Chef Leanne Kelleher, owner of the acclaimed restaurant The Tides, followed up last year’s spectacular Hibiscus Village Wine Dinner with an equally remarkable gastronomic feast last Wednesday evening. Word had obviously spread about the previous repast; the number of diners increased from roughly 60 to more than 100 enthusiastic guests.
So that every dollar raised would benefit the Vero Beach-based Hibiscus Village, a residence for abused, abandoned and neglected teens, Kelleher again sponsored the entire evening. Additionally, every one of the über-efficient staff donated their time, and some purveyors even contributed to the cause.
“On behalf of the youth living at the Hibiscus Village, thank you to Chef Leanne and The Tides for hosting another wonderful dinner,” said Matt Markley, Hibiscus Children’s Center CEO, also thanking guests for helping to make an impact. “Two Hibiscus teens have been employed at The Tides and learned valuable skills and training from one of our area’s best chefs. A key element to helping abused youth succeed in adulthood is helping to prepare and train them for gainful employment and being productive citizens.”
Kelleher credited longtime Hibiscus supporters Armund and Marie Ek for initially introducing her to the organization.
“These kids will need jobs and they need to learn skills. Cooking is something you can do always, and so I took a couple of interns in. They did great; one of them is still here, actually,” said Kelleher.
Having aged out of the system at 18, the young man had to leave Hibiscus and currently works full-time at The Tides while he contemplates the next stages of his life.
“I think he’s going to culinary school next,” said Kelleher, referencing the Indian River State College Culinary program. “When he’s ready and wants to seriously think about getting enrolled, I’ll help him do that. I’m trying to mentor him at his own pace. He’s come a long way; he’s doing a great job. I’m really proud of this kid.”
Kelleher said she was inspired to create an Italian-themed dinner this year following a recent trip all through Italy.
“I love Italy; I’ve been there several times. I like the culture, the food, the wine,” said Kelleher.
She paired her scrumptious seven-course menu with wines that represented a variety of different regions.
“I’ve been fortunate. I’ve had great support and I want to pay it forward a little bit,” said Kelleher. “Opportunities are not equally distributed, but I would like to help these kids realize that opportunities are out there. Anything that I can do to open doors for them, I’m all about it.”
Photos by: Mary Schenkel
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