The UCLA Jonsson Cancer Foundation is finalizing the menu and program for its 29th annual Taste of the Cure, and the gala is shaping up to be a American Idol A reunion of sorts.
Taste for a Cure is scheduled to take place at Fox Studios in Los Angeles on May 1, and will honor Paramount’s president of television media, George Cheeks, with the Gil Nickel Humanitarian Award. American Idol Veteran Ryan Seacrest has been confirmed to host the entire event, which will include a headlining performance from none other than him idol Winner turned superstar Carrie Underwood.
Cheeks who will be honored by the actress and current Matlock Star Kathy Bates joins a list of previous honorees that includes Ravi Ahuja, Stephen A. Smith, Dana Walden, Eric Shanks, Gary Newman, Kevin Reilly, Jennifer Salke, Jay Souris, Joe Cohen, Paul Telegdy, Sandra Stern, and Daymond John. Cheeks currently oversees Paramount’s broadcast, studio and cable television businesses. He previously served as co-CEO of Paramount Global and president and CEO of CBS. The Yale and Harvard graduate has worked in television for more than 30 years, holding senior positions at NBCUniversal and Viacom.
Taste for a Cure will include samples from some of Los Angeles’ best restaurants and chefs such as Petit Trois with Chef Ludo Lefebvre, Top Chef Winner Mei Lin, Kevin Meehan of Michelin-starred Cali, Govind Armstrong of Lobster, Hinoki and the Bird, John Entrechat of Otos Thai Kitchen, Loris, Enrique Ceja of Beverly Wilshire, and Kyle Nelson of Fox Studios. Far Niente, Bella Union, En Route and other fine wines from around the world will be served while raising money for cancer research at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Event co-chairs at the gala were CAA’s Joe Cohen, Artist First’s Brian Dobbins, Breakthru Beverage’s James Myerson, Holman Group’s John Holman, director Jake Kasdan, and former Netflix executive Tendo Nagenda; Gary Newman of Attention Capital, Eric Nickel of Far Niente, Kerry Shahidi of 7th Sun Productions, Sandra Stern of Lionsgate, Dana Walden of Disney, and Arthur Wayne of Brooks Brothers.
More information about the event can be found here.
