While there was a lot going on this weekend, many of us were still reeling from the fabulous inaugural benefit that took place on Wednesday June 14, 2017 at the Foundry at Puritan Mill to benefit the nonprofit Surgeon’s Touch. Helmed Scalpel vs. Spatula, the evening was a celebrity chef competition benefiting the foundation’s mission to provide free of cost reconstructive plastic surgery to disadvantaged youth 7-21 years old with severe deformities due to trauma.
Hosted by the always stunning Monyetta Shaw, with Celebrity Chefs Angela Simmons, The Dream, Keisha Knight Pulliam and charity founder and star of Lifetime’s television show Atlanta Plastics Dr. Wright Jones all brought their A-cooking game out for the evening to gain bragging rights as the best chef in Atlanta and support the great cause.
Photo Credit: Freddy O
Photo Credit: Freddy O
Photo Credit: Freddy O
Photo Credit: Freddy The star-studded evening was planned and powered by the fabulous Khalilah Abdul-Baqui of Ego Entertainment and Media and hosted by Monyetta Shaw. Guests got to get up close and personal with the sleek 2018 Lexus LC500 and drink champagne by Belaire, both sponsors of the benefit along with Phenomenal Foods and A-List Affairs.
Haute Living was honored to be chosen as one of the guest judges. Along with a four others, including one actual chef, we tasted our way through the plates and chose our favorite. Angela Simmons opted to cook a vegan breakfast with potatoes like her grandfather used to make. Dr. Wright Jones served up Salisbury Steak and Mashed Potatoes. But Keisha Knight Pulliam stole our hearts and taste buds with her perfectly breaded Fried Chicken with spicy lemon pepper sauce and the most scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth Macaroni and Cheese that ultimately brought the bragging rights over to Kamp Kizzy. It was a unanimous decision by all of the judges. Second place went to the Dream who made a heavenly Peach Cobbler was one dessert that was absolutely worth each and every calorie. Who knew he had the baking gene?
Photo Credit: Freddy O
Guests partied the night away with music provided by Deejay Ohmz and the band Unkown Lyric while also experiencing a first look at the 2017 Lexus LC 500, parked inside the venue.
Photo Credit: Freddy O
Most importantly, the evening of food, fun and dancing benefitted the hard work done by Dr. Wright and his team at Surgeon’s Touch Foundation. One of his upcoming patients, Julia Marie Davis and her mother Regina came to the event from Memphis to thank Dr. Wright and show first hand what his work is doing to help the underprivileged. Shot in the mouth as an innocent bystander of a drive by shooting, Julia is a very driven young woman, who is hard at work studying to be a nurse. This surgery will enable her to “be put back together” as her mom, Regina, said to the captive audience.
Photo Credit: Freddy O
**Update: we hear the surgery went well and we wish Julia a speedy recovery.
For more information on Surgeon’s Touch Foundation visit www.surgeonstouch.org
