from 24 of Pitts-burgh's hottest restaurants — think Bar Marco, McCormick & Schmick's, and Habitat, to name but a few — come together in a culinary competition, you can bet your waistline they're supporting a great cause.
They did just that at Savor Pittsburgh … cooking up support from 1,500 diners to fund new video cameras for the tiniest newborns at Magee-Womens Hospital. Because premature babies might be hospitalized for weeks or months in Magee's NICU (neonatal intensive care unit), the webcams will allow families to see their wee ones on a secure website, 24-7, from anywhere — even a smartphone. Talk about small wonders!
And so onto Aug. 29's blast for the babies. Sweltering climes aside, the huge tented setting in a SouthSide Works parking lot was stunning: fuchsia- and gold-napped tables, bright bouquets, watering holes galore, dancing to No Bad Ju Ju and, no kidding (tee hee), those dishes that tuned everything else out.
A panel of 16 judges (serious foodies like “On the Menu” hosts Ann andPeter Haigh, Rick Sebak of WQED and the Trib's MikeMachosky) tapped Table 22's scrumptious sesame scallops as Best Entree and Savoy Restaurant's knee-weakening chocolate caramel torte as Dish of the Year.
Last seen licking their forks were sponsors Janice and Chuck Hackett (their son Cameron spent 75 days in the NICU!); lovelies Michelle Kirsop and Christina Dickerson, SP chair and event planner respectively; MWH prexy Leslie Davis with Abe Leizerowski; Art Scully; Michelle and Dr. Stephen Emery; Carrie Coghill and Dr. Michael Bonidie; Carol, Linda and Steve Massaro; Joan and Dr. Allen Hogge; Debbie andMichael Barbarita; Drs. Gabriel Gossman andHy Simhan; Creed and Kathleen Hess; Violet Soffer; andIris Walker.
— Jean Horne
