Chef Start Foundation Kicks Off Art Basel Week With Help From Wine Connoisseur, Mark Oldman

What do collecting wine and art have in common? The thrill of the search!

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

The Chef Start Foundation aims to assist individuals who have demonstrated by their hard work, dedication, perseverance, passion and talent in the culinary arts to be deserving of assistance for the advancement of their education and experience. Through grants and loans, the Chef Start Foundation provides appropriate funding to those individuals that align with the not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) organization’s mission, in order to realize their goals.

Ahead of one of the most highly-anticipated weeks of the year in Miami, the Chef Start Foundation teamed up with esteemed entrepreneur, author, speaker and wine expert, Mark Oldman, at Prime Private in Miami Beach, for a beautiful prequel to Art Basel.

Mark Oldman is someone who delights in helping people simplifying complex subjects. In the world of wine, he is known for his singular ability to unravel wine’s complexities with a potent blend of entertainment, style and humor. Mark’s enduring, award-winning books are considered by many to be the best of their kind and a world away from the sleep-inducing tomes of many wine experts.

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

The event brought together some of the most discriminating palates from both the wine and art world together ahead of the Art Basel festivities. A lovely champagne reception was held at One Ocean Condominium, which kicked off the evening, and was followed by a wine tasting and food pairing experience, guided by Mr. Oldman, next door at Prime Private.

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

The memorable evening was sponsored by Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP, UBS Swiss Financial Advisors, The Suskind-Ripple Group, Preservation Capital Partners LLC and Haute Living Media Group.

Special guests included Michael Kosnitzky, Edward Gordon, Robert Potamkin, James Ferraro, Hyman and Marietta Bielsky, Nancy and Fred Poses, Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola, Chef Richard L. Ingraham Jr., Chris Hill, Marlene Paltrow, Mateo Duran, April Donelson, Kamal Hotchandani, Laura Miller, and many others.

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice

Photo Credit: Romain Maurice