For the second year in a row, our premier restaurant Twist will be hosting the Celebrity Chef Tour, benefiting the James Beard House Foundation, this time featuring the big-time talents of award-winning Chef Nate Appleman. This exclusive dinner will be held on September 11, 2008.

James Beard, for the uninitiated, is one of the legendary American chefs of the last century (yes, I’m ancient, I get it). His friends established this foundation in the hope of ensuring a continuing legacy of excellence in the American culinary arts. The foundation has grown tremendously over the last few decades and, in 2004, launched the Celebrity Chef Tour, offering people a chance at a “once-in-a-lifetime” dinner prepared by the foremost culinary masters in the nation.

Chef Appleman is currently Executive Chef and part-owner at the San Francisco restaurant A16. The evening will feature at least five (possibly seven) courses, each paired with a select wine from Souverain Winery, and while he hasn’t yet revealed his menu, Appleman’s specialties include rustic fare from Italy, cured meats, and wood-burning ovens so you better believe this is going to be good.

I can’t quite express how much fun we had at the last James Beard House event we hosted (we had some excitement caused by California forest fires – ask me about it sometime) and I just know this time’s going to be even better!

Co-hosted by our own illustrious Chef Elie Chow, the dinner starts promptly at 7:00 pm and tickets are available for $175.00 per person, with proceeds going to the James Beard Foundation. Buy tickets here. For more information, call 720-201-1853 or check out their website at www.celebritycheftour.com.

Hope to see you all there!

This is Bruce, signing off.