers, guests, donors and Mama’s Kitchen staff for helping their support in fulfilling our mission of providing nutritious meals for San Diego’s critical ill.”
More than 700 guests mingled and sampled an amazing array of entrees, beverages and desserts offered by San Diego’s top restaurants. Along with the delicious treats, guests also bid on an extensive silent auction and had a change to enter a drawing for selected prizes or a wine vault that had $1,000 worth of premium wines. The best selling auction items were the Padres Skybox for 20 Sycuan and the private dinner with Sam “The Cooking Guy.” AJ Machado from “The AJ Show” on Energy 103.7 FM was the event emcee for Mama’s Day 2013. Mama’s Day 2013 was presented by Nordstrom and hosted by Sycuan Casino.
