Chef Adam Brown of P.F. Chang’s in Pleasanton mixed his community roots with his Pleasanton education and blended it together with his local business experience for a great time at Pleasanton Partnership’s in Education’s (PPIE) fourth annual culinary event.
He was one of 15 local chefs who volunteered Oct. 13 to prepare signature hors d’oeuvres, entrees and desserts for PPIE’s ‘Bon Appetit Toasts and Tastes of Fall.’ For Brown, contributing to the fundraising event was more than a volunteer job; it was an opportunity to personally give back to his hometown and his schools.
“I have strong school ties and strong community ties,” Brown said. “This is coming full circle for me.”
Brown, 26, grew up in Pleasanton and attended Vintage Hills Elementary School, Pleasanton Middle School and Foothill High School. He started cooking when he was 12, and at Foothill, realized his passion for cooking was his career path after taking Kit Little’s culinary classes. After graduation in 2000, he attended the Culinary Institute of America in New York and worked in restaurants in Las Vegas and San Francisco before returning to Pleasanton.
“It is so nice to be back in my hometown,” he said. “I have a lot of pride in Pleasanton and a lot of people know me here.”
For the Saturday evening event, Brown created a beef tartare appetizer with chanterelle mushroom salad and horseradish foam. Each chef was paired with a corporate sponsor and a school principal to offer food and wine tastings during the evening gala at the CarrAmerica Conference Center.
A record-breaking 480 people attended the high-energy cocktail-style party and all were more than happy to sample the fine culinary samples and wine pairings. By all accounts, the event was a success.
“What I heard over and over is, ‘This is the best one yet. I can’t wait for next year,'” said PPIE executive Debi Covello.
For the second year in a row, the culinary event raised $80,000 for PPIE. Those proceeds will be used to fund grants and programs for students and faculty in the Pleasanton Unified School District.
Hart Middle School Principal Steve Maher, who worked alongside chef Lydia Fitch of Jeffrey’s Catering all evening serving pumpkin mousse with rum sauce, enjoyed chatting with everyone who stopped by his table for a sample.
“It just a great event,” Maher said. “It brings the community together and businesses together and all monies raised go back to the schools in student and teacher grants. It’s a win, win, win.”
Tom Hall, physics teacher at Amador Valley High School, was happy to attend to show his support for PPIE because the money raised at the event directly impacts his students.
“I love having all these people here supporting our schools,” said Hall, who was also one of the evening’s food judges. “I see the results in my classroom. My students apply for the grants every year and it means so much to them when they receive one.”
Linda Bourland, who has daughters at Donlon and Hart, attended the event for the first time with her sister, Nancy McKain, and both were amazed at the food offerings and the size of the crowd. Bourland, who owns Serenity Stoneworks on Main Street, donated an outdoor fountain for the event’s silent auction.
“This event is so much fun. It really has a nice flare to it,” Bourland said.
When Pat Peck, owner of Bibiane Bakery, was asked to participate in the event, it was an easy answer. She was eager to showcase the talents of her pastry chef, Amy Fitzsimons, who joined her bakery after working in Bacar’s Restaurant in San Francisco, and to support PPIE.
“Amy’s the creative genius,” Peck said, adding that their offering Saturday evening, a white chocolate banana bread pudding, is one of Fitzsimon’s signature desserts.
Three awards were given. The winner in the savory category was pan-seared duck with pomegranate sauce, prepared by chefs Faz Poursohi and Michele Bouvia of FAZ Restaurant. The winner in the sweet category was the pumpkin mousse with rum sauce by chef Lydia Fitch of Jeffrey’s Catering. The people’s choice award also went to FAZ restaurant.
