Winners of Annual PPIE 'Toasts & Tastes of Fall' Announced

The 10th Annual “Toasts & Tastes of Fall” Culinary Competition and Fundraiser hosted by Pleasanton Partnerships in Education Foundation on October 19th marked a decade of “eating well on behalf of education.”

[Related article: Judges, Competitors Announced for 'Toasts & Tastes of Fall' Culinary Competition]

With approximately 350 people scheduled to attend and over 50 volunteers from the community, it was ‘standing room only’ at the chef stations as people enjoyed the food and spent quality time talking with school district representatives, many of whom were pouring wine for their school’s parents. 

“More than a fundraiser, ‘Toasts & Tastes’ offers a unique opportunity for residents to connect directly with important education stakeholder groups,” said PPIE Executive Director Susan Hayes.

In addition to corporate sponsors and school principals, guests mingled with the PPIE Board of Directors, Superintendent Parvin Ahmadi and other school district administrators and educators, the PUSD school board trustees, Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce President CEO Scott Raty and other regional executives; and Mayor Jerry Thorne and the Pleasanton City Council.

Also attending were parents of current students, parents of former students and residents without children in the school system. “PUSD is respected state-wide as a high quality school district,” Hayes said. “For many residents, it is the primary reason behind their decision to purchase a home in Pleasanton, regardless of whether or not they have children who attend the schools.” 

Guests enjoyed the lively sounds of the David Ladd All Star Jazz Band while sampling fine wines paired with culinary creations from some of our favorite and finest restaurants, caterers and bakeries. 

The judging panel finally made the tough call and narrowed the field to winners in the three categories. First place in the “Slow Food” category was Almond Estrada of Almond’s Kitchen; First place in the “Sweet” category was Primrose Bakery; and in a first-time tie, Top Nod for “Savory” was shared by Pans on Fire and The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards.

The event would not have been possible without the support of our sponsors: The Clorox Company, Fremont Bank, KKIQ, Oracle, Robert Half International, Black Tie Transportation, Kaiser Permanente, Ogden Costa Creative Group, Stoneridge Creek, Life Technologies, Vulcan Materials, Balloons & Beyond, Pleasanton Police Officers Charitable Foundation, New Leaf Market, Pleasanton Rentals, and the Pleasanton Weekly.

The valuable assistance of these Event Partners should also be noted: Café Main, Hacienda Business Park, Insignia Designs, Pampered Palate Catering, PUSD Graphics Dept., Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce, and Safeway.

PPIE also extends its gratitude to ‘Hometown Emcee’ Juliette Goodrich, and Judging Panelists Nick Boer, Senior Food Editor for Diablo Magazine; International Food & Wine Writer Deborah Grossman; and AuburnJames Winemaker Jim Frost. 

Finally, the event would not have been successful without the tireless efforts of the Event Committee led by Susan Hayes, including Sarah Baer, Shawn Batoy, Lori Carducci, Chuck Deckert, Lauren Fuller, Myla Grasso, Joan Laursen, Amanda Michel, Patty Powers, Jim Ryan, and over 50 key volunteers.

After indulging in PPIE’s annual fundraising feast, it’s time to start training for the 2ndAnnual PPIE “Run for Education!” Mark April 13, 2014, on your calendar for this USTAF-certified series with three opportunities for family fun: a 5K race, a Half Marathon, and the popular “Kids Challenge.” To find out more, log onto www.ppierun.com and be sure to “Like” our Pleasanton Run for Education Facebook page to receive up-to-date information in your Facebook newsfeed.