The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation – the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization – and prominent food writer David Hagedorn announce the return of Chefs for Equality on Monday, October 30, 2023, at the National Building Museum. Now in its 10th year, the evening of extraordinary food, drink, and entertainment, in addition to live and silent auctions, supports the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s nationwide educational work and its fight for full LGBTQ+ equality.
“At Chefs for Equality, over 150 of Washington D.C.’s greatest chefs, bakers and mixologists create spectacular food and drinks in the name of full LGBTQ+ equality. This year’s theme, Plate of Emergency, calls attention to the state of emergency that the Human Rights Campaign has officially declared because of intensified attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender and non-binary people. The chef community stands at the ready to turn up the heat and fight even harder to protect and promote equality,” said David Hagedorn.
“It is so exciting to have DC’s top culinary and mixology talents come together in support of HRC Foundation’s work,” said Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson. “LGBTQ+ Americans are navigating a national state of emergency, facing an all out assault on our basic rights. From access to necessary health care to feeling safe and supported at work and in our communities, anti-LGBTQ+ extremists are working to limit our freedoms and push us back into the closet. We need to fight back with full force against these injustices and continue to support impactful initiatives that expand equity and equality for all.”
As they have since the event’s inception in 2012, Christopher Vazquez and Rick Davis of Amaryllis Floral + Event Design will transform the Chefs for Equality venue into a wonderland that will feature 40 savory tasting stations and 20 crafted cocktail bars headed by renowned chefs and mixologists from the Greater D.C. area. The jewels of the Chefs for Equality crown are the 13 personal chef tables — each decorated to the hilt with a unique theme and providing an opportunity to dine with celebrity chefs for a lavish five-course meal in the middle of the action. The DMV area’s top pastry chefs prepare stunning show-piece cakes that will adorn the museum, and guests can sample these delectable pastries towards the end of the evening before heading out with a curated limited-edition goody bag chock-full of culinary goodies. In addition to impressive fare, live and silent auctions are also held.
New additions this year:
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Speed Diner meets Drag Brunch – An interactive entertainment experience where guests can purchase a time slot for a seat at the diner where they’ll enjoy brunch-inspired bites, a specialty cocktail, and an exclusive drag performance curated by Crazy Aunt Helen’s.
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Queerlada Shop – A cafe in the middle of the action featuring Latin-inspired savory dishes, pastries and libations curated by the popular D.C.-based Colada Shop Cuban Cafe & Bar.
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Private Upper Tier Champagne & Caviar Lounge – This exclusive Chefs for Equality activation, on the second floor of the Building Museum, features select restaurant partners, Champagne, caviar, lounge seating and more.
All proceeds will benefit the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s nationwide educational work for LGBTQ+ equality. The HRC Foundation works to educate the public and provides training and model policies that alter the fundamental nature of the institutions governing the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people everywhere.
Tickets for Chefs for Equality can be purchased at hrc.im/ChefsTickets. The full list of participating chefs, pastry chefs, bakers, and mixologists can be found at ChefsForEquality.org.
Whitman-Walker 37th Annual Walk To End HIV & Open House of New Max Robinson Center
Saturday, October 21, 2023
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Gateway DC Pavilion
2700 Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE
Washington, DC 20032
The Walk to End HIV is more than just a fundraiser at Whitman-Walker. The Walk symbolizes our continued efforts to find a cure for HIV and to stop the stigma surrounding HIV. This fight will take the entire community’s support and commitment.
This year’s walk attendees will also be able to take a tour of our brand-new Max Robinson Center. Named for acclaimed TV anchor Max Robinson, our new Max Robinson Center will be a healthcare home and state of the art research center where we will be able to serve an additional 10,000 patients per year. The New Max will bring much needed health and wellness services to the residents of DC and we’re so excited to share it with you. LINK
Capital Food Fight returns to The Anthem on Thursday, November 9th for the 19th installment of DC Central Kitchen’s raucous night of fighting hunger. Tickets to this year’s event, presented by Instacart, at capitalfoodfight.org.
First hosted in 2004 by DC Central Kitchen’s long-time volunteer and Board Chair Emeritus José Andrés, Capital Food Fight has long been the must-attend event of food lovers, TV stars, and philanthropists alike. Executive Chef & Co-Owner of Money Muscle BBQ/All Set/Fryer’s Roadside Ed Reavis, Chef Rachel Bindel of 101 Hospitality Group (Michele’s, Gravitas, Bakers Daughter), Executive Chef of dLeña Carlos Camacho, and Estuary’s Chef de Cuisine Ria Montes join a storied list of notable chefs who have faced off in head-to-head culinary challenge on the main stage featuring a spotlighted ingredient. Each dish will be judged by a panel of culinary icons, including Top Chef’s lead judge, restaurateur, and James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio; restaurateur, Iron Chef America champion, and star of truTV’s Fast Foodies Justin Sutherland, retired Washington Nationals All-Star Ryan Zimmerman, and more!
