Behind The Scenes at Edible Schoolyard NYC’s 2017 Spring Benefit
Edible Schoolyard NYC held its annual Spring Benefit at Metropolitan West last night, bringing together 25 of the world’s most sought-after chefs and notable guests from the worlds of food, fashion, finance, art, and more.
Edible Schoolyard NYC is nonprofit that works “to transform the hearts, minds, and eating habits of young New Yorkers through a seed-to-table education” that is integrated into public schools. Children who participate in Edible Schoolyard NYC’s “edible education” help grow edible gardens on site at their school, which turn supplies its cafeteria with fresh, seasonal produce. Founded by revered Bay Area chef Alice Waters, its mission is to kids into the dirt in order to teach them about the value of gardens and healthy eating at an age when they need it most– a mission that Garden Collage is always proud to support.
The annual benefit is one of Edible Schoolyard NYC’s most exciting fundraisers, and this year, they raised over $1 million to support edible education in New York City.
Last night’s event featured a hand-picked selection of some of the world’s top chefs, including David Chang, Ruth Rogers, April Bloomfield, Danny Bowien, and more. The chef’s cooked an amazing seasonal meal for individual tables of esteemed guests, which this year included “The Blacklist”‘s Megan Boone, J. Crew’s Jenna Lyons, GQ Editor in Chief Jim Nelson, and many, many others.
Flowers, fruits, and other seasonal greenery was also on display amid the decor, which included fresh ivy and kumquat trees intricately styled by event designer Bronson Van Wyck of Van Wyck & Van Wyck. Dinner at every table was (of course) excellent, featuring an array of superfood and farm-fresh ingredients, from sea buckthorn-infused oysters to eggplant-infused icecream. Check out more behind-the-scenes glimpses of ESNYC’s beautiful event, below.
We hope to see you at next year’s benefit!
For more information on Edible Schoolyard NYC, visit the organization’s website. Check out our coverage of last year’s benefit here.
