Top Chef Nicholas Elmi Hosts Fifth Annual BBQ Experience Benefiting KB Foundation Youth Mentoring
Top Chef Nicholas Elmi Hosts Fifth Annual BBQ Experience Benefiting KB Foundation Youth Mentoring
Chef Nicholas Elmi, founder and managing partner of BE Hospitality, will host the KB Foundation’s fifth annual BBQ Experience on Thursday, September 24, from 6 to 10 p.m. at The Pump House, located at 605 Righters Ferry Road in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. Elmi, a Top Chef Season 11 winner and James Beard Award finalist, is preparing an exclusive BBQ menu for the fundraiser, which benefits the KB Foundation’s youth mentoring programs.
The BBQ Experience is described as the KB Foundation’s most anticipated annual event, bringing together approximately 200 Philadelphia-area business leaders in support of the organization’s mentorship programming. The KB Foundation has hosted the event since 2017.
Elmi, whose restaurants Lark and The Landing Kitchen have received national acclaim, is also a mentor with the KB Foundation and an employer of program participants. He said the event reflects his firsthand experience with the organization’s impact. “As a mentor with KB Foundation and an employer of their participants, I have seen first-hand that this organization changes lives,” Elmi said. He described the event as a way to give back through cooking, noting that while he typically prepares fine dining cuisine professionally, barbecue holds personal significance for him and is usually reserved for his family.
This year’s event will honor two individuals for their contributions to youth development. Rev. Dr. Alyn E. Waller, pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, will receive the Innovation in Youth Development Award for his work with the Enon Young Abrahams and Youth Athletics programs. David Navazio, CEO of Yardley-based medical supply company Gentell Inc., will receive the Partnership for Progress Award, recognizing four consecutive years of support for KB Foundation programs.
Schedule
- 6:00 p.m. — VIP Experience, including a private speakeasy lounge reception with Chef Nick Elmi
- 7:00 p.m. — General Admission, including a silent auction, open bar, cigar rolling, candy bar, games and music from DJ Chris Devine
The VIP cocktail hour will feature passed hors d’oeuvres, including mini lobster pies, fried chicken “nuggets” with caviar and white BBQ sauce, smoked foie gras mousse with pickled cherries, corn oggi with chanterelle mushroom, fried oyster fritters, and grilled figs wrapped in prosciutto and saba.
The BBQ dinner will include smoked ribs, smoked whole chicken wings, smoked pork shoulder for sandwiches, and smoked brisket, along with sides including cornbread, baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, green salad, mac and cheese, and corn on the cob. Dessert will include apple crisp and soft serve.
VIP tickets, which include the private reception with Chef Elmi from 6 to 7 p.m., are $250 each. General admission tickets, covering the 7 to 10 p.m. portion of the evening, are $175 each. Tickets are available at kb.foundation/bbq26.
