The University of California, San Diego’s (UCSD) Cardiovascular Molecular Medicine Department will hold a weekend event to raise money for heart disease research on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 3 and 4, at a private home in Rancho Sante Fe and at the Tapenade Restaurant, 7612 Fay Ave.
Both evenings will feature five-course meals served up by guest Chef James Boyce, joined by Tapenade Chef Jean-Michel Diot, with a focus on heart-healthy entrees.
“Boyce is a chef who is very rigorous with food preparation and his menus are pretty much geared on healthy fare,” said Sylvie Diot, Tapenade’s director of public relations and special events.
On top of serving hearty dishes, the dinner at Tapenade Restaurant will also feature guest speakers who will discuss heart disease and a UCSD booth will be on hand to dispense heart friendly information, Diot said.
UCSD is trying to raise $30 million to build the Sulpizio family heart disease research center, and hopes to gather potential donors by reaching out to the community through fund-raisers such as this one, Diot said.
Boyce has 20 years of gourmet chef experience, including New York’s Le Cirque, Arizona’s The Phoenician and Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. He is chef at the Studio restaurant at the Montage Resort and Spa in Laguna Beach, which has been named one of the “Best New Restaurants in America” by Esquire Magazine and “Top 50 Hotel Restaurants” by Food and Wine Magazine.
Friday’s dinner, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in Rancho Sante Fe, is $1,000 per person and has seating for 30 people. Saturday’s event will seat 120 people and begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $375 per person.
A limited number of tickets for both events are available and can be purchased by calling the Tapenade Restaurant, (858) 551-7500.