A group of celebrity chefs are coming together to raise money for Autism Speaks.
On April 1 the nonprofit will host the Autism Speaks Celebrity Chef Gala at Cipriani Wall Street, located at 55 Wall St. The gala will celebrate Autism Speak’s two decades of progress in advocating for autism inclusion, with the event raising awareness in areas such as fostering equality across healthcare, education and employment.
Culinary Chair Franklin Becker, a passionate advocate for autism inclusion in the culinary arts, will be joined by world-renowned chefs, including Daniel Boulud, Maneet Chauhan, Danny Garcia, Fariyal Abdullahi, Gabriel Kreuther and Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, to prepare an upscale, four-course meal for those in attendance, reflecting on creativity and culinary excellence.
“Community has been a grounding force for me in my journey as a chef and a father to a son with autism,” said Becker. “Finding community fosters belonging, builds social connections, and creates an essential network for navigating life. It’s my great honor to stand alongside Autism Speaks and tap into my strong community, made up of those in the culinary world, autism advocates and beyond, to establish a greater sense of support, acceptance and inclusion for those on the autism spectrum. Together, we have the power to offer others the opportunity to feel seen, heard, and valued every day.”
“Autism is something very close to my husband, Vivek Deora’s, and my heart as our son is on the spectrum,” said Chauhan. “It means the world to me to be able to participate and try to make the world a better place for people and families with autism.”
“It has been an honor to participate in this event alongside Jamal James Kent in years past, and I’m thrilled to offer continued support of such a worthy cause and raise awareness of Autism Speaks’ advocacy, research, and care,” said Garcia.
Proceeds from the gala will go to support Autism Speaks.
“For me, this event is my baby. I was involved in building this event from the ground up and love to see how our chef community comes together year after year to make a difference for the autism community. It is really very special for me,” said Becker.
“It is an opportunity to foster autism awareness, promoting access to resources and inclusion in both personal and professional communities,” said Kreuther.
“We are incredibly proud and honored to be able to support this organization by being a part of this event. We recognize the important work of Autism Speaks and are so thrilled to be able to support in any way we can,” said Rito and Tacinelli.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit autismspeaks.org.
