After a two-year hiatus imposed by the pandemic, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels (SVMOW) returned to in-person fundraising with “Hollywood Under the Stars” on the Paramount Studios lot on Saturday, June 25 where nearly a dozen top Angeleno chefs and patissiers unleashed a gourmet, chef-curated evening of tastings. The array of gustatory creations was complemented by a live, 10-piece band presented by DeBois Entertainment to which the exuberant guests danced under the early summer night sky. The event raised nearly $400,000.

The chefs who donated their time, staff and food on hand to prepare some of their signature savory dishes included Kevin Meehan of Kali; Francesco Zimone and Michele Rubini of L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele (our personal favorite); Chef Raphael Francois of Fanny’s & Tesse; Nika Shoemaker-Machado & Marlon Machado of Georgia’s Restaurant; Chef Isaias Peña of Hank’s; Chef Eli Berchan of Sumac Mediterranean Cuisine; Wally Moran & Chef Edgar Ramos of Wood & Vine: and Gracias Madre’s Chef Diana Briscoe. Desserts came by way of Etoile Filante Patisserie’s one-of-a-kind macaroons; Wendy Pomerantz’s Bertha Mae’s Brownie Co., John Hensley of Lark Cake Shop, and delicious slabs of Laderach Chocolatier Suisse’s hand-crafted chocolates.

— Victor Riobo.