Celebrity chef and DC-based restaurateur, Spike Mendelsohn, Chef Andrés, and local media personality Tommy McFly return as the evening’s hosts and emcee, respectively, to keep things rocking from the main stage with one of DC’s most in-demand performers, DJ Neekola, on the decks all night long as attendees feast on delicious bites from more than 80 of the DMV’s best restaurants.
Tickets are available for purchase at www.capitalfoodfight.org General admission tickets are $325, with VIP access going for $550. VIP ticket holders will have exclusive access to the second floor with balcony seating and full open bar. All proceeds from the event, including donations and silent auction, go to support DC Central Kitchen’s award-winning solutions to hunger and poverty in Washington, DC, from providing culinary job training to serving scratch-cooked school meals to delivering fresh fruits and vegetables at deep discounts to small corner stores across city.
Special thanks to the 2023 Capital Food Fight Presenting Sponsor, Instacart, along with Showcase Sponsors CoBank, Lineage Logistics, and Wegmans, which will also be stocking this year’s on-stage pantry. The battling chefs will be highlighting special ingredients provided by Wegmans, Keany Produce, and AUI Fine Foods. Further appreciation goes to our Executive Chef Sponsors Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clark Construction, RTX, Wells Fargo, Vox Media, and Appliances A Better Way (ABW), and Sous Chef Sponsors Bank of America, DoorDash and Geico. For a full list of 2023 sponsors and information on remaining availability, please visit capitalfoodfight.org/sponsors.
Capital Food Fight is a 21 and older event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.capitalfoodfight.org
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2–3, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
National Mall
Make your holiday shopping special and support more than 30 award-winning Indigenous artists. Visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and enjoy the museum’s annual Native Art Market.
This weekend event invites lovers of art and craftsmanship to meet Indigenous artists and learn about traditional arts and contemporary Native creativity. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to purchase handcrafted artworks, including beadwork, jewelry, paintings, photography, pottery, and sculpture.
Enjoy an electrifying performance by QVLN playing his own brand of dynamic world music on his blue violin. Throughout the day, DJ Sunny Z soundtracks your shopping spree.
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2–3, 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
National Mall
Make your holiday shopping special and support more than 30 award-winning Indigenous artists. Visit the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and enjoy the museum’s annual Native Art Market.
This weekend event invites lovers of art and craftsmanship to meet Indigenous artists and learn about traditional arts and contemporary Native creativity. Visitors will have the unique opportunity to purchase handcrafted artworks, including beadwork, jewelry, paintings, photography, pottery, and sculpture.
Enjoy an electrifying performance by QVLN playing his own brand of dynamic world music on his blue violin. Throughout the day, DJ Sunny Z soundtracks your shopping spree.
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art has announced its 2024 family festival commemorating Lunar New Year, a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. The event takes place Feb. 3, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. It is free and open to the public.
This year’s Lunar New Year festival will celebrate the year of the dragon. It will consist of performances, talks, tours, hands-on activities and more. The full schedule is available online. The museum also offers many resources to learn about Lunar New Year on its website such as virtual tours of related collections, lesson plans and webinars.
About Lunar New Year
Commonly known as the Spring Festival in China, Lunar New Year is a 15-day celebration marked by many traditions. The Lunar New Year’s Eve reunion dinner is the highlight that kicks off the holiday, a feast with a spread of symbolic dishes, such as a whole fish representing abundance, that bring good luck and fortune. The 15th and final day of the holiday is the Lantern Festival, during which people have tangyuan, or sweet glutinous rice balls, and children carry lanterns around the neighborhood at night to mark the end of the celebration.
In the Chinese zodiac, 2024 is the year of the dragon. Different regions across Asia celebrate Lunar New Year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac. Many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders do not observe the Chinese/lunar zodiac.
Hong Kong-inspired Tiger Fork in Blagden Alley is once again celebrating Lunar New Year (year of the Dragon) from February 9 through February 18. Tiger Fork will serve of a special a la carte menu of symbolic Cantonese dishes for both dine-in and takeout, each representing a specific virtue to bring good luck for the coming year. And during dinner service on two Saturdays, February 10 & 17, the festive restaurant will host traditional Lion Dancers, performing ceremonies to bring prosperity and good fortune in 2024.
