Culinary and Hollywood Stars in Orbit at California Spirit 34 Food Festival Benefitting the American Cancer Society

Michele StuevenFood

Patrick Dempsey was honored with the Impact Award by the American Cancer Society for supporting the fight against cancer at the Dempsey Center(Michele Stueven)California Spirit 34 Gourmet Food and Wine benefit at Sony Pictures Studios(Michele Stueven)Crispy shell pasta with pancetta, onion, tomato sauce, pecorino and basil from Toscana(Michele Stueven)Crackling pork shanks with spicy honey glaze from Wood & Vine(Michele Stueven)Stage one of Fig & Olive paella(Michele Stueven)Chicken paella with lime, saffron, garlic, pimentos, peas and artichoke hears from Fig & Olive(Michele Stueven)Slow-cooked Big Glory Bay king salmon and preserved lemon from Faith & Flower(Michele Stueven)Maple Block smoked brisket(Michele Stueven)Sliced brisket with vinegar slaw and green sauce from Maple Block(Michele Stueven)Sweet and spicy cauliflower with jicama, cabbage slaw, cashews and Fresno chiles from The Bel-Air(Michele Stueven)Cauliflower close-up(Michele Stueven)Marinated baby peppers with tuna, pickled celery and ceci from Mozza(Michele Stueven)Somebody was feeding California Spirit Honorary Chair Phil Rosenthal at Sony Studios(Michele Stueven)The Butcher's Daughter brought summer succotash with sweet corn, runchokes, baby zucchini and Anaheim chiles to the table(Michele Stueven)Grilled little gem Caesar and 40 day dry aged New York steak from BOA(Michele Stueven)Spicy tuna handroll and sunomo salad from Takami(Michele Stueven)Tacos Drama(Michele Stueven)Rib-eye longaniza with chicharron and queso oaxaqueno from Tacos Drama(Michele Stueven)Salmon mousse crostini topped with flying fish roe and Veracruz shrimp salad courtesy of Prawn(Michele Stueven)Charcoal's smoked short rib with grilled polenta and smoked tomato condiment(Michele Stueven)Eleven City Diner team(Michele Stueven)Eleven City Diner mini pastrami on rye(Michele Stueven)Hendricks Gin and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice with sage(Michele Stueven)Wolfgang Puck's stone fruit pillow cakes with chocolate cookie crumble(Michele Stueven)Nebula 9 infused vodkas from Portland include strawberry lemon, pomegranate blueberry, mystic mango and kool grape(Michele Stueven)A Nebula 9 vodka cocktail with pineapple, cranberry and lime(Michele Stueven)American Cancer Society's bears that care(Michele Stueven)

California Spirit celebrated 34 years of their signature food and drink fundraiser on Sunday which benefits the American Cancer Society by honoring actor Patrick Dempsey with an Impact Award for the work the Dempsey Center in Maine has done to help the fight against cancer.

Honorary chairs Sherry Lansing and Somebody Feed Phil star and Emmy-winner Phil Rosenthal noshed on samples from the Butcher’s Daughter, BOA, Charcoal Venice, Fig & Olive, Here’s Looking at You and others while host chef Antonia Lofaso passed out Dama delicacies on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City.

Founded in 2008 in his home state of Maine in honor of his mother Amanda, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the Dempsey Center provides free quality of life care to people impacted by cancer, including  patients, their families, and caregivers.  So far the annual California Spirit event has raised more than $16 million in support of the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving programs and initiatives, with wellness and lifestyle in the spotlight this year.

Here’s a culinary tour of the McDreamy afternoon.

Click here to donate to the ACS fight against cancer.

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