Philadelphia, PA – November 4, 2010 – Philadelphia’s strongest advocate for victims of domestic violence, Women Against Abuse, rolls out the purple carpet for the city’s top culinary women at their annual Dish It Up! fundraiser and food competition.

To raise money for the agency’s life-saving services, leading chefs and restaurant owners will compete for the coveted Purple Dish Award, given to the creator of the best dish with an element of purple, the official color of the anti-domestic violence movement.

 

Competitors this year include: Valerie Safran and Marcie Turney, Lolita/Bindi/Barbuzzo;  Michele Iovino, Angela Iovino, and Rosalba Morici, Girasole;  Franca DiRenzo and Francesca Kauffman, Tre Scalini;   Heather Annechiarico, Hawthornes Café;  Effie Bouikidis, Effie’s Greek Restaurant/Paul;  Moon Krapugthong, Mango Moon/Chabaa Thai;  Lynn Rinaldi, Paradiso;  Susan Schlisman, Devil’s Alley/Smokin’ Betty’s; and Delilah Winder, Delilah’s Southern Cuisine.

 

The winning dish will be chosen by returning champ Jennifer Carroll, Chef de Cuisine, 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge by Eric Ripert; Kirsten Henri, food editor, Philadelphia Magazine; Felicia D’Ambrosio, Philadelphia Community and Marketing Manager, Yelp.com; and Phyllis Stein-Novack, Restaurant Critic, South Philly Review. The winner of the Purple Dish Award will be featured on NBC’s 10! Show on November 5^th. 

 

NBC’s Bill Henley will host the event, and NBC’s Justin Pizzi will provide LIVE coverage from the purple carpet.    

 

New this year is the first-ever Purple Cupcake Award. Pastry chefs Roz Bratt from Homemade Goodies by Roz, Maki Evans from Cupcakes Gourmet, Monica Glass from 10 Arts Bistro & Lounge by Eric Ripert, and Kathryn Petratos-Vendetti from Mugshots CoffeeHouse & Café will compete to create the best mini-purple cupcake, to be voted on by event guests. 

Chick’s Café & Wine Bar owner Nella Genovese will once again be serving up an exclusive purple cocktail called ‘The Grape Gatsby’ created specifically for Dish It Up!

 

The event is Thursday, November 4^th from 5:30-8:00 PM at Moore College of Art and Design. Tickets are $85 and on sale at www.womenagainstabuse.org. Premier sponsors are Duane Morris LLP and Government Affairs, The Milton and Beatrice Wind Foundation, PRWT Services Inc., and Stradley Ronan LLP. All proceeds will benefit Women Against Abuse.

###

Women Against Abuse (WAA), Inc., one of the largest domestic violence programs in the country, serves more than 10,000 individuals each year through emergency housing, legal services, hotline counseling, education and advocacy. WAA operates the only comprehensive program in Philadelphia whose sole purpose is to assist victims of domestic violence and their children. For more information, please visit www.womenagainstabuse.org.

 

Press Contact: Rebecca Femia, Taluva PR, 267-886-8888, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)