Culinary Powerhouses Present 'A Night of Extreme Taste' @ The Ritz-Carlton; Jerome Girardot Remembered...

Be sure to check out all 76 of our photographs from this event HERE and tell us what you were wearing that night!

NORTHWEST -- The grand ballroom of The Ritz-Carlton, Washington D.C. came alive Thursday night as more than 30 of the nation's most talented chefs united for an evening of gourmet food and grand desserts, complemented by fine wine and spirits -- all benefiting The Jerome Girardot Fund.

Aptly dubbed "A Night of Extreme Taste", yesterday's fundraiser featured more than 13 savory action stations, a grand dessert buffet, specialty cocktails, wine, champagne, and beer tastings, as well as live musical performances by Fernando Varela and The Leclaire Brothers.

A respected pastry chef for The Ritz-Carlton hotel in the West End neighborhood of the District, Jerome passed away suddenly at the beginning of 2009. Fellow chefs Laurent Branlard, Jerome Landrieu, David Serus, and Stephane Chéramy subsequently decided to found the eponymous non-profit to raise money for Jerome's young children, to ensure their education as they get older.

Last night's culinary celebration was the foundation's second fundraiser. Building upon the success of the inaugural Orlando benefit in December 2009, hundreds of D.C. foodies turned out both to honor Jerome's memory and, of course, sample the dishes and drinks whipped-up by his friends.

While there were chefs in attendance from all over the country, D.C. was particularly well represented. Executive Chef Scott Drewno from The Source, Chef Todd Gray of Equinox, Executive Pastry Chef Santosh Tiptur from the recently expanded Co Co. Sala, as well as representatives from The Ritz-Carlton, Citronelle, and Jose Andre's Think Food Group were all there, in a touching show of support.

As we watched guests leave the posh hallways of the hotel at the end of the night -- their stomachs full and with smiles on their faces -- we couldn't think of a more fitting way to honor Jerome's memory.

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To learn more about The Jerome Girardot Fund or to make a donation, please visit the organization's website.

Be sure to check out all 76 of our photographs from this event HERE and tell us what you were wearing that night!