The Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation (JCCF) at UCLA hosts its 17th annual signature fundraiser, Taste for a Cure, Friday, April 20, 2012 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
This year’s event honors NBC Entertainment President, Jennifer Salke, with the Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award. Event co-chairs are Jon Holman, Larry Maguire, Gary Newman, Jay Sures and Dana Walden. The evening features special performances by Emmy and Globe nominated singer/actor Lea Michele and Darren Criss, best known for their roles on the award-winning television show Glee.
Connoisseurs look forward to Taste for a Cure’s exquisite foods and luxury wines each year. This year, 15 prestigious family-owned Napa Valley wineries will pour their handcrafted Cabernet Sauvignon, known for its rich, bold flavors. Wine sponsors include the Napa Valley wineries Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel and Dolce, long-time event supporters.
Distinguished California chefs will delight guests with their gourmet signature dishes. Presenting chef/owner Cindy Pawlcyn of Napa Valley’s Mustards Grill, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen and Brassica Restaurants; Ludo Lefebvre of LudoBites; Suzanne Tracht of Jar; and Gilles Arzur of the Beverly Wilshire Hotel will serve their culinary creations. Following the unparalleled food and wine reception, a tasting menu of savory and sweet dishes will be served during the awards program, live auction and entertainment portion of the evening all culminating to support the fight against cancer.
“Our organization is so fortunate to have such an extraordinary and dedicated supporter in Jennifer Salke and we are honored to celebrate this remarkable woman for her generosity and commitment to our mission,” said Judith C. Gasson, Ph.D., Director, UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. “Jennifer’s support of numerous philanthropic causes and her dedication to improving the lives of others embodies all of those qualities that exemplify the Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award.” The award was created in memory of JCCF event supporter Gil Nickel, proprietor of Napa Valley’s Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel and Dolce wineries, who lost a courageous battle against melanoma in October 2003.
Honoree Jennifer Salke, President of NBC Entertainment, is responsible for NBC’s primetime and daytime programming, which includes all drama and comedy development, current programming, and casting for the network. Prior to joining NBC Entertainment, Salke served as Executive Vice President of Creative Affairs at Twentieth Century Fox Television. During her tenure with Twentieth Century Fox, the studio enjoyed an incredible run highlighted by her development and championing of the hit series "Glee"and “Modern Family.” Salke serves on the Los Angeles host committee for Girls Inc., and in 2009 was honored by the national charity for her work to help young women in Hollywood. Salke and her son Henry were honored in 2011 by Operation Smile for their efforts to help children and young adults born with facial deformities.
The JCCF, founded in 1945, is the single most important vehicle for raising private funds for cancer research at UCLA. UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) is ranked among the nation’s top 10 cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report. The JCCC’s dedicated researchers are recognized as international leaders in the discovery of new and better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer.
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