The 2024 Saint Martin’s Annual Gala will feature Chef Pati Jinich, whose deep love for culinary authenticity and culture will deliver a meal to remember. The Gala is the University’s annual signature fundraising event for student scholarships, which raised more than $2 million dollars last year. With Chef Pati’s infectious energy and unwavering dedication to ethnic flavors, the Saint Martin’s 2024 Gala promises to be as exhilarating as it is delicious.
Chef Jinich’s full schedule includes her three-time James Beard Award-winning PBS television series “Pati’s Mexican Table.” The taping is done in her own kitchen where she shares family recipes and culinary tips along with heartwarming stories that celebrate the complex history of Mexican cuisine. Her PBS primetime docuseries, “La Frontera,” took her on the exploration of the border shared by the US and Mexico where culture has overlapped for centuries.
Her next cookbook is in process. Jinich is also the resident chef at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. She lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband Daniel Jinich. They have three sons and her youngest will graduate from high school this spring. She makes time daily to walk the family dog, Mila, a golden lab.
How does she keep cooking fresh? “That’s the thing,” she explains. “I can’t keep up with the wonders of Mexico. It’s humbling and I am honored. I am learning something new all the time.”
Her family is her tasting team. “For me, testing things is super fun. We do that all the time at home. They come on the journey with me,” Jinich explains.
The Saint Martin’s Gala will be held on Saturday, November 2, in the Hal and Inge Marcus Pavilion on Saint Martin’s main campus in Lacey. The menu is being curated and Chef Jinich promises, “It will be absolutely delicious.” She can choose from a wealth of cooking experiences and travels to bring the tastes of Mexico to our plates.
Over the years, the black-tie affair has grown to be the premier culinary event in the South Sound region, featuring a live auction, a five-course gourmet dinner, and on-stage cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs. Mark your calendar!
For Additional Information
Saint Martin’s University
stmartin.edu
BY MARY ELLEN PSALTIS