Saint Martin’s announces celebrity chefs for its fall fund-raising gala

Three celebrity chefs will host the Saint Martin’s University Gala this fall: Tom Douglas, Thierry Rautureau, and Dario Cecchini.

The gala is Saint Martin’s annual fundraiser for student scholarships. In 2022, it raised more than $3 million.

Douglas is a long-time Seattle chef and restaurateur, as well as an author and radio talk show host. He won the 1994 James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef and the 2012 James Beard Award for Best Restaurateur.

Rautureau was named the winner of the James Beard Award for Best Northwest Chef in 1998 and awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre Du Mérite Agricole by the French government.

Cecchini is a leading contemporary Italian butcher who was featured in the documentary series “Chef’s Table” on Netflix in 2019.

“The Saint Martin’s University Gala is the perfect combination of our Benedictine value for hospitality and the Saint Martin’s community’s passion for supporting our students,” said Vice President of Institutional Advancement Shad Hanselman.

The gala will be on Saturday, Nov. 4, in the Marcus Pavilion on Saint Martin’s campus in Lacey. The black-tie affair features a live auction, a five-course gourmet dinner, and on-stage cooking demonstrations by the celebrity chefs.

Learn more about the gala on the Saint Martin’s website or by contacting the Saint Martin’s University Office of Institutional Advancement at 360-438-4366 or gala@stmartin.edu.