Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 2/27/22

Lazy Betty Founders and Chefs Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips met nearly twelve years ago while working at Eric Ripert’s Michelin-starred Le Bernardin in New York City, and on Wednesday, April 6, they’re bringing together seven Le Bernardin alumni to host a special reunion dinner benefiting KultureCity, a nonprofit dedicated to making “the never” possible for those with invisible disabilities and sensory needs. By creating a community of acceptance and inclusion for all, KultureCity aims to ensure that every individual can be included regardless of their different abilities. Lazy Betty’s team is undergoing training to become a sensory-inclusive restaurant.

“We are truly honored to work with the amazing team at Lazy Betty to make them the first sensory inclusive fine dining restaurant in the world,” says Dominique Wilkins, KultureCity Board Chairman and former Atlanta Hawks player. “Through our certification process, the Lazy Betty team has been trained on how to better serve guests with disabilities and sensory needs. The fine dining experience should be for ALL, and it’s truly amazing that Lazy Betty not only gets that, but is putting it into action.”

Former Le Bernardin chefs participating in the reunion dinner will each prepare a course that pays homage to their time at Le Bernardin. In addition to Chefs Ron and Aaron, participating chefs include:

• Jennifer Carroll – Jen Carroll cooked under Patrick Feury at Neil Stein’s Avenue B before becoming sous chef at Le Bernardin, then Chef de Cuisine at Ripert’s 10 Arts Bistro at Philadelphia’s Ritz-Carlton. She is a finalist and two-time all star on three seasons of Bravo’s Top Chef. She is also Chef-Partner of Spice Finch in Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square and helms Carroll Couture Cuisine, an experiential culinary company. She is co-founder of Sisterly Love Collective, an alliance of women restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs across Philadelphia, jointly promoting mentorship and sustainable success.

• Adrienne Cheatham – An eight-year Le Bernardin veteran, Chef Adrienne served as Executive Sous Chef at the acclaimed restaurant. She was the Executive Chef of Red Rooster Harlem before competing on season 15 of Top Chef, finishing second in the finale. Today, she runs the SundayBest pop-up series and is releasing her first cookbook, Sunday Best, March 2022.

• Rob Sisca – Now based in Boston and the chef-partner of The Banks Boston and Bistro du Midi, Chef Robert Sisca served as Sous Chef at Le Bernardin and was part of the team for four years. In 2018, he competed on Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and came out victorious with his Bouillabaisse.

• Monica Glass –  Chef Monica Glass is a former pastry chef at Le Bernardin and will be preparing the evening’s dessert course. Food & Wine named her a Best New Pastry Chef in 2013, and in 2020, she became a Chopped Champion. Today, she’s a chef and integrative health & wellness coach offering virtual classes, demos, experiences and more.

• Kevin Adey – A former cook at Le Bernardin, Chef Kevin Adey is the chef-owner of Faro in Brooklyn.

The evening will also include an online auction, featuring items like tickets to an Atlanta Hawks game, tickets to a University of Georgia football game, private dinners, rare bottles of wine and liquor, and more. Guests will be able to scan a QR code at their table to view auction items and bid from their phones.

The five-course menu is $275 per person in the dining room and at the Chef’s Counter, plus beverage pairings for $100 each. Each ticket includes a cookbook by Chef Eric Ripert or Chef Adrienne Cheatham. Prices are inclusive of service, and a portion of the evening’s proceeds will go directly to Kulture City. Reservations are available here.