Proceeds to Benefit the Lucy Daniels Center

Before the first chefs have even fired up the stove or plated a dish, organizers of the inaugural Cooking for a Classic have announced that more than 800 tickets have already been sold for this competition featuring 16 local chefs battling tournament-style to win a classic 1969 Corvette Stingray. Due to the generosity of sponsors offering more than $75,000 in in-kind donations, all proceeds from the event will benefit the Lucy Daniels Center.

The event will kick off Feb. 20 at 1705 Prime (1705 E. Millbrook Road) in Raleigh and continue through March until the champion is crowned. Individual tickets for each battle, starting at just $50 for the first round, are still available for purchase at www.cookingforaclassic.com. Companies or groups may also purchase tables of eight for these unique dining experiences. Each chef will present a three-course small-plate menu plus a signature cocktail, wine or beer pairing for each course. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a 6:30 seating for each event.

First-round chef pairings are as follows:

Feb. 20

Dean Thompson/Flights, Raleigh vs. Rich Carter/Catering Works, Raleigh

Feb. 21

Donaldo Guzman/Sitti, Raleigh vs. Nick Fay/Vidrio, Raleigh

Feb. 22

Scott James/The Angus Barn, Raleigh vs. Eric Gephart/Kamado Joe, Raleigh

Feb. 27

Timothy Bocholis/Bistro B Tapas, Kernersville vs. Trey Cleveland/Top of The Hill, Chapel Hill

Feb. 28

Clark Barlowe/Heirloom, Charlotte vs. James Patterson/Sedgefield Country Club, Greensboro

March 1

Jonathan Ballard/Sassool, Raleigh vs. Tom Havrish/Lugano Ristorante, Cary

March 6

Adam Pettigrew/Pup's Steakhouse, Wilson vs. Teddy Klopf/Provenance, Raleigh

March 7

Troy Stauffer/City Club, Raleigh vs. RJ St. John/Bull McCabe’s, Durham

The Lucy Daniels Center is a therapeutic education setting and mental health treatment facility for children of preschool- through elementary-school age.

“Every dollar raised from this event will help the kids,” said Don Rosenblitt, executive director of the Lucy Daniels Center. “For example, the cost of two first-round tickets pays for one therapy visit for a child dealing with grief, loss, anxiety or other issues. Four tickets pay for a SecurePath therapist to visit a child and her family at home. The purchase of one table for a night pays for school supplies for a child for an entire year.”

Sponsors of Cooking for a Classic include Rocky Top Hospitality, WRAL Out & About and MOJO Performance Partners. In-kind sponsors include ALSCO, F8 Photo Studios, FreshPoint Produce, Inland Seafood, Libbey, Bauscher Hepp, Jen Rhoton Designs, Locals Seafood, Long Beverage, Prestige Farms, Spin NC, TOPO Spirits, United Restaurant Equipment, and US Foods.

For more information about Cooking for a Classic, visit www.cookingforaclassic.com. To learn more about the Lucy Daniels Center, visit www.lucydanielscenter.org.