New Orleans, Louisiana—Chef Nancy Oakes, Executive Chef and Owner of Boulevard Restaurant and Prospect Restaurant in San Francisco, will be the host chef at this year’s Link Stryjewski Foundation Bal Masqué Chefs’ Dinner. Oakes will cook the annual dinner alongside Chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski on Friday, January 19th, 2018, at Calcasieu. The 2018 Bal Masqué will take place on Saturday, January 20th at the Sugar Mill. Oakes will prepare a four-course dinner paired with wines for the exclusive charity dinner.
Chef Link has known Chef Oakes for many years. He first became friends with her while he was working in San Francisco in the late 90s. “Nancy helped me find my footing when I was living in San Francisco. She helped me find a job cooking,” states Link. “I’ve always admired her food. She’s been a mentor to so many and is a leader in our industry. I am honored that she is serving as our host chef this year.”
Chef Oakes opened Boulevard Restaurant in 1993, and has been honored with numerous local, national and international accolades, nominations and awards, including Zagat’s San Francisco Bay Area’s Most Popular Restaurant, the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef in California 2001 and Outstanding Restaurant in the United States 2012, as well as the Filiale des Etats-Unis in France. In 2010, Chef Oakes opened Prospect Restaurant in San Francisco’s flourishing South of Market/Embarcadero neighborhood, it is a warm and modern urban environment, with high service standards and exceptional cuisine.
Throughout her career, Oakes has been devoted to her community and cooking for charitable organizations. “I met Chef Oakes through some of her charitable work, her commitment to philanthropy has been an inspiration for me,” states Stryjewski. “She is a perfect fit for our event and I look forward to working with her in our kitchen.”
The Link Stryjewski Foundation hosts charity events throughout the year as a means to secure funding resources for its mission to help nourish, educate and empower the youth of New Orleans. In 2017, the Foundation provided support to Kingsley House, Youth Empowerment Project, Roots of Music, and Son of a Saint.