Evening Under the Stars Benefits Childrens’ Charities

It was a night to remember when American Honda welcomed local businesses and members of the South Bay community to its headquarters in Torrance, Calif., for Honda Evening Under the Stars. Proceeds from the gourmet food and wine tasting festival support programs committed to providing healthcare and comfort to children in the South Bay.

Organized by AHM Corporate Community Relations, Honda has hosted the Evening Under the Stars for 31 years. Support also came from a number of Honda Community Action Team associate volunteers and the AHM Facility Services to set up tables, hang lights, organize check-in and assist vendors with event set-up.

“Honda cares about children and supports those who are committed to providing healthcare and comfort to children in the South Bay,” said Steve Morikawa, vice president, Corporate Relations & Social Responsibility. “We truly appreciate our healthcare partners joining with us, many volunteers and our food and beverage partners to create this event.”

The evening kicked off with a live auction of items provided by special donors including the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Police Department, 21 Royal Disney Dining Experience, Indianapolis 500, Canadian Rockies Vacation, Exclusive Wine Package featuring Screaming Eagle, Opus One Winery and Silver Oak Cellars.

The glazed pork belly with acorn squash puree from Honda Cafe’s Sodexo wasa poular item throughout the night.

Throughout the night, attendees enjoyed light refreshments, wine and gourmet cuisine from 30 of the South Bay’s finest restaurants. For these businesses, the Evening Under the Stars was an opportunity to share their most popular dishes with the community; for Honda Café’s Sodexo, it was a chance to create something totally new – a glazed pork belly with acorn squash puree.

After serving three-courses, the Torrance Marriott’s 21 Square Bar + Kitchen wowed guests with a spectacular showcase of food chemistry. Using a steamy liquid nitrogen, the restaurant made ice cream in less than a minute.

“That was very cool to watch,” said Ruth Tsuji, AHM senior sales assistant for Dealer Placement, who attends the event with her family every year. “It’s one of the events I love because it supports the community and it’s at my home here at AHM.”

Later in the evening, Grammy Award winning artist Kenny G made a special appearance. The crowd was noticeably dazzled by the saxophonist’s melodious jazz sounds as he played hits from his popular album Breathless and the more recent Brazilian Nights.

American Honda created the Gourmet Food & Wine Festival in partnership with the Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce in 1987 as a way to bring corporate business, residents, and local commerce together for a relaxing community celebration. This year’s more than $330,000 proceeds will benefit the Torrance Memorial Medical Center and Vistas for Children Inc., providing state of the art healthcare to the community and Honda associates.

 

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