Casa Pacifica’s 9th Annual Yummie Top Chef Dinner Finds Success At New Venue

Moorpark, CA – The 9^th Annual Yummie Top Chef Dinner moved to Rancho De Las Palmas in Moorpark, standing alone and separate from the annual Casa Pacifica Angels Wine, Food & Brew Festival for the first time. The sold-out, ‘Under the Tuscan Stars’-themed dinner, held on Friday, May 13^th, as usual, brought together some of Casa Pacifica’s previous Yummie Culinary Competition winners – our region’s top chefs – to create an unforgettable epicurean event. Retired Sheriff Geoff Dean returned as emcee of the Dinner’ festivities, and continued his reign as a crowd favorite with his humor and passion for Casa Pacifica’s cause of helping foster and at-risk youth.
 
The showcased chefs cooked up incredible dishes for more than 225 guests to enjoy, and together with the winemakers shared special details of their creations. 
 
A wonderfully warm evening offered the perfect backdrop as guests arrived at the Yummie Top Chef Dinner. Following a cocktail hour, guests were treated to the first culinary treat of the night –  Ahi Tuna Tartare by Chef Nic Manocchio of University Auxiliary Services CSUCI, which were complemented with Rocks & Drams’ specialty cocktails – an Old Fashioned and a Coconut Cucumber Spritz – and Institution Ale Co.’s RX Pils, winner of Casa Pacifica’s 2022 Best in Fest Brewery Competition.
 
Guests bid through the night on live and silent auction items that included sporting event packages, a helicopter tour, private chef dinners in your home, wine baskets, fine jewelry, special getaways, and more. A highlight of the silent auction was beautiful paintings, tiles and jewelry– all designed and handmade by kids at Casa Pacifica. All proceeds from auctioned art pieces went directly to Casa Pacifica’s recreational therapy department.
 
To kick-off the sit-down portion of the dinner, hosts Hugh and Keets Cassar of The Cassar Family, gave a warm welcome and led guests in a cheerful toast to Casa Pacifica.
 
Following the appetizer, guests first enjoyed a beautifully prepared Duck Confit Salad presented by Chef Nic Manocchio of University Auxiliary Services, CSUCI, with blood orange vanilla bean vinaigrette, radicchio, fennel, arugula, dried cherries, and Point Reyes blue cheese. The salad was paired with Brassfield Estate Winery’s lovely 2019 Pinot Gris.
 
The third course, Local Red Snapper, was prepared by Chef Jason Collis, Vice President of World Central Kitchen, and featured a delicious Catalan saffron tomato sauce finished with ground almonds and garlic. The Red Snapper was paired with Magnavino Cellars’ excellent 2018 Reserve Chardonnay.
 
Next, the Intermezzo course cleaned and refreshed guests’ palates with a lovely glass of honeydew and mint infused Prosecco, melon ball, and mint oil. The fifth course followed and presented guests with a beautiful Lamb Risotto by Chef Alex Montoya of Water’s Edge and Waterside restaurants, comprised of flavorful sumac-braised lamb shoulder, parmesan risotto, chimichurri butter and micro greens. The Ojai Vineyard’s 2018 John Sebastiano Grenache boldly accompanied the course. 
 
The sixth and main course featured incredible Korean BBQ Short Ribs by Chef Alex Castillo of Latitude 34 – slow roasted ribs, brushed with a flavorful sweet and spicy sauce, served over steamed Calrose rice. Opolo Vineyard’s 2020 Mountain Zinfandel was a perfect pairing to the course.
 
And finally, course seven offered an irresistible dessert trio of a citrus infused Mascarpone Mousse Mini Chocolate Tart, by Chef Julia San Bartolome of Sweet Arleen’s; a smooth Pistachio Cookie Butter Gelato, created by Chef Alex Montoya representing Honey Cup Coffee House & Creamery; and a tangy, sweet Lemon Drop Crunch Mini Cupcake, by Missy Drayton of Missy’s Cupcake Creations. Dessert also included drinks from The Cappuccino Express and a unique Rocks & Drams’ Tiny Teeling Martini made with Teeling Irish Whiskey Small Batch, espresso, and spiced Demerara Cane.
 
A lively live auction interspersed throughout the courses and an informative update from Casa Pacifica CEO Shawna Morris punctuated the evening – the live auction offering a sunset helicopter tour of the Ventura County coastline; a charming overnight getaway to the ForFriends Inn in the Santa Ynez Valley, a four-day stay in a lovely Big Bear view home, Dodger dugout tickets for four for a game in May, a 20-person suite at Crypto.com Arena for either a Clippers or Kings game next season, and a private dinner for 12 guests with Chef Nic Manocchio.
 
A special surprise appearance by “The Three Waiters” brought joyful, fun, and enthusiastic crowd-pleasing entertainment to the evening’s events.
 
The highlight of the night, however, was a moving and beautiful presentation by a young man living in Casa Pacifica’s Transitional Youth Services housing program – detailing the difficult path his life had traversed to this point, and crediting Casa Pacifica and its amazing staff for not only saving his life, but for setting him on a path toward his dreams, filled with hope and confidence.
 
The Cassar Family returned as Hosts of the Dinner and were joined by other sponsors who included: Michelin Sponsors: Susan Burgos and Rancho de las Palmas; Five Star Sponsor: Nevers, Palazzo, Packard, Wildermuth & Wynner, PC; Epicurean Sponsors: Timothy W. Bradley and Oakmont of Agoura Hills; Top Chef Sponsors: The Cook Family, Montecito Bank & Trust, Porta Stor, and Procter & Gamble; Master Sommelier Sponsors: Bill & Jewell Gerald Powell, Cellar Masters, Coast General Insurance Brokers, Masako & Kevin Nunn, Oak Asset Management, S.L. Leonard & Associates, Steve Elson, Ph.D., and Heidi & Mike Whitcomb.
 
All proceeds from the Yummie Top Chef Dinner directly support Casa Pacifica’s vital programs and services serving vulnerable children, youth, and their families.
 
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Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families is a crisis-care and residential treatment facility for foster or at-risk children in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The agency is the largest non-profit provider of children’s mental health services in both counties and administers a number of community-based programs designed to strengthen families and keep children in their homes and communities. Casa Pacifica is also a foster family agency, which recruits and trains families for potential placement with a foster youth. For more information about Casa Pacifica visit its website www.casapacifica.org or call the Development & Public Relations Department at (805) 445-7800.
 
Casa Pacifica’s mission: A life worth living - Casa Pacifica inspires hope and nurtures mental health and well-being of children, young adults, and families to realize their full potential