Foodies with a taste for philanthropy flocked to the Four Seasons Yorkville for the 2024 Chefs’ Circle gala for Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Curated by Toronto businessman, philanthropist and Sunnybrook board member William Cheng, collaborators for the posh Oct. 5 gala included chefs from his restaurants and around the world: Chef Christian Le Squer of Le Cinq; Chef Masaki Saito of Sushi Masaki Saito; Chef Oliver Glowig of Level Nine; Chef Jackie Lin of Shoushin; and Chef Didier Leroy of LSL.
Article content
“In our culture, and in my family, we believe that if you have the capability to help others find happiness, then you should,” Cheng told the Sunnybrook Foundation. “I hope everyone leaves Chefs’ Circle feeling happier for the experience and the knowledge that they’ve helped someone. If that happens, then I’ve done my job.”
MC’s Leslie Yip and Joseph Tsang emceed the event, at which Toronto Maple Leaf William Nylander’s jersey was auctioned. Partygoers included Sunnybrook President and CEO Andy Smith Fiona Cheung, creative director of Congee Queen; Ralph Del Luca, president and COO of Chestnut Hill Developments; Debbie Cosic, CEO of Inzition Realty; Mark Campbell, CEO of VMG Cinematic; Susan Streeter, CEO of Cormark Securities; and Allen and Era Lau of Two Small Fish Ventures.
The menu opened with an amuse bouche of scallop with ponzu jello and aubergine caviar, followed by leek soup, Japanese tomato caviar, lemon risotto and an entree of Peking duck. The menu closed with coconut panna cotta for dessert.
The event has raised more than $1-million for innovative, life-saving research at Sunnybrook since the inaugural gala in early 2020.