Local Chefs to Participate in 19th Annual Capital Food Fight

Chefs from Estuary, Money Muscle BBQ, dLeña, and 101 Hospitality Group Face Off During DC Central Kitchen’s Baddest Night of Doing Good at The Anthem

Capital Food Fight returns to The Anthem on Thursday, November 9th for the 19th installment of DC Central Kitchen’s raucous night of fighting hunger. The event will feature Montgomery County resident José Andres and Money Muscle BBQ/All Set/Fryer’s Roadside’s Ed Reavis. Tickets to this year’s event, presented by Instacart, go on sale Tuesday, September 5th at capitalfoodfight.org.

Per DC Central Kitchen: “Instacart’s mission is to create a world where everyone has access to the food they love, and we recognize the exceptional work that DC Central Kitchen does to address the root causes of hunger and poverty. We’re proud to partner with DC Central Kitchen to help expand their impact and support the annual Capital Food Fight,” said Dani Dudeck, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Instacart. “Nutrition education and access to nourishment have the potential to empower and uplift our communities, and our partnership underscores our shared commitment to creating a healthier, more equitable future for every DC family.”

First hosted in 2004 by DC Central Kitchen’s long-time volunteer and Board Chair Emeritus José Andrés, Capital Food Fight has long been the must-attend event of food lovers, TV stars, and philanthropists alike. Executive Chef & Co-Owner of Money Muscle BBQ/All Set/Fryer’s Roadside Ed Reavis, Chef Rachel Bindel of 101 Hospitality Group (Michele’s, Gravitas, Bakers Daughter), Executive Chef of dLeña Carlos Camacho, and Estuary’s Chef de Cuisine Ria Montes join a storied list of notable chefs who have faced off in head-to-head culinary challenge on the main stage featuring a spotlighted ingredient. Each dish will be judged by a panel of culinary icons, including Top Chef’s lead judge, restaurateur, and James Beard award-winning chef Tom Colicchio; restaurateur, Iron Chef America champion, and star of truTV’s Fast Foodies Justin Sutherland, retired Washington Nationals All-Star Ryan Zimmerman, and more!

Celebrity chef and DC-based restaurateur, Spike Mendelsohn, Chef Andrés, and local media personality Tommy McFly return as the evening’s hosts and emcee, respectively, to keep things rocking from the main stage with one of DC’s most in-demand performers,DJ Neekola, on the decks all night long as attendees feast on delicious bites from more than 80 of the DMV’s best restaurants.

Tickets are available for purchase at www.capitalfoodfight.org starting on Tuesday, September 5th at 9 am. General admission tickets are $325, with VIP access going for $550. VIP ticket holders will have exclusive access to the second floor with balcony seating and full open bar. All proceeds from the event, including donations and silent auction, go to support DC Central Kitchen’s award-winning solutions to hunger and poverty in Washington, DC, from providing culinary job training to serving scratch-cooked school meals to delivering fresh fruits and vegetables at deep discounts to small corner stores across city.

Special thanks to the 2023 Capital Food Fight Presenting Sponsor, Instacart, along with Showcase Sponsors CoBank, Lineage Logistics, and Wegmans, which will also be stocking this year’s on-stage pantry. The battling chefs will be highlighting special ingredients provided by Wegmans, Keany Produce, and AUI Fine Foods. Further appreciation goes to our Executive Chef Sponsors Bloomberg Philanthropies, Clark Construction, RTX, Wells Fargo, Vox Media, and Appliances A Better Way (ABW), and Sous Chef Sponsors Bank of America, DoorDash and Geico. For a full list of 2023 sponsors and information on remaining availability, please visit capitalfoodfight.org/sponsors.

Capital Food Fight is a 21 and older event. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit www.capitalfoodfight.org.

Featured photo courtesy of DC Central Kitchen