In addition to most of Tiger Fork’s regular menu offerings, Executive Chef Simon Lam has created several dish specials, each designed to bring good luck in the New Year (traditional examples include dumplings symbolizing wealth, noodles for long life, and fish bringing surplus). Available either a la carte (ranging from $9-$35) or as a tasting menu for two ($136), dishes include:
Pork Dumplings (wealth)
Napa cabbage, edamame puree, herb oil
Jian Diu (togetherness)
fried glutinous rice sesame balls
Yu Sheng (prosperity)
noodles, seasonal vegetables, sea urchin, fish roe
Yu (abundance)
steamed whole fish, soy fish broth, aromatic herbs
Year of the Dragon (luck)
battered lobster, soy gravy, pan fried egg noodles
Throughout the celebration, dine-in guests will receive a traditional red envelope with their checks. During Lunar New Year, bright red envelopes are traditionally gifted to friends and family. Guests can fill them with money, gifted to symbolize good wishes and luck for the new year ahead.
And traditional Chinese lion dancers from Tai Yim Kung Fu will perform on several nights during dinner service (Sat. February 10 at 7:30pm, and Sat. February 17 at 5pm and 7pm) for guests in the dining room and just outside the restaurant in historic Blagden Alley — a customary ceremony which signifies prosperity, luck and good fortune.
Tiger Fork’s Lunar New Year specials will all be available for dine-in, and some for takeout/delivery.
WHEN: Food Specials: Friday, February 9 through Sunday, February 18 (food specials)
Lion Dancing: Saturday, February 10 (7:30pm) and Saturday, February 17 (5pm, 7pm)
WHERE: Tiger Fork
922 N Street NW
Rumble will host a “Love Yourself Open House“ on Sunday, February 11 offering free classes, giveaways, samples from wellness lifestyle partners and a chance to meet the owners. Box and Flow, a new specialty class combining the classic 45 minute Rumble class with 30 minutes of yoga will be offered at 1pm. First-timers will enjoy their first class on Rumble and can continue their fitness journey with a 24% discount on their first month membership and special offers on class packs.
Established in 2017, Rumble delivers 45-minute, 10-round, full-body strength and conditioning workouts centered around specially designed water-filled, teardrop-style boxing bags. Originating in the heart of Chelsea, New York City, Rumble has expanded to numerous cities, including Los Angeles, Denver, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington DC.
Find more information about Rumble Boxing DC here , Rumble Boxing Ashburn here, Rumble Boxing Falls Church here, Rumble Boxing Courthouse here and Rumble Boxing Philadelphia here.
Hong Kong-inspired Tiger Fork in Blagden Alley is once again celebrating Lunar New Year (year of the Dragon) from February 9 through February 18. Tiger Fork will serve of a special a la carte menu of symbolic Cantonese dishes for both dine-in and takeout, each representing a specific virtue to bring good luck for the coming year. And during dinner service on two Saturdays, February 10 & 17, the festive restaurant will host traditional Lion Dancers, performing ceremonies to bring prosperity and good fortune in 2024.
In addition to most of Tiger Fork’s regular menu offerings, Executive Chef Simon Lam has created several dish specials, each designed to bring good luck in the New Year (traditional examples include dumplings symbolizing wealth, noodles for long life, and fish bringing surplus). Available either a la carte (ranging from $9-$35) or as a tasting menu for two ($136), dishes include:
Pork Dumplings (wealth)
Napa cabbage, edamame puree, herb oil
Jian Diu (togetherness)
fried glutinous rice sesame balls
Yu Sheng (prosperity)
noodles, seasonal vegetables, sea urchin, fish roe
Yu (abundance)
steamed whole fish, soy fish broth, aromatic herbs
Year of the Dragon (luck)
battered lobster, soy gravy, pan fried egg noodles
Throughout the celebration, dine-in guests will receive a traditional red envelope with their checks. During Lunar New Year, bright red envelopes are traditionally gifted to friends and family. Guests can fill them with money, gifted to symbolize good wishes and luck for the new year ahead.
And traditional Chinese lion dancers from Tai Yim Kung Fu will perform on several nights during dinner service (Sat. February 10 at 7:30pm, and Sat. February 17 at 5pm and 7pm) for guests in the dining room and just outside the restaurant in historic Blagden Alley — a customary ceremony which signifies prosperity, luck and good fortune.
Tiger Fork’s Lunar New Year specials will all be available for dine-in, and some for takeout/delivery.
WHEN: Food Specials: Friday, February 9 through Sunday, February 18 (food specials)
Lion Dancing: Saturday, February 10 (7:30pm) and Saturday, February 17 (5pm, 7pm)
WHERE: Tiger Fork
922 N Street NW
