Nikita Nesterenko, Beckett Senneke, Tim Washe, Mason McTavish, and Jackson LaCombe pause for a pic.Credit: PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ANAHEIM DUCKS
The Anaheim Ducks hockey rink at Honda Center was transformed into an elegant dining room for some 450 guests and more than 30 chefs from many of Orange County’s most popular restaurants all to raise money for the Anaheim Ducks Foundation’s community programs. Chefs from restaurants such as The Cannery, Louie’s by the Bay, Il Girasole, and, of course, Selanne’s Steak Tavern (the award-winning dining destination founded by former Ducks player Teemu Selanne) teamed up with players, coaches, and broadcasters to prepare, plate, and serve sumptuous multicourse meals for tables seating 14 gala-goers including family, fans, friends, and community leaders. Anaheim Ducks in-game hosts Ally Kay and DJ JoJo Maestrado served as emcees, and a live auction had bidders dueling over exclusive experiences.
Ducks legend Teemu Selanne and Selanne Steak Tavern Executive Chef Vince Terusa
Ducks player Ryan Strome cooks up some steak.
The Anaheim Ducks Foundation has raised more than $23.5 million since its launch in 2008, and this year’s event added another $300,000-plus to the kitty. Programs supported by the foundation aim to provide educational opportunities, broaden access to the sport of hockey, and address the health and wellness needs of the community. S.C.O.R.E. (Scholastic Curriculum of Recreation & Education), for example, provides a standards-based curriculum for more than 45,000 elementary school kids throughout Southern California. Score!
Lukas Dostal with 2145 Eats Chef Raul Saucedo
Dux in Tux 25th annual event held on the ice at Honda Center