Mahone Fund, Gateway Technical College, and The Bartolotta Restaurants partnering on unique benefit dinner

RACINE, Wis. — A special, popup chef demonstration and gourmet dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 9, will benefit the community causes supported by the Kenosha-based Mary Lou & Arthur F. Mahone Fund.

“Gateway Technical College Culinary Arts Presents an Evening with The Bartolotta Restaurants: A Benefit for the Mahone Fund” will be held in the Gateway’s Breakwater Dining Room in the Lake Building, 1001 S. Main St., Racine.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., with a chef demonstration at 6 p.m. and dinner to follow. Admission is $125 per person, with all proceeds benefitting the Mahone Fund. This exclusive dinner is limited to the first 50 reservations. Tickets can be purchased at https://eveningwithachef.eventbrite.com.

The cooking demonstration will feature chefs from the award winning, Milwaukee-based Bartolotta Restaurants cooking alongside students from Gateway’s Culinary Arts Program and from the Kenosha Unified School District’s Tremper High School.

“This event is so exciting because it both raises money for educational scholarships through the Mahone Fund and also gives an opportunity for students to learn from high-level professionals,” said Ardis Mahone-Mosley, event co-chair. “The students at the culinary program at GTC worked with the chefs from The Bartolotta Restaurants throughout the process and gained experience and connections in an industry they are interested in joining.”

After the dinner is served, the students and their families will have the opportunity to discuss what they learned and ask questions of the professional chefs.

“We at The Bartolotta Restaurants believe it is more important than ever to help nurture and develop the next generation of chefs and cooks,” Chef Aaron Bickham said.

“Partnering with a program like the Mahone Career Exploration Organization allows our team to have a hands-on experience with students interested in the culinary arts. They can watch and learn from working professionals in the industry and we are there to answer any questions they may have about working in restaurants, getting their foot in the door, what qualities and skills people are looking for when hiring, and what it takes to be successful in the restaurant industry.”

Teri Jacobson, event co-chair, said, “the Breakwater restaurant at Gateway’s Racine campus is an ideal location to host this unique event showcasing The Bartolotta Restaurants commitment to education and the community.”

“Our supporters will get a unique opportunity to watch a demonstration by some of the area’s best chefs, eat some amazing food in a great setting, and support two great educational programs – GTC and the Mahone Fund,” Jacobson added.

Terry Simmons, Dean of Gateway’s School of Protective and Human Services, called the event “a valuable experience for a great cause.” “This event is incredible opportunity for our culinary arts students to collaborate with industry professionals,” Simmons said. “We are so appreciative to have great partners like the Mahone Foundation and The Bartolotta Restaurants.”

About the event partners:

Founded in 1999, the Mahone Fund celebrates and perpetuates the legacy of the late Kenosha social justice leaders Mary Lou and Arthur F. Mahone. The nonprofit fund’s mission is to provide educational opportunities for economically and academically deserving youth, while also supporting healthy lifestyle initiatives in communities of color.

The fund is a component of the Kenosha Community Foundation. More details are available at https://www.mahonefund.org.

The Bartolotta Restaurants is a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization co- founded by four-time nominated and two-time James Beard Award- winning Chef Paul

Bartolotta and his late brother, Joe Bartolotta. Since the opening of its flagship restaurant, Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993, The Bartolotta Restaurants group has grown to become the premier culinary brand in the Greater Milwaukee region.

Gateway Technical College began in 1911 as the United States’ first publicly funded technical college and now offers more than 70 programs of study preparing 21,000 students annually to enter new careers or advance their current ones.

The Gateway district serves Kenosha, Racine and Walworth counties. Learn more at https://www.gtc.edu/about-us.