Great Experience! Project Dinner Table Is Back!

This Saturday, experience the art of community as Project Dinner Table returns for its fifth season. On April 12, the community engagement platform and popular dinner series kicks off the season at Downtown3rd (DT3); the culinary talent will be led by Downtown Grand’s Chefs Charles Wilson and Todd Harrington. The event will begin with social hour accompanied by hors d'oeuvres and cocktails at 5:30 p.m. and the family style dinner follows at 6:30 p.m. Season tickets and memberships are now on sale at www.ProjectDinnerTable.com.

“This dinner series was created to build community by using food as a catalyst and to get back to the basics of how we relate to each other. We have seven experiences in season 5 with four community dinners, two intimate dining adventures and culminating with a special membership event.” exclaims Gina Gavan, founder and spoonbender, Project Dinner Table.

Project Dinner Table is the popular local dining phenomenon blending a philanthropic approach and appreciation for the farm to table movement, while focusing on what we love: food, community and purpose. A series of once-in-a-lifetime, dinners served around one long, white-linen-draped table set in unique and adventurous settings, Project Dinner Table celebrates phenomenal chefs, local growers and sustainable sources. Furthermore, each gathering brings diverse individuals together to share a meal served family-style, all while rediscovering the lost art of conversation. Guests at every event may expect to find themselves breaking bread with community leaders, local growers, food artisans, restaurateurs and other spirited guests. Project Dinner Table has partnered with United Way of Southern Nevada, ultimately leaving a legacy for the community, powered by community.

DT3 is located on 3rd Street, between Stewart Avenue and Ogden Road. With the excitement and energy of the Fremont Street Experience just steps away, Project Dinner Table will enable guests to truly experience all that Downtown Las Vegas has to offer by experiencing its unique blend of community in one night. The signature dinner table seating 175 will run along one block of 3rd Street.

Leading the culinary experience will be Executive Chef Charles Wilson of Downtown Grand. Chef Wilson has nearly 20 years of experience leading teams around the country and the world. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Austin, Texas. From there, his career began as a sous chef at the Four Seasons Chicago and then Four Seasons Hualalai at Historic Ka'upulehu. He would spend the next few years working his way to becoming an executive chef at Pacific Islands Resort LTD Japan. Chef Wilson arrived in Las Vegas in 2004, landing a position as an executive chef for banquets at MGM Grand. By 2007, he joined Caesars Palace where he consistently earned high praise from his teams for his excellent leadership both in front and back of the house. During his years at that property, Caesars Palace would go on to winning the AAA Four Diamond Award and having numerous restaurants win the world’s most prestigious accolades ranging from Bradley Ogden and Restaurant Guy Savoy also winning AAA Four Diamond Award to restaurants and dining experiences being named “Most Popular Restaurants” by Zagat.

Working side by side with Chef Wilson will be Assistant Executive Chef Todd Harrington. His eagerness to learn, proven prowess at team leadership and dynamic flair for contemporary, palate-pleasing fare are what led him to the property, where he currently created menus for all dining experiences inside the hotel. Chef Harrington studied at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh while working as an assistant chef at Chef Alan’s American Bistro. Drawn by Las Vegas’ exciting and expanding restaurant scene, Harrington relocated to the Entertainment Capital of the World in 2005. He has worked in some of Las Vegas’ finest kitchens including Central Michel Richard at Caesars Palace, which he opened and served as executive chef for two years.

Member price per dinner is $175. The non-member price is $190 (prices are all inclusive).

The next 2014 dinners will take place May 17, Sept. 13 and Oct. 11.* The adventure experiences will be announced later this year.

For more information, go to www.ProjectDinnerTable.com or find on Facebook at or follow on Twitter @Food4Good.