Louisiana Hospitality Foundation Gala
The Louisiana Hospitality Foundation will host its Gold Medal Chefs Gala & Hospitality Awards at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, at the Hilton New Orleans.
What is the Gold Medal Chefs Gala & Hospitality Awards?
The annual event celebrates local chefs and recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to Louisiana's hospitality industry. It is also the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation's largest yearly fundraiser, raising money through ticket sales, sponsorships, and auctions.
Attendees are welcome to attend the Bubbles and Bites event ahead of dinner, which starts at 7:15 p.m., where they can mingle with others over drinks and small appetizers.
Dinner guests will then be treated to a multi-course meal and have the opportunity to participate in the foundation's silent and live auctions before awards are given.
2026 Gold Medal Chefs Gala & Hospitality Awards Honorees
The event honors both chefs with the Gold Medal Chef award and those who have had an outstanding impact on the hospitality industry with the Hospy Awards.
2026 Gold Medal Chefs awardees include Wiley Lewis, chef at Delacroix Restaurant, and Samuel Murillo, chef at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside.
Hospy Awards include recognition for Honorary Event Chairman, President's Volunteer Award, Lifetime Achievement, and Founding Board. Honorary Event Chairman Bruce Attinger has over 50 years of restaurant operating experience, working in leadership roles at Hooters, Outback, and most recently Walk-Ons.
Other honorees include:
President's Volunteer Award
Kimberly Brewster
Lifetime Achievement Award
Pam St. Pierre
Robert Giancontieri
Founding Board
Tony Abadie
Glen Armantrout
Katy Casbarian
Tommy Cvitanovich
Sean Dowd
Paul Guillie
Greg Reggio
Melvin Rodrigue
Randy Stein
Louisiana Hospitality Foundation's Mission
Founded in 2006, the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation works to support the Louisiana hospitality industry and its workers. The foundation completes this mission through two community grant programs, one for culinary and hospitality education and workforce development and one for emergency financial assistance for Louisiana hospitality workers.
Grant applications are available at louisianahospitalityfoundation.org/programs.
2026 Gold Medal Chefs Gala & Hospitality Awards Tickets and Sponsorship Pricing
Individual tickets for the gala are $200 per person. Tables of five are $1,000, and tables of 10 are $1,8000.
The Gold Medal Chefs Gala offers varying levels of event sponsorship that include event seating, logo placement, and more, ranging from $1,000 for bronze level sponsors to $10,000 for presenting sponsors. Bronze, Silver, and Gold sponsors receive seating and digital and physical logo placement, while award and presentation sponsors receive premium benefits.
For more information on the event, tickets, and sponsorships, visit louisianahospitalityfoundation.org/gold-medal-chefs-gala.
