Events/Things To Do

WHAT: Embassy chefs from around the world will gather for the 2017 Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge presented by TCMA (A Drew Company), to showcase the unique flavors of their countries in a friendly, delicious culinary competition. With more than 30 embassies participating, this year’s event offers attendees a global culinary experience unmatched in Washington DC.

Attendees will have the opportunity to sample a sip and bite from all participating embassy chefs, and cast their votes for the People’s Choice award. The winner will be announced alongside the Judges’ Choice – selected by a group of elite members of the worlds of diplomacy, culture and the culinary arts, who will critique each dish and beverage before placing their votes.

The Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge not only encourages culinary diplomacy, but also celebrates the arts of many cultures and highlights some of the area’s amazing musicians, dancers and singers. In years’ past, performances have included Bolivian folk dancers, Russian violinists, Chinese dancers and Brazilian samba artists. This year’s event will feature a non-stop range of performances to accompany the delicious food and drink that will be served.

Embassy of Barbados, swept the competition in 2015 winning over the people and the judges, and was the Judges’ Choice winner last year, alongside Peoples’ Choice winner Embassy of the Philippines. Both countries will return to the competition this year to defend their titles and win another coveted golden pineapple.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 24, 2017, 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center

1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW

Washington, DC 20460

WHO: Chefs from every corner of the globe will be competing, including:

PRICE:   General Admission – $65.00
              Includes all the global sips and bites and live entertainment

VIP – $95.00
Includes one-hour early entry to meet chefs, taste their offerings, and network with embassy community elite

For tickets and more information, please visit http://www.eventsdcembassychefchallenge.com/home_2017#tickets

Today, World Central Kitchen opens ticket sales for Dine-N-Dash, the primary annual fundraiser for José Andrés’s international organization focused on smart solutions to hunger and poverty. The June 7 event is a raucous progression with the anticipated participation of more than 30 of Washington, D.C.’s best restaurants, and includes appearances by nationally recognized food celebrities, including Andrew Zimmern.

“We are excited to be having our fifth Dine-N-Dash this year!” Andrés said. “I cannot believe it has already been five years. We have a goal of raising $500,000 for World Central Kitchen, and it is incredible that in our first year we raised $75,000, and now we are hoping to raise a half a million dollars. I am so happy to see how this event has grown.”

Now in its fifth year, Dine-N-Dash aims to raise over $500,000 to support World Central Kitchen’s smart solutions to hunger and poverty, which include food safety and sanitation training, building school kitchens, clean cookstove conversion, and job creation. The D.C.-based brainchild of celebrated chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen operates under the direction of Brian MacNair, mobilizing its Chef Network to tackle issues of poverty and hunger in a growing list of countries that includes Haiti, Cambodia, Zambia, and the Dominican Republic. Chefs like Victor Albisu, Tom Colicchio and Erik Bruner-Yang have travelled with the organization for on-the-ground action and instruction.

“We have a lot of fantastic fundraising events in D.C., but Dine-N-Dash is really something special,” MacNair said. “We don’t hold this in a food hall or event space. We bring our community of supporters into the restaurants to experience not only the chef’s food, but the feel and design of their spaces and the character of the neighborhood. World Central Kitchen is all about connecting a global food community for the betterment of all, and Dine-N-Dash reflects that idea in a really fun way.”

Dine-N-Dash will take place on June 7 from 6-10pm. This year, over 30 restaurants are expected to participate, a huge increase from the six that took part in the event’s first year. Originally located in Penn Quarter, the Charles Schwab-sponsored event is now split evenly between the original neighborhood and the busy 14th Street corridor. Guests select a starting restaurant when they buy a ticket, and from there progress from establishment to establishment at their whim, with each offering a selection of 6-8 dishes and 4-6 drinks. There will be live music at many of the participating restaurants, and a selection of the city’s finest food trucks will ensure that even trips between restaurants will be delicious.

VIP ticketholders will be invited to the VIP–only pre-party pop-up sponsored by MGM National Harbor that brings Andrés’s FISH and the Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse to Penn Quarter at a soon-to-be disclosed location. The pre-party will be hosted by Andrés and attended by celebrity chefs, including Andrew Zimmern and Ted Allen. The pop-up space will open to the public at 7pm.

