Louisville Restaurant Community Unites In Fund-raising Event For Local Author

Louisville area restaurateurs will join with national cookbook authors to raise funds for "Feast Here Tonight: A Benefit for Ronni" on Friday, February 8th. Lundy, a former restaurant reviewer and music critic for the Courier Journal, former editor of Louisville Magazine and an award-winning southern cookbook author, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer late last year.

"Ronni Lundy has spoken to Louisville with so many voices -- about music, about restaurants, about Eastern Kentucky -- but mostly about food and community at the table," said Courier Journal food editor Sarah Fritschner. " This event celebrates that community spirit in the truest possible way, with friends and food, coming together. This time is for Ronni."

This special benefit will pair renowned cookbook authors with Louisville area restaurants to raise funds to help offset Ms. Lundy's medical expenses. Restaurants will collaborate with the cookbook authors to design special dinners featuring the author's recipes. Diners may also order from the restaurant's regular menu. Authors will be on hand to autograph books.

The benefit is sponsored in part by Brown-Forman, the Camberley Brown Hotel, FSA Group, Gourmet magazine, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, the Seelbach Hilton, the Southern Foodways Alliance, White Lily, and Woodford Reserve.

More than 15 area restaurants will participate including Asiatique, Baxter Station, Club Grotto, the English Grill, Equus, Harper's, Holly Hill Inn in Midway, Ky., Jack Fry's, Jicama, Lilly's, Lynn's Paradise Caf, Napa River Grill, the Oakroom, the Patron, Rudyard Kipling, Shariat's, Vince Staten's Barbecue and Winston's.

Featured authors will appear at the following restaurants:

a Club Grotto -- Pam Anderson, author of How to Cook Without a Book and food editor for USA Weekend
a The Oakroom at The Seelbach Hilton -- Ben and Karen Barker, chef-owners of Magnolia Grill and authors of Not Afraid of Flavors
a Shariat's -- Crescent Dragonwagon, author of Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread
a Equus -- Nathalie Dupree, TV personality and author of Nathalie Dupree's Comfortable Entertaining
a Lynn's Paradise Caf -- John T. Edge, author of Southern Belly
a The English Grill at The Brown Hotel -- John Egerton, author of Southern Food
a Harper's -- Roy Finamore, an editor for Martha Stewart and author of One Potato, Two Potato
a The Patron -- Damon Fowler, author of Fried Chicken: The World's Best Recipes
a Napa River Grill -- Sarah Fritschner, author of Vegetarian Express Lane Cooking
a Jicama -- Jessica Harris, author of The Welcome Table
a Lily's -- Karen McNeil, author of The Wine Bible
a Jack Fry's --Louis Osteen, chef and author of Louis Osteen's Charleston Cuisine
a Baxter Station -- Jane Lee Rankin, author of Cookin' Up a Storm.

In addition, several restaurants have opted to feature specials from Ms. Lundy's books, Butter Beans to Blackberries and Shuck Beans, Stack Cakes and Honest Fried Chicken or create their own special menus such as Holly Hill Inn, Vince Staten's Barbecue, Winston's, Rudyard Kipling and Asiatique.

Following the dinners Friday night, all participants are invited to join in the bluegrass shindig featuring the string band, Hog Operation, beginning at 9:30 p.m. at Lynn's Paradise Cafe. Matt and Ted Lee, proprietors of the Lee Brothers Boiled Peanut Company and contributing editors at Travel + Leisure, will host an oyster roast and provide highly entertaining commentary on their travels. Tickets will be available at the door, in exchange for a nominal donation.

Hawley-Cooke Booksellers will host a book signing party at its Shelbyville Plaza location for all authors from 2:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 9th.

Also, 100 illustrated, first editions of The Mon