Signature Chefs

Feeding
Motherhood

Kate Leib
| (571) 257-2309 Kate Leib

Thank you for supporting
Signature Chefs Auction - Washington, D.C.

DATE: Tuesday, September 26, 2023  |  TIME: 6 p.m.
LOCATION: Marriott Marquis
ADDRESS: 901 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
 

For more information please contact Kate Leib (571)-257-2309

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FUND THE MISSION

event description image

Event description

The chefs, volunteers and guests who make up our Signature Chefs Events community are coming together in new, innovative ways to suport moms and babies this year.

We are following state mandated guidelines in response to COVID-19 and will not have an in-person event this year. So, we are preparing an exciting, new Virtual Gala for your 2020 March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction experience!

We need your help now more than ever. Your support funds:

  • COVID-19 interventions and support for moms and babies
  • Programs that promote health equity for moms and babies and directly combat racial disparities in maternal and child health
  • Free virtual NICU support program for families
  • Virtual prenatal programs for moms-to-be
  • Educational programs, including live Facebook panel discussions, to get info into the hands of moms and families
  • Necessary supplies for expectant mothers including blood pressure cuffs and masks and so much more!

Support the mission

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. Your gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

Make a Contribution

Become a sponsor

Every year, 15 million babies are born prematurely worldwide, and 1 million will die before their first birthday. Your gift helps the March of Dimes fund research, education, advocacy and programs that help more moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies.

Local Contact Person, Region
[email protected] | Phone # Contact Us

EVENT DETAILS

Join us for our annual gathering of the area’s finest culinary talent in support of the March of Dimes. Upon arrival, you will enjoy the chance to sample our chefs’ creations for a 90-minute tasting experience before taking your seat for the Live Auction and Fund the Mission. Enjoy dessert while you bid on our unique packages, raising your paddle, and giving generously to help babies.

EVENT CHAIR

GRACELYN A. MCDERMOTT
Kaiser

Gracelyn A. McDermott, Vice President of Marketing Sales and Business Development at Kaiser Permanente of the Mid-Atlantic States is an innovative and diverse executive with over 20 years’ experience in Project, Program and Sales & Account Management.  

Gracelyn’s professional career includes sales, operations and information technology leadership in the health care environment.  Prior to joining KP, Ms. McDermott served as Vice President of Accrediting & Client Services at URAC, an independent health care accrediting organization.  In this role, she oversaw all aspects of the accreditation process from applicant preparation and submission through to the independent accreditation decision.  Ms. McDermott also served as the Director, Specimen Administration for Ameritox, LLC, formerly a leader in pain medication monitoring, offering laboratory services and practice management tools to help clinicians coordinate and optimize the care of chronic pain patients.  In this capacity, she built a new department within the organization, providing management oversight of over 350 Specimen Processors and 50 Third Party Collection sites. 

Ms. McDermott holds a M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD.  She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a member of Leadership Maryland, Class of 2018.  She is currently serving as Chair for the Maryland Chamber of Commerce; and, as Chair of the Board of Trustees for her undergraduate alma mater, Mount Saint Mary’s University.  She is also a Board Member for Vehicles for Change, Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce, and the Excellence in Education Foundation for PGCPS, Inc.  She resides in Mount Airy, MD with her husband and two daughters.

Honorary Chef

Under 101 Hospitality restaurant group, Matt Baker owns and operates Gravitas, a New American fine dining establishment in Washington D.C.’s Ivy City neighborhood, Baker’s Daughter, a café and market with three locations in the Nation’s Capital and Michele's, a uniquely American dining experience at the Eaton DC in downtown Washington that reflects the chef's upbringing among the international flavors of Houston and New Orleans.

What sets Chef Matt apart from others in his field is his consistent passion for cuisine, hospitality and all things indulgent. His obsession started at an early age. Growing up in Houston, Chef Matt and his family would scour all corners of the city in search of traditional tex mex and fresh tortillas, travel miles for the best new BBQ spot, taste, explore, and fall in love with the vibrant and diverse ethnic food scene, so ubiquitous in this southern town. During semi-annual trips to Detroit, he was always the first of his cousins to assist his grandma with preparing cookies and pies for holiday celebrations. This led to an enthusiastic enrollment at Johnson & Wales University in Miami.

After doing the industry rounds in some of the best restaurants in South Beach, in 2009, he travelled to Singapore as the opening Executive Chef of Krish. It was at Krish that Chef Matt began making a name for himself in the kitchen, being named by Time as “The Country's Hottest Chef".

In 2015, Zagat named Chef Matt in its “Top 30 under 30 listing”, and in anticipation of the forthcoming Gravitas, Chef Matt and his restaurant was frequently named as one of the most eagerly-awaited openings by local and national publications, including: Zagat, Tasting Table, Washington City Paper, Washingtonian, and BYT. In 2020 and 2021, Chef Matt was awarded the coveted Michelin star for his work at Gravitas and continues to lure diners to Ivy City with his gorgeous and thoughtful food, space, and service.

Chef Matt works tirelessly to positively influence the Washington, DC area through his continuous support of numerous charities and not-for-profits, such as the Foundation to Eradicate Duchenne, Charity off the Hook, No Kid Hungry (Share Our Strength) and March of Dimes.
 
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Thank you to our 2023 Signature Chefs!

Gravitas/ Micheles, Chef Matt Baker
Primrose, Chef Oliver Friendly
Barrel/ The Eastern/ Union Pub, Chef Walfer Hernandez
McClellan's Retreat, Brian Nixon
Shilling Canning Company, Chef Reid Shilling
Yotel, Chef Danny Chavez
Harvey's, Chef Thomas Harvey
King & Rye / The Study, Chef Tomas Chavarria
Thompson Italian            
Unconventional Diner    
Money Muscle BBQ       
All Set Restaurant & Bar
Myron Mixon Pittmaster BBQ    
Side Door Pizza 
Inca Social          
Shababi Palestinian Chicken, Chef Marcelle Afram
Taco Bamba, Chef Victor Albisu

FUND THE MISSION

Nearly half a million babies in the U.S. are born prematurely or with birth defects each year.  Premature birth and its complications are the largest contributors to infant death in the United States and globally.  Fund the Mission gifts are 100% tax deductible and direct contributions to help the March of Dimes advocate for policies that prioritize the health of moms and babies, fund scientific research at our Prematurity Research Centers, and provide resources and programs to help moms before, during and after pregnancy.  During the program there will be an opportunity to make a Fund The Mission donation. Please join the March of Dimes in the fight for healthy moms and strong babies. 

Our Sponsors

Our Sponsor

View our updated event acknowledgements and waivers here.

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