THE SYLVIA CENTER Autumn Feast Fundraiser on 11/8 Celebrates 15 Years of Teaching Youth About Food and Good Health

Editor's Note: We are pleased to let our readers know about this event that celebrates and supports The Sylvia Center's important mission to educate young people about good food and good health.

The Sylvia Center, the nonprofit that teaches young people about the connection between food and health through nutrition-focused, culinary-based programs in all five boroughs of New York City and Columbia County, NY, will celebrate its 15th anniversary on Tuesday, November 8th with the memorable "Autumn Feast." Benefitting The Sylvia Center's work encouraging children and teens take control of their health through better food choices, the evening will feature a four-course seasonal, plant-forward dinner and interactive cooking demo curated by Ayesha Nurdjaja, executive chef and partner of the highly acclaimed Shuka and Shukette and James Beard Award Finalist Nominee, Best Chef New York State 2022. It will take place at the DeGustibus Cooking School from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Nurdjaja, a Brooklyn native of Italian-Indonesian heritage, will present three savory courses showcasing the vibrant Eastern Mediterranean fare for which she is known. It will start with a " rip n' dip" dish, Beet Moutabel, yogurt, fried almonds dill with pan-fired lafa. Roasted Brussels Sprouts, with apple and pomegranate will follow and the main course will b be Roasted Fish, with salsa verde, braised shelling beans, tomato, and kale.

The meal will be capped off by pies from Great Performances, the celebrated catering events and hospitality company, whose founder and CEO, Liz Neumark, established The Sylvia Center in 2007 to address young people's diet-related diseases in under-resourced neighborhoods. Over the years The Sylvia Center's mission has broaden to deliver programming designed to help participants develop life skills, including public speaking, teamwork, and time management. Teen and young adult programs also address food justice and science. To affect such programming, The Sylvia Center patterns with community-based organizations, schools and local businesses,

Autumn Feast-ers will be treated to a live preparation of each course's dish by Nurdjaja, including her insider tips and tricks, while they savor the finished product throughout the evening. They will also receive copies of her coveted recipes.

"The Sylvia Center is an organization whose mission is aligned with my passions for mentoring, culinary training, seasonality, and educating people of all ages about the importance of eating well," said Nurdjaja. "It is a great honor for me to partner with them on this amazing event. The menu is inspired by some of my favorite dishes, taking advantage of the bounty of the season, and just might inspire some creative additions to holiday tables."

In addition to marking The Sylvia Center's 15 years, during which it has served more than 35,000 participants, the Autumn Feast will honor 18-year-old Kesar Gaba, its 2022 FOODMatch Scholarship winner. A 2021 graduate of The Sylvia Center's Teen Culinary Appreciation program, which prepares youth to become peer advocates for health and nutrition in their communities, Gaba became involved with the Sylvia Center to learn how to cook.

She was amazed by the variety of food options and healthy preparations she was exposed to and gratified by the effect her healthful cooking has had on her family. The first of her family to attend college, she will apply the $5000 FOODMatch Scholarship toward her study of psychology at Queens College.

Tickets for the Autumn Feast's very limited seating range from $1,500 to $15,000, supporting access to Sylvia Center programs for three to 30 students. They can be purchased via Autumn Feast Tickets (sylviacenter.org).

For more information about the November 8 Autumn Feast at the De Gustibus Cooking School, 151 W. 34th St., #8, New York, NY 10001 and/or about The Sylvia Center, visit www.sylviacenter.org.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Great Performances and The Sylvia Center

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