When: Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Time: 6-10pm

Price: General Admission: $125, VIP: $400

Tickets: Available today at https://dinendash.info/

Participating Restaurants To-Date Include:

• Penn Quarter
  • Bantam King
  • China Chilcano
  • Del Campo
  • Denson
  • Graffiato
  • Jaleo
  • MGM National Harbor Pop-up with Fish by José Andrés and Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse
  • Oyamel
  • Pepe (food truck)
  • Proof
  • Rocklands (food truck)
  • SEI
  • Zaytinya
• 14th Street
  • Black Jack
  • B Too
  • Colada Shop
  • Dangerously Delicious Pies (food truck)
  • Dirty South (food truck)
  • Doi Moi
  • Estadio
  • Ghibellina
  • Lupo Verde
  • Pearl Dive
  • Policy
  • Sotto
  • T Street Block Party with Taqueria Nacional, Colada Shop and Ice Cream Jubilee 

Aloha, Washington! Radiator is bringing Hawaiian flavor to D.C.’s 14^th Street Corridor on Friday, June 23. Aromas of roasted pig in the summer air will direct tiki-lovers to Radiator’s patio for a luau party complete with hula and fire dancing.

For a $50 all-inclusive ticket, on the first official Friday night of summer, Washingtonians can embrace “island time” al fresco with a full tropical spread of Hawaiian classics and frozen tiki favorites. Tommy Bahama shirts, puka shell necklaces, Moana costumes, and comfortable sandals are welcome and strongly encouraged for “hanging ten” in style. Executive Chef Jonathan Dearden will be on the patio firing up his La Caja China with whole roasted pigs. Lead Bartender and native Hawaiian, Sarah Rosner, will be pouring piña coladas and frozen “Eddie Would Go” cocktails with Okolehao (a Hawaiian ti root spirit).

The luau party will be from 5:00-9:00 p.m. Professional Polynesian dancers will be performing hula and fire dancing throughout the evening, with a special dance lesson at 7:00 p.m. for ticket holders.

Tickets are $50, include all food and drink, and can be purchased at this Eventbrite link.

Radiator’s Rotating Rooftop Pop-Up

Shhh…it’s a little D.C. secret that the Kimpton Mason & Rook Hotel has a rooftop. This spring and summer, the Radiator team is popping up on the Mason & Rook rooftop with a different monthly theme. April’s “Cocktail” theme was an ode to the 1988 movie, and May’s “Radiator on the Green” theme was a cheeky take on a rooftop country club. Keeping with the luau love, June will be the month of all things Hawaii. The tiki-themed pop-up begins at 5:00 p.m. every day from June 1-30, 2017.

Park Hyatt Washington D.C. will host a Spring 2017 Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine, a seasonal culinary & beverage experience on Wednesday, June 28.  This culinary gathering salutes the local ingredients and flavors, which inspire our chefs, and the landcrafted raw honey spirits from Caledonia Spirits of Vermont.  This intimate gathering will be hosted on Blue Duck Tavern’s Garden Terrace and will explore the unique qualities of honey, the roles that bees play in our food system, and how Caledonia Spirits has transformed fermented raw honey into their award-winning Barr Hill Gin, Tom Cat Gin, and Barr Hill Vodka.

Tickets are priced at $125 per person (all-inclusive), which includes a three-course, family-style feast (with multiple dishes per course) from Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern’s Executive Chef Troy Knapp, along with a spirit tasting and Barr Hill cocktails provided by Lead Bartender Cole Burger.

Caledonia Spirits is an independent craft distillery located in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, which was inspired by the views from atop the Barr Hill Nature Preserve.  Caledonia Spirits was founded in 2009 with a vision to support working landscapes and local agriculture by making Barr Hill craft spirits from regional raw materials.

WHERE:        Blue Duck Tavern’s Garden Terrace

                        1201 24^th Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20037

WHEN:          Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 6:30 p.m.

