Lights, Cameras, Party

We’ll be plugging in the twinkley lights, pulling corks, and welcoming guests on Thursday, February 3. Once again my husband, photographer Barney Taxel, and I are hosting a fundraiser for the Cleveland International Film Festival. Location is the same as always: our fabulous (and prop-filled) studio at 46th and Prospect in downtown Cleveland.

Photo by Mike Lembke ©Taxel Image Group, 2010

The event begins at 7 p.m. Each feast we’ve done features appearances and food by local culinary lights. The lineup this year is Ellis Cooley, executive chef for the highly acclaimed restaurant at the Airport Marriot, Amp 150, Chris Hodgson founder of the wildly popular Dim and Den Sum food truck (and a sit down restaurant under construction on West 25th Street), Michael Herschman, most recently at Menu 6 and currently working on a new (and top secret) restaurant project, and Kimberly McCune, the woman behind Vine and Dine, a personal chef and catering company. They’re preparing an array of signature appetizers and desserts. But their contribution includes more than cooking.

The four have also agreed to stick around and be part of the evening's entertainment. Don’t expect a white-coated chorus line or toqued up karaoke. What we are going to have is a culinary conversation. The chefs will talk about how the come up with ideas for new dishes, describing their personal process for going from concept to plate. It will be set up as an informal interactive panel discussion and members of the audience can jump in with questions. The profession attracts unique, quirky and intensely creative characters — this is a chance to get inside the heads of a few. I predict it will be an interesting place to spend time.

Help Barney and I support the International Film Festival. It is one thing (among so many) that makes living in Cleveland extremely desirable, despite our average snowfall, lack of a hockey team, and the saga of LeGone. (Take that you know-nothings at Forbes — we don’t need or want your pity, because we like our city). But this party maxes out at 75. My sources tell me there are still some tickets left — but not many. Get yours right now.