Mama’s Kitchen to celebrate Mother’s Day with culinary event
By SDCN Editor
San Diego, CA–Mama’s Kitchen will celebrate Mother’s Day with a special culinary event on May 4 for all moms in San Diego County.
Often touted as San Diego’s original tasting event, this year’s Mama’s Day will feature more than 20 food purveyors offering delicious bites from the city’s finest restaurants, catering companies, and hotels.
Participating restaurants this year include Avant, Babe Kombucha, Batch and Box, Cafe Madeleine, CUSP Dining and Drinks, DRIFT Eat and Drink, EscoGelato, Piatti Restaurant, Ponto Lago at Park Hyatt Aviara, Sally’s Fish House, Snooze, An A.M. Eatery, Sycuan Casino Resort – Bull and Bourbon Steakhouse, The Cottage, The Crack Shack, and Trust Restaurant Group.
Returning as this year’s culinary host is Emmy award-winning chef, author, YouTube personality, and restaurateur, Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien. He has received 15 Emmy awards for his TV show “Sam the Cooking Guy,” has garnered over 3.5 million YouTube followers, and is the owner of restaurants Not Not Tacos, Graze by Sam the Cooking Guy, and Samburgers, all serving up his signature recipes in Little Italy.
More than 300 guests are expected to attend the elegant event that will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, located at 3777 La Jolla Village Drive.
The event will feature unlimited tastings of the best dishes, live music by the Wildside Band, entertainment by one of San Diego’s top magicians, Ben Silver, as well as a MAC Cosmetics booth. In addition, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a silent auction and a fun photo booth to capture the special night.
Historically, Mama’s Day takes place the Friday before Mother’s Day weekend; however, for the first time Mama’s Kitchen will be holding the event on May 4 as Mother’s Day weekend can be challenging for participating restaurants, especially those that have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Proceeds from the event raise critical funds for Mama’s Kitchen’s mission to deliver three medically tailored nutritional meals a day, seven days a week, free of charge to local women, men, and children vulnerable to hunger due to HIV, cancer, or other critical illnesses, including congestive heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.
In 2022, Mama’s Day returned to an in-person format for the first time in two years due to the pandemic and raised $245,600, which included a special matching gift opportunity. This provided 94,400 home-delivered meals to Mama’s Kitchen’s clients. This year, event organizers aim to raise $150,000, which will provide 57,600 meals to San Diego’s critically ill neighbors.
“Mama’s Day is such a special time for us to celebrate our clients, volunteers, and Mama’s Kitchen’s important impact in San Diego,” says Alberto Cortés, CEO, of Mama’s Kitchen. “As one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, Mama’s Day raises critical funds for clients of Mama’s Kitchen who need support to stay healthy, happy, and strong, and to not worry about where their next meal is coming from. We’re excited to come together with our community of supporters to enjoy great food and friendships.”
Mama’s Day is made possible with the support of generous sponsors including Sycuan Casino Resort, Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine, Scatena Daniels Communications, Shamrock Foods, and the Gay and Lesbian Fund for San Diego.
VIP and general admission ticket holders will have the opportunity to attend a Welcome Cocktail Reception to enjoy a special presentation by Sam “The Cooking Guy,” hear remarks from one of Mama’s Kitchen’s clients, as well as participate in a raise the paddle to help fundraise for the nonprofit. Tickets to Mama’s Day can be purchased online at mamaskitchen.org.
