Il Palio at the Siena Hotel Raises $7,500 for the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Fund
All photography by Stacey Price Sprenz
On September 14, 2017, Il Palio at the Siena Hotel hosted Festa Italiana: Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner. This special event successfully raised $7,500 for the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Fund and included talented chefs, bakers and beverage professionals from the East Coast.
Established in 1991, the James Beard Foundation Scholarship Fund assists aspiring and established culinary professionals who plan to further their education at a licensed or accredited culinary school or hospitality institution, college, or university. In the past 25 years, the program has not only grown in visibility and financial scope, but in the array of subjects its recipients have embraced. As of 2016, the Foundation will have awarded over $7 million in financial aid to more than 1,850 recipients.
The talent and sponsor line-up for Festa Italiana included:
Host Chef Teddy Diggs
Il Palio, Chapel Hill, NC
Gabe Barker
Pizzeria Mercato, Carrboro, NC
Brian Canipelli
Cucina 24, Asheville, NC
Craig Deihl
Artisan Meat Share, Charleston, SC
James Beard Foundation Award Winner Sarah Grueneberg
Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, Chicago, IL
Matt Kelly and Josh DeCarolis
Mothers & Sons, Durham, NC
Nick Stefanelli
Masseria, Washington, D.C.
Pastry Chef Deric McGuffey
Il Palio, Chapel Hill, NC
James Beard Foundation Award–Winning Baker Peter Reinhart
Charlotte, NC
Mixologist Bob Peters
The Punch Room, Charlotte, NC
Sommelier Esteban Brunello
Bar Brunello, Durham, NC
Sponsors
Videri Chocolate Factory
Bacco Selections Wine Importer
The Siena Hotel
Silverthorn Knife & Tool
Vietri
Sea Island Forge Kettles
Upcoming events at Il Palio include the following:
Wine Maker’s Dinner with Podere Sapaio
October 26, 2017, 7pm to 9pm
Chef Teddy Diggs of Il Palio will host Massimo Piccin, the owner of Podere Sapaio vineyards and winery in Southern Tuscany. Chef Diggs will prepare five courses to highlight Piccin's worldly acclaimed Super Tuscans that are grown and produced on his land in Bolgheri. Limited seating is available. Please call Il Palio for more information and to reserve your seat(s) at 919-918-2545. The event will begin at 7pm with a multi-course menu for $140, includes: wine pairings, tax and gratuity. More information is available here.
Thanksgiving
November 23, 2017, 11:30am to 5:30pm
Join Il Palio to commemorate the celebration of the good harvest. Il Palio invites you to gather with the Siena family for a Thanksgiving feast. Il Palio is offering a four-course Thanksgiving al a carte prix fixe priced menu for $70 per person plus tax and gratuity. Seatings from 11:30am until 5:30pm. This year's menu is influenced by Italian and American classics. More information is available here.