Library fund-raiser places chefs' donations online

Nation's Restaurant News, Oct 11, 2004

NEW YORK -- Prominent chefs here, including Mario Batali, Nobu Matsuhisa and Eric Ripert, are participating in a two-week online auction to benefit the New York Public Library.

Bidders can log on to www.nypl.org to place their bids for a meal that those three chefs, who are with Babbo, Nobu and Le Bernardin, respectively, will prepare for 12 people. That "Food Lover's Fantasy" is the grand prize in the "Make Noise for the Library" campaign, which will raise funds that will be used to buy books for branch libraries.

Another prize is the "Best of Boulud," a five-part prize from chef Daniel Boulud, chef-owner of Daniel, Cafe Boulud and db Bistro Moderne, all in New York. The package includes an eight-course dinner for four with wine pairings at Daniel, dessert and Champagne for four in the lounge at Daniel, one three-course lunch for four with selected wines at Cafe Boulud and one at db, and a set of five autographed cookbooks by Boulud.

The winner of another item, offered by Tim Zagat, chairman and chief executive of Zagat Survey, will be led, along with three guests, by Zagat on a dining tour of New York restaurants, where the winners will meet the chefs and dine on special dishes.

Dinner for four also will be up for grabs at 11 New York restaurants: Aquavit, Asia de Cuba, Barbutta, Haru, Michael's, Rainbow Room, Rao's, Strip House, Suba, Swifty's and Toqueville.