NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The James Beard Foundation (JBF) announced today that for the second year in a row it will partner with Chase Sapphire Preferred® Visa Signature® to present the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast,” a national epicurean tour celebrating America’s culinary diversity. From September 12 through October 25, 2014, the program will stop in ten cities over five weekends, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington D.C. Each city will enjoy a special evening that starts off with a walk-around tasting reception from a line-up of local chefs, followed by a one-night-only, collaborative four-course dinner crafted by a Taste America All-Star and a local celebrity chef. Tickets are on sale now at jbftasteamerica.org.
The legendary Daniel Boulud kicked off the program as the Honorary All-Star of the 2014 Taste America tour with an invite-only reception at the historic James Beard House last night. Boulud, a seven-time James Beard Award winner, author of eight cookbooks, and Chef-Owner of more than 14 locations worldwide, has become one of America’s most celebrated chefs and culinary authorities. The night’s menu was prepared by Chef Boulud in collaboration with two of his own rising star chefs – Aaron Bludorn, Executive Chef of Café Boulud, and Travis Swikard, Executive Chef of Boulud Sud. The evening delivered a savory hint of A Night of Culinary Stars, an exclusive dining event benefiting the James Beard Foundation, which he will be preparing with James Beard Award-winning chef April Bloomfield on Friday, October 10 at his flagship restaurant DANIEL in New York City. When the Taste America tour stops in Boston and Washington, D.C. this fall, the local chefs of Boulud’s soon-to-open restaurants in those cities – Bar Boulud at Mandarin Oriental Boston and DBGB at CityCenterDC – will cook for James Beard guests during the benefits’ cocktail hours.
The Taste America tour will send the All-Stars and food celebrities on the road to host local events and act as ambassadors for JBF in participating cities. Joining Daniel Boulud, this year’s Taste America All-Stars include Grant Achatz, Ludo Lefebvre, Barbara Lynch, Marc Murphy, Patrick O’Connell, Charles Phan, Paul Qui, Aarón Sánchez and Sherry Yard.
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America lineup of public programming includes benefit dinners with JBF Award–winning chefs and culinary icons; free in-store consumer events at Sur La Table® with celebrity chef appearances, cooking demos, book signings, tastings from local producers and artisans; and more. For the full schedule and to RSVP for cooking demos, please visit jbftasteamerica.org/events and select your city.
The full Taste America program calendar is as follows:
- Sept. 12-13 -- Atlanta: All-Star Barbara Lynch*/Phoenix: All-Star Sherry Yard*
- Sept. 26-27 -- Dallas: All-Star Patrick O’Connell*/Seattle: All-Star Marc Murphy*
- Oct. 10-11 -- Los Angeles: All-Star Aarón Sánchez*/New York City: All-Star Daniel Boulud*
- Oct. 17-18 -- Chicago: All-Star Grant Achatz*/Washington D.C.: All-Star Charles Phan*
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Oct. 24-25 -- Boston: All-Star Ludo Lefebvre/San Francisco: All-Star
Paul Qui*
*Notes James Beard Award Winner
“We are proud to partner once again with presenting sponsor Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature to bring together the best innovators in the food world to educate and entertain Americans about our country’s culinary diversity,” said Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation. “This unique opportunity for the Taste America All-Stars to collaborate with local celebrity chefs will bring the one-night-only experience of a Beard House dinner to cities from coast to coast.”
The James Beard Foundation is proud to donate a portion of the evening’s proceeds to the Taste America Scholarship Fund. Local culinary students in the states participating in the 2014 Taste America program are invited to apply for this culinary scholarship between April 1 and May 15, 2015 through jamesbeard.org. Candidates will be reviewed by the JBF Scholarship Selection Committee, chaired by Ungaro.
Returning for the second year in a row, the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is presented by Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature, a premier rewards credit card for people who love travel and dining. Chase Sapphire Preferred Visa Signature cardmembers will enjoy exclusive benefits not available to the public at James Beard Foundation’s Taste America events, including access to chefs, exclusive recipes, preferred seating, and more.
“Chase Sapphire Preferred is partnering with the James Beard Foundation for the second Taste America tour, offering cardmembers exclusive access to the country's renowned culinary community,” said Jeff Bedard, business director, Chase Sapphire Preferred. “The private dinner series is part of our broader partnership to provide cardmembers with unique dining experiences they can't get anywhere else.”
The James Beard Foundation’s Taste America is also supported by retail partner Sur La Table, and national sponsors including Breville and Delta Air Lines.
For more information, visit jbftasteamerica.org and follow #JBFTasteAmerica on Twitter and Instagram.
About Visa Signature®
Visa Signature offers cardholders a range of benefits that provide special access and can save time and money. In addition to points, miles, cash back or other premium rewards offered by Visa Signature partners, cardholders enjoy perks such as 24/7 complimentary concierge services, the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection and exclusive offers for fine wine and food, travel, and sports and entertainment events. For more information on Visa Signature visit visa.com/signature.
About Chase Sapphire Preferred®
Chase Sapphire Preferred is a premier rewards credit card for people who are passionate about travel and dining. With Sapphire Preferred you enjoy premium travel rewards and benefits with no travel restrictions or blackout dates on airfare booked through Ultimate Rewards, double points for every dollar spent on dining and travel, Chip and Signature for international travel and no foreign transaction fees, 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs, 24/7 live customer service, access to exclusive cardmember experiences and more. More information is available at www.chasesapphire.com/preferred.
About the James Beard Foundation:
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation's mission is to celebrate, nurture, and honor America's diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, James Beard, who died in 1985, was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful and delicious food. Today the Beard Foundation continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. In September of 2012, the Foundation launched the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership with the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Protocol and helped create the American Chef Corps as a way to champion American chefs abroad, promote American food products and foster an interest in American culinary culture and history through international programs and initiatives. For more information, please visit jamesbeard.org. Find insights on food at the James Beard Foundation’s blog Delights & Prejudices. Join the James Beard Foundation on Facebook. Follow the James Beard Foundation on Twitter and Instagram.
