Fundraising is an art, so it’s fitting that Orange County Museum of Art’s 2014 Art of Dining fundraiser on June 7 exceeded expectation.
Presented by Louis Vuitton, this year’s black-tie affair was held on the Bridge of Gardens at South Coast Plaza and included the first ever After Party: Art After Dark. Celebrating excellence in creativity, this year’s gala honored Los Angeles artist Diana Thater and the late Orange County philanthropist and art collector Gerald Buck, two individuals who have contributed significantly to the art world.
The event surpassed the goal, raising more than $460,000. Funds support of the museum’s exhibition and education programs.
The evening kicked off with a reception in the Louis Vuitton boutique and then proceeded to South Coast Plaza’s Garden Terrace, where Hamamori served up
sushi as AnQi passed hors d’oeuvres.
After celebrating the honorees, guests took their seats for a dinner created by celebrated chef Joachim Splichal of The Patina Group.
The four-course menu featured a salad with Little Gem lettuce, olive oil roasted Chioggia beets, toasted kale, pickled fennel, Toy box tomatoes, hazelnut-Cavolo
Nero pesto, Bermuda Triangle goat cheese, and shaved anise; a second course of charred Mediterranean octopus, crisp potato, flat leaf parsley “salsa verde,” mesquite grilled asparagus, piquillo pepper, and pimenton aioli; a third course of prime tenderloin of beef, Idaho 90 potato “marrow bone”, wilted Bloomsdale spinach, and sour cherry – red wine jus.
Dessert was chocolate namelaka, devil’s food cake, raspberry tapioca, fresh raspberries, and mascarpone cream.
Following dinner, Art of Dining attendees returned to the Garden Terrace, where they were joined by After Party: Art After Dark partygoers for dancing to the sounds of Side Project – DJ and Drummer while enjoying late night bites provided by Charlie Palmers at Bloomingdales.
The Art of Dining executive committee included Marsha Anderson, Inga Beder, Sally Crockett, Susan Etchandy, Twyla Martin, Irene Martino, Pamela Paul,
Jennifer Segerstrom, and Jennifer Van Bergh.
Honorary executive committee was Valérie Chapoulaud-Floquet and Debra Gunn Downing.
