Paris Las Vegas hosts Chefs for Kids annual benefit

Chefs for Kids held its 22nd annual dinner and auction April 28 at Paris Las Vegas.

This year's event honored KLAS-TV, Channel 8 news anchor Dave Courvoisier. He has been a strong supporter of "Wednesday's Child" seeking permanent adoptive homes for foster children. Curvoisier serves on the board of directors for Boys Town Nevada and is a supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters and CASA. He has served as master of ceremonies for nearly every Chefs for Kids Gala since 1990.

Introducing Courvoisier was Tom Waite, former director of Boys Town.

The evening began with a reception that followed a soiree in a park theme with lighted ficus trees, park benches and a roving accordion player.

Among the 400 guests enjoying passed hors d'oeuvres while bidding on restaurant dinners, themed parties, golf foursomes, vacation weekends, a gas barbecue, cookwear, china and crystal stemware were Barbara and Tom McDonald, Ginger and Dan Anderson, Helene and Harvey Blankfeld, Gae and Perry Basch, Kelly Iriye, Dee and Ken Ladd, Linda Montoya, Mel Garraway and Janice and Owen Nitz.

KLAS-TV, Channel 8 news anchor Paula Francis was mistress of ceremonies. Chef Christopher Johns, Chefs for Kids' chairman, spoke about the organization being a joint venture of local chefs and the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension to raise money to provide nutrition education to "high needs" schools. All proceeds from this year's gala will remain in Clark County funding the nutrition program for the 2012-13 school year.

Paris chefs Sherman Branick, Domonic Tardy and Erik Moritz prepared the gala's five-course dinner. Southern Wines & Spirits provided wine.

Christian Kolberg conducted a live auction for dinner packages including MGM Resorts International's extraordinary diner in a private home for 12 prepared by the executive chefs from 10 of its Las Vegas hotel-casinos that sold for $11,000. Chef Christopher Johns offered an Old Vegas menu dinner for 12 that sold twice for $6,000 each. Chef Gustav Mauler's dinner for 10 went for $5,000 as did Chef Randy Badus' VIP sushi bar for 100 guests. A rescue puppy (Maltese-poodle mix) sold for $1,500. The auction raised $80,000 in all.

Harbor Lights performed for dancing.

More guests attending were Jewel Brooks, Joe Hollis, Mari and Thom Landers, Ellen Whittemore and Jeff Patterson, Patricia and Richard Wright, Lorri and Dale Davidson, Jeanne and John Kilduff, Denise and Gustev Mauler, Ed Skonicki, Barbara and Stan Jones, Carolyn Sparks, Shannon and Danny Axelrod, Mickey and James Bilbray, Karen and Bill Goff, Charlotte and Wally Besuden, Michele and Danny Burton, Howard Michaelson, Kellie O'Neill, Kathy and Jack Woodcock, Jackie and Rob Rau, Pat Baldwin, Michael Minden, Debbie Davis, Louise Helton, Jeanette and Eldon Davis, and Monsignor Patrick Leary. Dinner chairwoman was Susan Lednicky.