With a packed house and a high-energy vibe, the 2023 Culinary Crossroads Spring Dinner Series closed out a month of collaborative chef dinners on May 1 to benefit the Chef Greg Hardesty Scholarship Fund at Ivy Tech Community College.
“It’s exciting and rewarding to have the Spring Dinner Series continue to deliver on our theme of ‘Great Food, Great Talent and Great Causes,’” said Culinary Crossroads founder and director Larry Dickerson.
This was the third year for the popular dinner series, which takes place at Highland Golf & Country Club in Indianapolis and spotlights some of the area’s top culinary talent. Twelve chefs were featured, with three collaborating on each dinner, and Culinary Crossroads donated $500 in each chef’s name to the scholarship fund.
Many dinner attendees also donated to the fund along with local businesses. Donations were made by Smoking Goose, as well as by Bluebeard restaurant and Kan-Kan Cinema & Brasserie with proceeds from their recent Ramp Fest event. Additionally, Paramount Schools of Excellence will continue to raise funds this year through its Sunday Supper Club dinners.
Overall, the fund should soon top $30,000 and exceed the dinner series goal. The monies will be used to award culinary scholarships at Ivy Tech, with the first awards to be made for the Fall 2023 semester.
“Working with our presenting sponsor, Ivy Tech Community College, and other underwriters, we look forward to continuing this wonderful series for years to come and funding even more scholarships,” said Dickerson.
Thanks again to all of this year’s participating chefs:
Week 1 – Erin Kem, Nicole-Taylor’s Pasta & Market; Tracey Couillard, Ash & Elm Cider Co.; Kathy Jones, Iozzo’s Garden of Italy
Week 2 – Ricky Hatfield, The Prewitt; Esteban Rosas, Milktooth; Allen Smith, The Meridian Restaurant & Bar
Week 3 – Abbi Merriss, Bluebeard; Dean Sample, Foxgardin; Bryan Kanne, Bluebeard
Week 4 – Jonathan Brooks, Beholder; Glenn Brown, The Flatiron at The Point on Penn; Conor Shepherd, Beholder
Thanks also to sommelier Ashlee Nemeth of Tinker Street, our service team and the whole crew at Highland.
