May 18 & 19: Celebrity chefs from across the country and beyond will convene at the Monterey Bay Aquarium for a sustainability powwow aptly called Cooking For Solutions, an extension of the museum’s Seafood Watch program, which works to promote wise seafood consumerism. Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger (Border Grill Santa Monica and Las Vegas), noted for their commitment to the movement, will be joined by 11 other chefs, including Charles Phan (The Slanted Door), Alexandra Guarnaschelli (Butter, New York), Sam Choy (Sam Choy's Diamond Head Restaurant, Honolulu) and Keith Froggett (Scaramouche, Toronto), as well as guest speakers John Cleese and Jesse Cool (Flea St. Café). The two-day event will include lectures on sustainable farming and aquaculture, food and wine tastings and eco-adventures for guests (pricing for events range from $75 to $625 per person; for more details and to purchase tickets, go to www.montereybayaquarium.org or call 866-963-9644).
May 20: Meals on Wheels of San Francisco (which delivers meals to homebound seniors) throws its 10th Annual Star Chef and Vintners Gala, an over-the-top epicurean tasting event showcasing the food of Northern California’s premier chefs. Gala Chair Nancy Oakes (Boulevard) has corralled some 50 fellow talents to share their wares, including Nate Appleman (A 16), Bridget Batson and David Gingrass (TWO), Traci Des Jardins (Jardinière), Sean O’Brien (Myth), Daniel Patterson (Coi), Richard Reddington (Redd), Judy Rodgers and Gilbert Pilgram (Zuni Café), Ron Siegel (Ritz-Carlton Dining Room) and Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani (Terra). The extravagant appetizer and wine reception will be followed by a three-course meal and a dessert reception, with dancing and after-dinner drinks (5 PM; $350 per person, includes access to a silent auction; patron packages are also available; Fort Mason Festival Pavilion, San Francisco; to reserve, call 415-920-1111, ext. 221).
June 8: "Wine. Dine. Donate." – a weeklong, nationwide benefit to mark National Hunger Awareness Day – will culminate on June 8th in San Francisco at Farallon. Joining chef Mark Franz and epicurious.com editor-in-chief Tanya Steel will be guest chefs Jan Birnbaum (of the forthcoming EPIC Roasthouse), Parke Ulrich (forthcoming Water Bar) and Terri Wu (Farallon’s pastry chef). Beginning at 6:30 PM with a cocktail reception, the dinner will feature a special menu that includes dishes such as diver scallop carpaccio, crispy maple pork belly and roasted strawberry turnovers. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the San Francisco Food Bank through America’s Second Harvest, the nation’s largest charitable hunger-relief organization ($100 per person; to purchase tickets, visit www.epicurious.com/donate or www.farallonrestaurant.com, or call 415-956-6969).