2006 Event Details
February 11, 2006 • South Shore Cultural Center • Chicago, IL
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Event Overview
For the Love of Chocolate brought Chicago’s top chefs together to turn a Chicago ballroom into a dazzling chocolate wonderland, all to benefit Abby Wodrich, a one-year-old Northwest Indiana girl battling kidney disease, and Children’s Memorial Hospital, where she’s being treated.
The Cause
One-year-old Abby, the daughter of Lisa and David Wodrich, was born nine weeks before her scheduled arrival and one day after the tragic death of her twin sister. Abby was in the neonatal care unit in Indiana, then transferred to Children's Memorial Hospital, where for 16 weeks, the doctors and nurses worked around the clock to help her survive. As a result of an unforeseen twin complication that took the life of her sister and greatly diminished oxygen rich blood to Abby's vital organs, Abby has less than 5% kidney function and is in dire need of a kidney transplant. Her father David has been screened as a donor and is a match. The two of them will undergo surgery that will allow Abby to lead a more fulfilling life.
The goal of For the Love of Chocolate is to assist them in helping defray the medical costs of the transplant surgery and lifelong prescriptions. The family will be sharing the proceeds with Children's Memorial Hospital NICU to ensure that more babies will receive the help they need to survive and to say "thank you" for saving Abby.
Our Partner
The French Pastry School was proud to partner with the world-renowned Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, which is where Abby is being treated, and where she will receive her transplant. A portion of the proceeds raised will be shared with Children’s Memorial to help Abby and others like her.
The Organizers
The French Pastry School at City Colleges of Chicago spearheaded the event, armed with a team of volunteers who helped make it happen.
The Event - By The Numbers
- For the Love of Chocolate attracted more than 50 top Chicago-area chefs, along with Chefs Nicholas Lodge (Atlanta) and Ewald Notter (Orlando), Dominique Tougne (Chicago), Jean Joho (Chicago), Charlie Trotter (Chicago)
- Six states were represented, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Georgia, Florida and Wisconsin.
- More than 700 guests attended the event, to see chocolate sculptures, clothing, landscapes and plenty of the sweet stuff to eat!
- The premiere event raised more than $50,000 for Abby’s transplant and Children’s Memorial Hospital.
More About the Event
A Chocolate Wonderland... Guests entering the South Shore Cultural Center were treated to a wonderland of sweets and savories. More than a ton of chocolate in every form was on display, from chocolate painting to a chocolate jungle scene.
Our Hosts... Emcee Paul Friedman, an announcer for the Chicago Cubs, kept things running smoothly. Celebrity Guest Michael Essany, former talk show host on E! Television, kept the crowd entertained.
Exotic Flavors On Display... Alain Roby, Corporate Pastry Chef for Hyatt Corporation wowed the crowd with his giant jungle sculpture, made entirely of chocolate
They Wore It Well... Models roamed the grounds wearing one-of-a-kind candy clothing, and selling raffle tickets
The Ultimate Indulgence... For the more adventurous, our “Cocoa Sutra” room held all kinds of sumptuous surprises, from chocolate body shots to chocolate body painting to the “piece de resistance” - a flowing chocolate river and chocolate covered models created by Sheraton Hotel and Towers Chicago Executive Pastry Chef Omar Martinez
The Kids’ Competition... Guests were entertained by a light-hearted sculpture contest where kids partnered with top chefs — including Sebastien Canonne and Jacquy Pfeiffer, Ewald Notter and Nicholas Lodge — to create unique works of pastry artistry!
The Sounds of the Night... Music was provided by three bands throughout the evening: The Scott Pazera Quartet, Liza and Jesus Villareal, and capping off the night was Slippery When Wet, a popular Chicago-area 80s cover band
Read more about the 2006 chefs and other participants >>
Please keep an eye on this site for further details for next year's event. We hope you'll join us again in 2007! 2007 Event Details >>
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