HOW:            For additional information or reservations, please contact Marvina Tribbey-Williams by emailing marvina.tribbey-williams@hyatt.com or by calling (202) 419-6620.  Seating is limited for this one-of-a-kind event and advance reservations are required.

On Sunday, August 6^th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, Bastille, located at 606 N. Fayette Street in Old Town Alexandria, opens its patio up to our furry friends.  Paws on the Patio is a family and pet-friendly Sunday afternoon Happy Hour on Bastille’s expansive private patio just a block from the Braddock Metro.

As special guests, Bastille welcomes adoptable doggies from Operation Paws for Homes, who rescue dogs of all breeds and ages from high-kill shelters reducing the numbers being euthanized. Most of their dogs come from rural shelters in South and North Carolina, as well as Virginia. They also partner with local shelters as needed. The organization provides pet adoption services to families located in Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, Southern Pennsylvania and neighboring states.  A portion of the proceeds of Paws on the Patio will be donated to Operation Paws for Homes.  It’s the perfect opportunity to give a forever home to a deserving pet and make a difference to the life of an animal in need.www.ophrescue.org

Bastille’s special menu features $2 off the Happy Hour small plates menu and will include warm marinated olives; house-made hummus and crispy flatbread;           falafel with harissa yogurt; shrimp beignets with spicy guacamole; artisanal cheese or charcuteries board; Galette (Flat bread) BLT; confit tomatoes with bacon, cheddar, fresh basil and shredded lettuce; Virginia grass fed beef *burger on brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, crispy onions.

Happy Hour “Coq-Tails”, wines and beers will also be available.

Capitol City Brewing Company in celebrating the 18^th annual Mid-Atlantic Oktoberfest at Arlington’s Shirlington Village. Oktoberfest is from 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and located at the outdoor streetscape at 4001 Campbell Avenue.

In honor of this tasty holiday Santa Rosa chefs Spike Mendelsohn, Max Albano and John Renninger have each created a limited-edition taco.  On Wednesday, October 4^th diners can order up the Three Amigos Taco Series, which will consist of one of each chef’s specialty taco.

Fried Green Tomato Taco

Cornmeal Fried Green Tomato │ Grilled Corn │ Chipotle Aioli │ Pico │ Cotija

Blackened Shrimp Taco with Pineapple-Kiwi Salsa

Blackened Grilled Shrimp │ Yellow Rice │ Pineapple-Kiwi Salsa │Crema

Steak & Peppers Taco

Grilled Mojo Steak │ Peppers/ Onions │ Jalapeño │ Avocado Crema

The Three Amigos Taco Series will be available for one day only and will be served from open to close (11:00 am – 10:00 pm.)  While enjoying their tacos, guests can also try one of the Santa Rosa’s craft margaritas (on tap,) sip on a seasonal Agua Fresco or order up one of the restaurant’s numerous beers.

To add to the festivities, a Mariachi Band will be on hand from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm playing live music. 

Santa Rosa Taqueria is located at 312 Pennsylvania Ave, SE in Washington, DC.

What:  Pommery Champagne Social

When:  Wednesday, October 4

Time:  6:30-9:30 p.m.

Where:  BRABO Tasting Room. 1600 King Street #200. Alexandria, VA 22314

Details:  BRABO Tasting Room is toasting the end of summer with its annual Pommery Champagne Social! Executive Chef Sebastien Rondier will provide a beautiful spread of hearty appetizers from black arancini with lobster cream to garlic frites as guests enjoy glasses of Pommery’s Champagne offerings, including Cuvée Louise. The evening will be spent al fresco on BRABO Tasting Room’s patio. The wine pours will be paired with passed hors d’oeuvres designed to complement the array of bubbles. Cheers!

Tickets: $85. Tickets include food, beverage, and an evening outdoors exploring Pommery Champagne.

TV personality and entrepreneur Scott Disick will host Sugar Factory American Brasserie’s Grand Opening at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Mall on Thursday, October 12 in Arlington, VA. The candy-themed event will take place from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. Dinner reservations at Sugar Factory are available by calling 703.258.3374 or by visiting OpenTable.com.

WHEN: Thursday, October 12 from 6 – 10 p.m.