Each key given away by the Athens Foundation tonight will lead to a delicious surprise for local foodies. Some of Athens’ finest chefs will be taking over kitchens around the county, preparing multi-course meals to feed their fans and fight hunger.
The first Athens Key Event will commence with hors d’oeuvres and a luxury-item auction tonight in Baker University Center Ballroom. For $100, each guest will be given a key to unlock one of 16 mystery homes around Athens and a chance to bid on trips to Hilton Head Island and Colorado, among others.
In addition to vacation destinations, the auction will even feature a custom piece designed by Uptown jeweler Keith Chapman. Afterward, attendees will be presented a map to their dining destinations, where their feasts will await.
John Gutekanst, owner of Avalanche Pizza, will be running the gamut with a six-course meal made from all local ingredients. But his guests won’t find a slice of pepperoni pizza on their plates because Gutekanst’s menu features rabbit, gazpacho, goat legs and pork belly, to name a few.
“Nowadays, everyone’s got a bad attitude and it seems like not many people want to spend time helping their fellow human beings,” he said. “It’s just right for people in this town to see both sides of things. It feels good to give back.”
The Athens Foundation —often partnering with Community Food Initiatives, Live Healthy Appalachia and the Athens City-County Health Department — has funded food projects in Athens since 1980, when eight area women launched the program.
“Getting people together in the community to provide for people in the community,” said Dawn Weiser, who co-chaired the event with her mother, Wendy. “It just seemed like a natural thing to do.”
Gutekanst joked that he ultimately enjoyed finding unusual dinnerware to serve his gourmet meal with, and that includes historic Athens bricks. The hardest part, he claimed, has been sticking to local ingredients, which are often unpredictable this time of year.
Other participating chefs include Kevin Hurst of Latitude 39, Hilarie Burhans of Restaurant Salaam and Chelsea Hindenach, who will prepare an all-vegan meal.
Each of the 16 chefs has claimed an unfamiliar kitchen to call their haven for the night, their tasty creations feeding up to 25 people per house.
Up to 70 volunteers invested a year in planning tonight’s event, Susan Urano, executive director of the Athens Foundation, said she wants to allow them a year of rest before planning the next one for 2013.
“Everyone likes to enjoy a good meal and, on a more altruistic level, to give back to the community,” she said. “There’s something for everyone here.”
oy311909@ohiou.edu
