About the Gala

Saturday, November 3, 2012
Marcus Pavilion, Saint Martin’s University
Lacey, Washington

An evening with celebrity chef Mario Batali
The 2011 Saint Martin's University Gala promises to be an unforgettable celebration! Join us for the University's annual black-tie affair as we welcome celebrity chef Mario Batali. Enjoy an entertaining culinary demonstration by Mario, whose five-course dinner will be served with specially selected wine and accompanied by an exciting live (and silent) auction. The Gala benefits scholarship funds for Saint Martin’s University students.

Special guest emcee: Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of Public Radio International’s The Splendid Table

Food writer, gourmand, cookbook author and radio host extraordinaire, Lynne Rossetto Kasper is one of the country's most respected authorities on the subject of food. Every week, Kasper brings her warmth, humor and tasty tips to The Splendid Table — the “the radio program for people who love to eat.” A master of the art of culinary conversation, Kasper keeps listeners entertained with generous helpings of hospitality and delicious, down-to-earth morsels of “foodie” advice. Kasper’s guests on the program have included the late Julie Child, who was a steadfast advocate of The Splendid Table, food activist Michael Pollan, food writer Anthony Bourdain and—who else?!—chef Mario Batali. The program is the winner of the James Beard Award for best national radio show on food, and the Gracie Allen Award for best national/network/syndication talk show. Her debut book, The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food (1994), is the only book to win both the Julia Child Best Cookbook of the Year Award and The James Beard Cookbook of the Year. A founder of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Kasper is also a member of The Author's Guild and was elected to Italy's L'Accademia Italiana della Cucina. As special guest emcee for this year’s Gala, Kasper will prepare the audience’s palate for several courses of gastronomic entertainment.

Event chairs

Armandino '59 and Marilyn Batali
Dick '64 and Karen Roney

Tickets and sponsorships

Due to unprecedented interest in this year's event, the 2011 Saint Martin's University Gala is SOLD OUT. For information regarding ticket availability for Meet the Chef, please contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 360-486-8885 or gala@stmartin.edu.