The Dallas College Foundation will return to A Tasteful Place at the Dallas Arboretum on Sunday, April 21, for its annual Bits & Bites fundraising event, the proceeds of which support scholarships and grants for its students.
During the event, which will take place from 6 to 8 p.m., students from Dallas College’s prized culinary, hospitality and baking and pastry programs work alongside some of the city’s best chefs to serve more than 18,000 small plates to guests.
Some of these chefs are alumni of these programs themselves, including Aaron Collins from Café Momentum, Dunia Terselich-Borga from La Duni Baking Studio and Preston Nguyen from The Culinary Code, who competed on Gordon Ramsey’s team during the second season of Fox's Next Level Chef. Other top chefs serving small plates at the event include Rhonda McCullar from Uchiba and, for VIPs, Mike Matis of Fearing’s and John Tesar of Knife Restaurant Group.
During the event, Dallas College students work alongside some of city's best chefs to serve samples and small plates to guests.
Courtesy of Dallas College
“Bits & Bites exemplifies the work Dallas College does to connect our students to careers in the exciting culinary and hospitality industry,” says Steve DeShazo, senior director of workforce initiatives at Dallas College. “Dallas College has trained professionals for the North Texas culinary workforce and top Dallas restaurants for over 50 years.”
General admissions tickets are $85; "friend" tickets at $250 provide access to VIP parking, a VIP area, early entry to the venue at 5:15 p.m. and a four-course tasting menu.
Sponsorship tickets for pairs and groups of up to eight guests include the same, ranging in price from $500 to $2,500.
Here’s the full list of participating chefs:
Jill Bates — Sugar & Sage Bakery
Chef Justin Box*
Jacob Burden — Omni Hotel Dallas, Texas Spice
Sarah Carlock† — Amor y Queso
Aaron Collins* — Café Momentum
Jimmy Contreras — Taco y Vino
Robert Hale — Texas Beef Council
Sean Jett* — Humble: Simply Good Pies
Ruby Johnson*† — Papalotl Bakeshop
Jim Knifong — Dallas College
Paula Lambert — Mozzarella Company
Laura LeSire — Hyatt Regency Dallas
Fernando Lezama* — 3F Premier Catering
Jason McCauley — The! Dallas Culinary Company
Rhonda McCullar — Uchiba Dallas
Mike Matis† — Fearing's Restaurant
Aubrey Murphy * — SER Steak + Spirits
Amie Najarro — Mesquite High School
Preston Nguyen* — The Culinary Code
Franchesca Nor — Dive Coastal Cuisine
Eduardo Osorio — Meridian
Meaders Ozarow — Empire Baking Company
Chris Patrick — Curio Kitchen + Market Foods
Nikky Phinyawatana* — Asian Mint
Ramsey — Profound Foods
Rosilind Renee* — Left Handed Baker and Beyond
Andrea Saldana* — SW Private Dining
Abraham Salum — Salum Restaurant
Robert Cortez — The Finch Dallas
Jordan Swim* — Vestals Catering
John Tesar† — Knife Restaurant Group
Dunia Terselich-Borga* — La Duni Baking Studio
Maricsa Trejo* — La Casita Bakeshop
Adam West* — Local Yocal BBQ & Grill
Jacob Williamson — The Saint
Diana Zamora — Nena Postreria
Cane Rosso, Zoli’s and Thunderbird Pies
* alumni † VIP chef
Dallas College Bits & Bites. A Tasteful Place at The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden, 8525 Garland Road. Sunday, April 21; 6–8 p.m.
