The aroma of the Signature Chefs Auction wafting down the Omni escalators alerted 900 guests immediately that things were cooking in the ballroom on Thursday, October 24, for the annual March of Dimes fundraiser. There was something special, though, this year. Perhaps it was because it was gearing up to be a record-breaking total for the event, or perhaps it was because it was in celebration of the March of Dimes’ 75th anniversary. It didn’t matter what the reason was; Co-Chairs Tracy and Jay Bell and Drs. Lisa and David Genecov were bound and determined to blow it out of the park, or in this case, out of the Trinity Ballroom. In fact, they not only succeeded, but the Dallas Signature Chefs Auction was “named No. 1” in the country for the March of Dimes.
Once again veteran Signature Chef chieftain Kent Rathbun rallied his 19 merry chefs (Tim Byres, Smoke; Richard Chamberlain, Chamberlain’s Steak & Chop House / Fish Market Grill; Taylor Kearney, Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse; Kevin Garvin, Neiman Marcus Restaurants; Gilbert Garza, Suze Restaurant; Scott Gottlich, Bijoux; Jeff Harris, Bolsa; Dwight Harvey, Off the Bone Barbeque; David Holben, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House; TJ Lengnick, Shinsei Restaurant; Matt McCallister, FT33; Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Concepts; Abraham Salum, Komali Restaurant/Salum Restaurant; Jim Severson, Sevy’s Grill; Daniel Tarasevich, The Second Floor Bistro & Bar; Nathan Tate, Boulevardier; Anthony Van Camp, SĒR Steak + Spirits; Chris Vogeli, III Forks; and Jason Weaver, Texas Spice) to haul their staffs, foods and talents to help hit the $755,000 mark. As their stations lined the ballroom walls, the chefs went into overdrive like the best fast-food kitchen staff. No sooner had they prepped the little dishes, than the tasty treats were snatched up.
To help with the occasion, bars were set up along with a mammoth VIP suite with its own bar, couches, chairs and table. The rest of the ballroom was brimming with tables and chairs surrounding the stage and extending down the center of the room from the VIP suite to the stage where Hunter Sullivan crooned and charmed. In between songs, the Dallas singer admitted that the season was keeping him busy, but his voice never sounded better.
Just before the auction of marvelous chef packages got underway, longtime Voice of the Dallas Cowboys Brad Sham took the center stage and “paid tribute to longtime volunteers Pauline and the late Dr. Leonard Graivier by announcing the creation of the Dr. Leonard and Pauline Graivier Giving Each Child a Healthy Start in Life Award.” For five decades the Graiviers have been a driving force for the March of Dimes, both locally and nationally. Fittingly the award was presented to the Graiviers by their children (Lisa Barnes, Tracy Bell and Miles Graivier).
Since the Graiviers were on a roll, they and Kent “kicked off the money raising on the stage with the drawing for a surprise package to Atlanta that raised $37,000 alone.
Then it was time for the live auction of the nine packages with a new twist. For the first time the items were available for pre-event bidding thanks to Heritage Auctions. It worked to the tune of $173,000 with the following breakdown:
- Hole-in-One: Chef Matt McCallister, FT33 – $11,000
- The Only Way to Tahoe: Chef Samir Dhurandhar and Chef Taylor Kearney, Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse – $21,000
- Wild Nights at Broseco: Chef Abraham Salum, Komali/Salum – $10,000
- The French Connection: Chef Scott Gottlich, Bijoux – $15,000
- Wine & Dine in Napa Valley: Chef Stephan Pyles, Stephan Pyles Concepts – $25,000
- “Give Them Something to Talk About” New Year’s Eve Party: Chef David Holben, Del Frisco’s Double Steak House – $11,000
- Go Big in the Big D: Chef Jason Weaver, Texas Spice – $9,000
- Kidz Creations Painting: Artist Christopher H. Martin/March of Dimes Ambassador Children – $11,000
- Emerald City Escape: Chef Kent Rathbun, Kent Rathbun Concepts – $60,000
It was the Fund the Mission part of the program that really broke the bank. Drs. Jennifer and Thomas Heffernan told of the birth of their daughter Genevieve Rose, who was born four months early, weighed a mere 15.3 ounces and was “almost exactly the length of a sheet of paper.” Now five years later and thanks to the March of Dimes, Genevieve is not only thriving, she’s the March of Dimes 2013 ambassador child. In honor of her success and in hope for others like her, guests kicked in $185,000.
If you missed this year’s fundraiser for preventing birth defects, premature births and infant mortality, then mark down Thursday, October 30, when the Signatures Chefs Auction will return to the Omni.
* Photo credit: George Fiala Photography