Feeding San Diego Reintroducing Annual Fundraising Event, Pairings with a Purpose
The fundraiser is returning as a dinner party on Thursday, March 2 at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center
For the first time since 2019, Feeding San Diego will host its annual culinary event to raise funds for its year-round hunger-relief programs. Keeping the name Pairings with a Purpose, the reimagined event will be a community-centric dinner party with dishes created by powerhouse chefs Angelo Sosa of Top Chef fame, and Ruffo Ibarra, who was recently tapped to lead the new food and beverage program at downtown’s The Guild Hotel. Guests will enjoy a 4-course culinary exploration on the patio of The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, an exquisite new venue located in downtown La Jolla. The fundraiser takes place on Thursday, March 2 from 6 to 9 p.m.
“At Feeding San Diego, we believe access to nutritious food is a basic human right, and sharing a meal with others can be transformational” said Dana Williams, Feeding San Diego’s director of marketing & communications. “By reestablishing our culinary-focused fundraiser, our hope is to bring a new community of people together to discover our mission and celebrate the work of two fabulous chefs who are lending their talent to give back to the community.”
Pairings with a Purpose originated as a large-scale food and drink pairing event held annually at the Bobby Riggs Racket & Paddle in Encinitas. The event drew hundreds of people and celebrated local chefs and beverage brands who created complementary pairings. After a pandemic hiatus, the event is returning as a dinner party with the help of Chrome City Creative, the San Diego-based agency known for putting on The Blank Table dinner series. The Blank Table team will bring its talent of igniting a sense of togetherness through cuisine, cocktails, and creativity to the non-profit’s signature event.
Feeding San Diego has seen a surge in need for its services since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and continues to serve a high volume of San Diegans who are in need of food resources amidst record-high inflation and high cost of living. Guests of the dinner will be directly supporting the critical work being done by the organization and its network of food rescue and distribution partners to provide nutritious meals to people in need.
Advance tickets to Pairings with a Purpose can be purchased for $200 now through February 2, after which they will go up to $225. The event will benefit Feeding San Diego and its hunger-relief and food rescue programs, which support vulnerable communities including kids, families, seniors, college students, military families, and veterans.
