25th-Annual Auburn U Hospitality Gala is Auburn's Hottest Ticket

Sold Out Gala Will Feature Cuisine and Wines from Award-Winning Chefs and Winemakers and Luxurious Live Auction Items

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. February 24, 2012

AUBURN, AL - February 23, 201 - A six-night stay in an Irish castle, a tour of the California wine country, a seven-night trip to Bali and Singapore, as well as a week-long journey on The World, the largest private yacht in the world are among the enticing live auction packages to be offered at the 2012 Hospitality Gala, hosted by the students of Auburn University's Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRMT) Program. The event will take place on April 5, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. at The Hotel at Auburn University.

The all-star evening will begin with a meet and taste that will include cooking demonstrations by five award-winning chefs and wine tastings with three renowned winemakers. A chef-guided culinary experience combined with a live auction and an award presentation will round out the evening. This year's gala will also serve to honor Chef Rob McDaniel of SpringHouse restaurant at Russell Lands as Auburn University's Outstanding Alum. The gala is currently at seating capacity, but interested parties can be placed on a waiting list. For additional information on the Gala or to be placed on the waitlist, please visit www.thehospitalitygala.com.

“Last year's gala raised more than $200,000 for the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, while showcasing the talent and creativity of the students enrolled in this prestigious program,” said College of Human Sciences Dean June Henton. “We are so thrilled with the positive reception the gala receives from both the Auburn community as well as the support we receive from people throughout the State and even the country - from food and wine donations to individuals coming to Auburn to participate in the event. We are hoping for an even higher level of success in 2012, especially since tickets sold out in less than 24 hours.”

The culinary extravaganza will begin with demonstrations from Chefs Christian Rassinoux, Stephane Chevet, Guenter Seeger, Tim Creehan, and Santosh Tiptur.

• Chef Rassinoux is the Executive Chef of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. He has also served as the president of the French Chef's Association in California, the president of the Les Amis d'Escoffier Society, and as a member of the Conseiller Culinaire for the Chaine des Rotisseurs. No stranger to awards, he was named Chef of the Year by the French Culinary Association in 1986 and the Chef of the Year by Le Toques Blanche International in 1990.
• Chef Chevet is the Executive Chef of Shibuya in Las Vegas, NV. The French-born chef has honed his skills working with master chefs throughout Europe and has channeled his talents into creating Japanese food with a unique twist. Under his leadership, Shibuya was awarded the Las Vegas Life Epicurean Award for “Best Japanese Chef.”
• Chef Seeger is the President of Seeger's Management LLC., an international restaurant consulting firm. The German-born Seeger is a culinary icon whose meticulous, rhythmic and methodical cooking style has made him an icon in the industry. Prior to becoming a consultant, Seeger was the Chef and Owner of Seeger's Restaurant in Atlanta, GA. He also served as Chef at The Dining Room at the Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead in Atlanta, GA., which received the Five Star Award from the Mobil Travel Guide and the Five Diamond Award from the AAA Travel Guide.
  -Chef Creehan is the proprietor of the award-winning Cuvee Bistro in Destin, Florida, as well as the Great Events Center in Miramar Beach, FL. A certified Executive Chef, author, teacher, inventor and dynamic entertainer, Creehan's reputation for professionalism and love of cooking has allowed him to serve as personal chef for numerous celebrities. Recently he served as special guest Chef de Cuisine at the Sundance Film Festival.
• Chef Tiptur is the Chef/Proprietor of Washington D.C.'s Co Co. Sala, which is at the forefront of the city's confectionery-centric culinary scene. A native of India, Tiptur is celebrated in the culinary community on both a national and international scale for consistently pushing the boundaries in creating eclectic and extravagant menus, which revolve around chocolate. With Tiptur at Co Co. Sala's helm, the restaurant has received two RAMMY Awards and been named the Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene in 2009 and DC's Favorite Restaurant in 2010.

Winemaker Dean De Korth from Bernardus Winery, winemaker Tahmiene Momtazi from Maysara Winery, and Barry Wiss, Vice President of Trinchero Family Vineyards, will be on-hand during the reception to provide samples of their celebrated wines and to answer questions about the winemaking process.

• Mr. De Korth spent years studying and apprenticing in French vineyards, which has enabled him to create French-style vintages in Carmel Valley, CA. With this old-world sense of taste, De Korth seeks to make wines that flatter the palate.
• Ms. Momtazi has worked at Kim Crawford Wines in New Zealand and in numerous wineries in Oregon, and she brings her passion for wine to life serving as the winemaker for Maysara. Since 2007, she has also worked with her sisters to produce wine under the name Three Degrees.
• As a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) and a Certified Sommelier, Mr. Wiss is responsible for establishing one of the industry's most creative and innovative culinary and wine education programs, Vine to Dine. He has also been awarded Advanced Level Certification with the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and serves on the Board of Directors for the Society of Wine Educators.

Junior and senior students majoring in hotel and restaurant management are getting real-world experience as they plan and execute all aspects of the hospitality gala. They receive guidance from assistant professor Alecia Douglas, Hotel and Restaurant Management Program, and the program's partners at The Hotel at Auburn University led by Managing Director Hans van der Reijden. The event is an extension of the program's ongoing relationship with Capella Hotel Group, the Atlanta-based luxury hotel management company that manages The Hotel at Auburn University.

“We are very proud of our close association with Auburn University and the support we are able to provide to the Hotel and Restaurant Management Program and its students,” said Horst Schulze, Chairman and CEO of Capella Hotel Group. “It is an honor to participate in such a large-scale event where the students get to work with world-renowned chefs and winemakers. It is their participation that truly enables the Hospitality Gala to be such a huge success each year.”

About the Hotel at Auburn University
Centrally located near the shops and restaurants of downtown Auburn, AL, The Hotel at Auburn University & Dixon Conference Center is just a short walk from the excitement of Auburn University and a diverse array of cultural and entertainment attractions. Whether in town for the big game, a special party, or a productive business meeting, the hotel's 236 newly renovated guestrooms and suites offer true Southern hospitality in an ideal setting. For a true taste of Italy, visit Ariccia Trattoria & Bar, located inside the hotel. An open kitchen and outdoor terrace seating add character to this restaurant which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, cocktails, Sunday Brunch, and offers take-out service. Ariccia features an espresso bar and unique wine list, and has a private dining room for special events. Located in Ariccia Trattoria & Bar, Piccolo is Auburn's only true lounge experience for specialty cocktails and a large variety of appetizers and desserts. The menu features a variety of small plates perfect for sharing, refreshing cocktails, and piccolo bottles of champagne. Live jazz performances take place on Fridays and Saturdays (except on home football game weekends). The property is managed by the Atlanta-based Capella Hotel Group. For additional information or reservations, please call (800) 228-2876 or visit www.auhcc.com.

About Auburn University
Auburn University has provided instruction, research and outreach to benefit the state and nation for more than 150 years, and is among a distinctive group of universities designated as Land, Sea, and Space Grant institutions. Auburn makes a nearly $5 billion economic contribution to the state each year, has more than 250,000 graduates and provides 130 degree programs to more than 24,000 graduate and undergraduate students.

For more news about Auburn University, visit http://wireeagle.auburn.edu/. In-depth reporting, including multimedia features and downloadable photographs for media use, can be found at http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/newsmakers/.