Martin Yan Hosts An All-Star Dinner at M.Y. China

Charlie Trotter, who shuttered his famed eponymous Chicago restaurant last year, will be the special guest of honor at a  6 p.m. June 9 dinner hosted by Martin Yan at M.Y. China in San Francisco.

If that weren’t enough of a draw, the dinner will be created in part by Chef Michael Rotondo, former executive chef of Charlie Trotter’s and now chef de cuisine at Parallel 37 in the Ritz-Carlton San Francisco. Dessert will be made by Yigit Pura, the first winner of “Top Chef: Just Desserts” and now proprietor of Tout Sweet Patisserie in San Francisco. And M.Y. China’s executive chef and master noodle-puller, Tony Wu, will be on hand to show his dough-twirling prowess.

The evening will begin with appetizers and sparkling wines from Domaine Carneros. That will be followed by a seated four-course dinner with wines by the Michael Mondavi Family Estate. A live auction also will be held.

The dinner, a benefit for the James Beard Foundation and the Chef Martin Yan Scholarship, is limited to 100 people. Tickets are $200 per person or $175 per person for James Beard Foundation members. Tickets can be purchased at MyChinaSF.com or by calling (415) 580-3001.

Dessert First!

Calling all sweet tooths: The Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco will be the place to be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 5.

That’s when 20 of the Bay Area’s best pastry chefs will ply you with all manner of signature sweets at “Dessert First!,” a benefit for Project Open Hand, which provides meals for people afflicted with breast cancer or HIV/AIDS, or are home-bound and critically ill.

Chairman Yigit Pura of Tout Sweet in San Francisco and MC Liam Mayclem of CBS’ “Eye on the Bay” will be joined by a stellar line-up of pastry chefs, including Francis Ang of the Fifth Floor, Matthew Dolan of Twenty Five Lusk, and Christine Law and Sheree McGowen of Salt House.

General admission is $75. VIP admission, which also includes a pre-party mixology competition, is $125.

More Irresistible Baked Goods For A Good Cause

“Killed By Dessert.” Yeah, that’s the way I wanna go out in life.

The sweet event with the mad-hipster name was founded by six pastry chefs on two coasts. It has since been held in Austin and Brooklyn. Now, it’s coming to San Francisco at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 11 with a stellar bake sale at the San Francisco Cooking School.

Signature baked goods will be sold a la carte by seven pastry chefs, including Melissa Chou of Aziza, Belinda Leong of b. patisserie, and Stephanie Prida of Manresa.

Net proceeds will benefit Share Our Strength, the organization dedicated to combating childhood hunger.

Star Chefs and the Wines They Love

What happens when a dozen of the Bay Area’s top chefs create dishes paired with a favorite wine?

A whole lot of deliciousness, that’s what.

That’s exactly what you’ll enjoy at “Star Chefs and the Wines They Love,” 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. April 28, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View.

Chef Ross Hanson of Restaurant James Randall in Los Gatos headlines a team of chefs that includes Tim Luym of the WOW truck, Peter Armellino of the Plumed Horse in Saratago, Andrew Welch of the Basin Restaurant and many more.

The event, which also includes silent and live auctions, is a benefit for Child Advocates, an organization that serves abused and neglected children in Santa Clara County. Tickets are $150 per person.

Winner of Last Week’s Food Gal Contest

In last week’s Food Gal contest, I asked you to tell me your favorite word that starts with a “T” — and why. The winner will receive a free Spring Collection from DavidsTea (valued at $25.50).

Congrats to:

Jeshe, who wrote, “While technically it is 2 words, my favorite word that begins with ‘T’ is tabula rasa. There are two definitions: 1. a young mind not yet affected by experience (according to John Locke)and 2. an opportunity to start over without prejudice. The second definition is my favorite because I think everyone should be able to do this. We should all have a chance (or maybe a few) in our lives to be able to start over without prejudice. Start with a clean slate, if you will. I also find that we get this chance whenever we meet someone new or start a new chapter in our lives. We are constantly given chances to start over without prejudice, we just have to recognize them for the gifts they are and take advantage of them.”

More: My Dinner at Parallel 37