Vancouver Hobby Chefs open homes to diners across Canada for the return of #dinnerpartyYVR presented by Cressey

Social Bites and Cressey Development Group today announce the third annual #dinnerpartyYVR, the charitable cooking event where hobby chefs open their doors to local diners for a home cooked meal, all to benefit the charity of their choice. On Saturday, March 28th, 2015, more than 50 food lovers will host simultaneous dinner parties with 100% of ticket proceeds going directly to the host’s chosen charity.

Following the success of the previous two years, #dinnerpartyYVR has almost doubled in size and expanded nationally to include Vancouverites who now live in Calgary, Montreal and Toronto. To date, the event has raised over $15,000 for local charities and organizations. Annika Reinhardt, Social Bites founder, expects that growth to continue.

“As a city passionate about food and community, Vancouver has truly embraced this event,” notes Reinhardt. “Each year we see more and more people willing to open their homes and kitchens to the community, so much so that Vancouverites across the country are looking to continue the tradition.”

Presenting partner Cressey Development Group returns for the second year and will be opening their doors so charities can become even more involved in the event. The Neil Squire Society will host a dinner in Cressey’s Mercer show suite, where ticket sales will directly support the empowerment of Canadians with disabilities through the use of computer-based assistive technologies, research and development, and employment programs. Cressey Dinner Party will benefit Quest Outreach Society.

“After the incredible success of last year and seeing this year’s growth, we saw the opportunity to open our CresseyKitchen™ and have local charities create an even bigger impact,” says Hani Lammam of Cressey Development Group. “We’re big believers in the power of community and we know Vancouver is going to impress once again this year.”

This year, diners signed up for a meal before March 4, 2015 will have a chance to be invited to a very special Cressey Dinner Party. Hosted by local celebrity chef and Top Chef Canada alum Clement Chan of Le Tigre, diners will be treated to a gourmet meal in Cressey’s stunning Meccanica penthouse. Joining Clement is 12-year old up-and-coming chef Liam Lewis, a #dinnerpartyYVR veteran. The two will bring together their unique styles to create a memorable menu featuring local and seasonal ingredients from Whole Foods Market.

Meals also include admission to the Cressey After Party, hosted at Meccanica. Guests will enjoy beer and wine, courtesy of Serendipity Winery and Howe Sound Brewing, fresh cold-pressed organic juice from The Juicery Co., and desserts from various local eateries including Whole Foods, Danica’s Café, Ten Ten Tapas and Heritage Bakery. Transportation to the After Party will be provided by Modo The Car Co-op. For more information and tickets, visit www.dinnerpartyYVR.com.

About Social Bites

Social Bites strives to create strategic activations (often involving food) that make giving a successful investment in the community, people and organizations. #dinnerpartyYVR, a Social Bites production, was co-founded by Annika Reinhardt and Crystal Henrickson to promotes inclusiveness and community engagement. The social dining experience has touched hundreds of people in and around Vancouver. To date, #dinnerpartyYVR has raised over $15,000 for Canadian charities. For more information socialbites.ca.

About Cressey Development Group

Cressey is a privately owned, fully integrated project development, construction, marketing and property management company with over 40 years of experience. With over 200 projects to date, Cressey has earned a reputation for constructing landmark developments of unparalleled quality, making them one of the regions most recognized and celebrated builders. The CresseyKitchen™, a prime example of Cressey’s forward thinking design is renowned for its functional walk-through layout, ample storage space, and sleek, seamless design.