Two chefs who have competed on a Gordon Ramsay television show — one of them Scranton’s Chef Von — are cooking up next-level fundraising dinners for the Lackawanna Historical Society next week.
There will be two seatings each night on Thursday and Friday, March 19-20. The $145, five-course meal will be served at the Scranton Club.
Chef Von, whose full name is Ryan Von Smith, owns Chef Von & Mom on Linden Street. He recruited his friend Alexandra Donnadio to join him for the fundraiser. Donnadio goes by Chef Zandge. Both appeared on “Next Level Chef” on the Fox network.
They are going beyond the burgers and other comfort food served at Chef Von & Mom and the barbecue Donnadio makes at Iron & Oak Catering in New Jersey. Both have other specialties and compete widely.
“A lot of fundraisers involve food,” said Historical Society Executive Director Mary Ann Moran-Savakinus. “But I think that the idea of having a menu that these two people created specifically for our event, as a way to show off their culinary skills, and then at the same time support a local history organization, makes it a little unique and certainly I hope a next level for us, because it’s bringing us to new audiences,” she said.
She hopes that the location will be another draw. The Scranton Club, a 131-year-old membership club that occupies the lower level of 404 Washington Ave., is not usually open to the public.
The menu begins with charcuterie and then a Caesar salad topped with a salmon skin chicharrón. Chicharrón is a crispy fried dish usually made with pork, often pork skin.
The other courses are a shrimp and pasta dish, braised short ribs and tres leches cake.
“This city has lots of history and I love what they are doing up there,” at the Historical Society, Smith said. “Whatever I can do to help, to raise money, is a good thing.”
Reservations are required. The reservation link is lackawannahistoricalsociety.ticketspice.com/pop-up-with-next-level-chefs.
Smith and Donnadio are planning more joint projects around the country, he said.
Smith is also planning to create a line of tableware products.
If you go
What: Pop Up with “Next Level” Chefs to benefit the Lackawanna Historical Society, a five-course meal by “Next Level Chef” contestants.
When: Thursday, March 19, and Friday, March 20, with seatings at 5:30 and 8 p.m. both evenings.
Where: The Scranton Club, 404 N. Washington Ave., Scranton.
Details: The five-course dinner is $145. For information and the reservation link: lackawannahistoricalsociety.ticketspice.com/pop-up-with-next-level-chefs. The Historical Society website is lackawannahistory.org.