San Diego

Bites & Books: San Diego Chefs Whip Up Dishes Inspired by Favorite Reads

“Eat. Drink. Read.” is an annual fundraiser hosted by the San Diego Council on Literacy in support of the organization’s network of literacy programs serving 179,000+ residents across the county

A group of top-notch San Diego chefs will whip up dishes inspired by their favorite books at a unique fundraiser next month in support of literacy in our county.

“Eat. Read. Drink.” is an annual fundraiser presented by the San Diego Council on Literacy (SDCOL) Thursday, May 2, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park.

The event has appeal for both foodies and bookworms: chefs are tasked with creating dishes inspired by their most beloved literary tales and attendees are tasked with tasting those bites.

A panel of judges will decide which dishes win categories like “Best Dessert” and “Best Display,” and there will also be a “People’s Choice” award.

Eat-Drink-Read-2
Courtesy of San Diego Council on Literacy
This San Diego fundraiser fuses two tastes: those of foodies and bookworms.

Organizers say this year’s participating chefs will hail from San Diego favorites like Waypoint Public, Galaxy Taco and Pehoe’s, to name a few. There will also be local brewers, distillers and winemakers pouring samples for attendees.

The best part is proceeds from ticket sales – which cost $75 per person – will support the SDCOL’s network of 29 no-cost literacy programs serving more than 179,000 residents across San Diego. Tickets can be purchased here.

Jose Cruz, CEO of SDCOL, said in a press release that 560,000 adults in San Diego have difficulty reading; most are native English speakers. Their below-standard level of literacy adversely impacts their children. SDCOL’s programs and resources help improve literacy programs year-round for locals of all ages.

This chapter of “Eat.Read.Drink.” marks the event’s 10th anniversary. In past years, chefs have been inspired in the kitchen by classics like “The Adventures of Pinocchio,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” and “Alice in Wonderland.”

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