Go wild with wild rice

The California Wild Rice Advisory Board is calling on all chefs-in-training and culinary professionals in California and Nevada to compete in the "California Wild Rice Rocks My World Recipe Rumble" for up to $5,000 in cash and prizes.

The California Wild Rice Advisory Board, which is sponsoring the event, is challenging culinary professionals to create interesting new ways to incorporate and serve wild rice in restaurants, catering operations and other foodservice settings.

The rumble kicks off Sept. 1 with the start of California Wild Rice Month and closes Feb. 28. The winners will be notified no later than March 31. Contest entry forms and rules can be found online at www.cawildrice.com.

*Photo courtesy of the California Wild Rice Advisory Board

Four top OC chefs to participate in scholarship fundraiser

Four of southern California's top chefs will participate in the inaugural Orange County Celebrity Chefs Culinary Arts Scholarship fundraiser at The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar at The District in Tustin to help five aspiring chefs earn their associates degree in culinary arts at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Yvon Goetz, executive chef and partner at The Winery--along with Pascal Olhats, executive chef and owner of Tradition by Pascal and Brasserie Pascal; Andrew Sutton, executive chef of Napa Rose at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif.; and Rob Wilson, executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel--will prepare a six-course dinner for the guests. A portion of the proceeds from the dinner will be added to The Winery Culinary Arts Scholarship Fund. In February, The Winery's owners will review all scholarship applications, and the winners will be announced at a campus-wide ceremony in May.

The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 23. For more information or to make reservations, send an e-mail to Rochelle@TheWineryRestaurant.net.