Mama’s Day 2016

On the Friday evening before Mother’s Day, the Mama’s Day 2016 event kicked off its’ 26^th year at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla, the fundraising fete is the season’s must-attend culinary event of the year. The occasion featured over 55 chefs from some of San Diego’s most premium restaurants, hotels, and catering companies, those such as The Marine Room, Loews Coronado Bay Resort and Spa, Waypoint Public and more. 

The Mama’s Day event helps to raise funds for Mama’s Kitchen, a non-profit organization that prepares and delivers nutritious meals to San Diegans suffering with AIDS or cancer and who are too ill to shop and cook for themselves. Mama’s Kitchen is run by hundreds of volunteers, businesses, and community supporters, who strive to create food that is wholesome and healthy, and to help out families who are in need of this crucial assistance.

The event was hosted by local chef Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien, who brought his flare and love of food for the eighth consecutive year. Guests enjoyed food, tasty beverages, and music, which only added to the excitement of the night. Many of the dishes served were out of this world delightful, ranging the gambit from seared ahi tuna, ravioli’s filled with duck confit, pork belly dishes, quail eggs, uni risotto and the list goes on and on. There was a dish for every palette. On top of the savory samples were the decadent desserts, tiramisu, chocolate dipped strawberries, key lime pie and my personal favorite the honey cinnamon walnut gelato served appropriately on a cone.

Mama’s Day was presented by Nordstrom and hosted by Sycuan Casino. To know that the funds are going to an amazing charity and helping the lives of hundreds is extraordinary on every level. To donate and for more information on this and other events you can visit www.mamaskitchen.org. Their 21st Annual Wine Tasting event will take place on August 2! 

Photos by: Melissa Sanchez