The eyes of Texas are upon you all the livelong days… So true for one young talented chef who will be recognized on Sunday, September 7, 2003; at La Mansión del Rio Hotel by an elite group of Texas` chefs and presented the “Rising Lone Star Chef Award.” A seven-course seated dinner benefiting the James Beard Foundation will honor the centennial anniversary of American food legend James Beard and celebrate a new star on the Texas food scene.

Hosting the event will be Scott Cohen, Executive Chef Las Canarias at La Mansion del Rio; and his co-hosts Andrew Wiseman, Chef/Owner La Reve, and Bruce Auden, Chef/Owner of Biga on the Banks, both from San Antonio, along with a line-up of Texas` best, including Tim Keating, Executive Chef, Quattro, Four Seasons Houston, David Garrido, Executive Chef Jeffrey`s, Austin, and Sharon Hage, York Street, Dallas. The six chefs select one chef as the best up-and-coming chef in the state. A year-long-search will culminate on September 7 at a star-studded multi-course dinner at La Mansión del Rio Hotel alongside the banks of the historic River Walk in San Antonio.

Texas has long been an incubator of new chefs who implement the state`s indigenous ingredients and pair them with both classical training and innate good taste. Chef Cohen of Las Canarias and his award-wining fellow hosts all embody this spirit, each of whom has taken life experience, melded it with training and love of local product and turned out an impressive menu that encompasses food as thought provoking and bold as the Lone Star State.

Throughout 2003 participating chefs have searched for one chef who best embodies the zest for pushing the boundaries of food while still respecting classical techniques. Looking at this year`s participating chefs Cohen, Auden, Wiseman, Keating, Garrido and Hage it is easy to see where the new chefs get their inspiration. Cumulatively, these chefs have won industry and media accolades that read like a “who`s who” in American cooking.

The evening will benefit the James Beard Foundation, which celebrates the country`s culinary artists, provides scholarships and educational opportunities, serves as a resource for the food industry and offers its members the opportunity to enjoy the delights of fine dining. This not-for-profit culinary organization is dedicated to cultivating the practice and appreciation of fine food and beverage in America. The James Beard Dinner held in Las Canarias at La Mansión del Rio Hotel will assist the James Beard Foundation as it strives to continue the extraordinary work of the foundation`s namesake.

This year`s recipient will be announced at the September 7, 2003 dinner that begins with cocktails at 6 p.m. Followed by a seated dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are priced individually and can be purchased by calling La Mansión del Rio special events line at 210.518.1063 Cost for Beard Foundation members is $125; non-members tickets are $150 per person. Both prices include tax and gratuity. La Mansión del Rio is located at 112 College Street in San Antonio, Texas.

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