Celebrating 35 Years of Creating a Better World for Animals
saturday
EVENT CHAIRS
Mary and Travis Andres
honorary CHAIR
Ruth O'Donnell Mutch
Underwriting packages, event tickets, and sponsorships are available online now!
Donate to our auction
We invite you to be part of this special evening by contributing an item to our auction. Donations of experiences, services, packages, or one-of-a-kind items help create an unforgettable night that directly supports the Dallas Zoo’s mission.
Connect with us
on Instagram
Follow @DallasZooToDo to get all the latest updates, an insider look into our planning process, and more!
underwriters
coming soon
committee
Advisory Comittee
Diane Brierley
Mary McDermott Cook
Marena Gault
Kim Hext
Gayla Von Ehr
UNDERWRITING COMMITTEE
Ryan Gummer, Chair
Purvi and Bill Albers
Cristin Dalecki
Boone Howell
Nancy Patterson
LIVE AUCTION COMMITTEE
Thai-lan Tran, Chair
Big Board
Cindy Gummer, Chair
Miles Trapp-Danielson
SILENT AUCTION Committee
Claire and Ben Davis, Chairs
Alex and Angela Arellano
Grace Cook
Cari and Will Daniell
Lois and Ross Finkelman
Marena Gault
Laura Howell
Tamela Thornton
Gayla and Jim Von Ehr
Sarah-Michelle Stearns Wiley
Jane Williams
RAFFLE Chairs
Ashley and Barret Howell
SOCIAL MEDIA &
MARKETING COMMITTEE
Monica Contreras Gonzalez and
Stephanie Spaulding, Co-Chairs
Stephanie Ainscow
Jake Bender
Calvert Collins-Bratton
Dr. Whitney Strauss
CHEF WRANGLER
Brett Krafft
CHEF RECRUITER
Jimmy Contreras
HONORARY CHEF
Dan Landsberg
host committee
HOST COMMITTEE co-CHAIRS
Chuck Steelman
Tiffany and Bobby Abtahi
Stephanie and Donald Ainscow
Purvi and Bill Albers
Bonner and Thomas Allen
Nicole and Justin Anderson
Angela and Alex Arellano
Connie and Nick Babikian
Angela and Chris Bhatti
Britt and Jake Bender
Diane and Hal Brierley
Rhealyn and Dale Carter
Robyn and Chris Chauvin
Calvert Collins-Bratton
and Vince Bratton
Grace Cook
Mary McDermott Cook
Cari and Will Daniell
Cristin Dalecki and Tommy Smith
Barb and Steve Durham
Alina and Ruben Esquivel
Julie and Bill Evans
Lois and Ross Finkelman
Matt Garcia
Jennifer and John Gates
Marena and Roger Gault
Monica and Manuel Gonzalez
Alisha and Chris Gummer
Cameron and Jay Gummer
Cindy and Chuck Gummer
Michelle and Ryan Gummer
Debra and Ken Hamlett
Edna and Xavier Henderson
Kim and Greg Hext
Claudia and Preston Hext
Shawna and Josh Hinkel
Alison Hollender
Ashley and Barret Howell
Laura and Boone Howell
Amber and Grafton Ifill
Robbie Kruithoff and Ryan Ross
Cynthia and Jim Leano
Nicole and Nico Leone
Carol and John Levy
Enrique MacGregor
and Mark Niermann
Pat and Charles McEvoy
Jerry Miller | PwC
Dawn and Steve Moore
Dr. Hector Nazario
Dan Patterson
Nancy Patterson and Max Maxwell
Mandy Price and Bennie King
Karen and Paul Puopolo
Nancy and Doug Rabe
Gaby and Gunner Rawlings
Sherri and Brad Rejebian
Hannah Riley
Steven J. Roth and Thai-lan Tran
Leslie and Ivan Roussev
Ruth Ruhl, P.C.
Debbie and Gavin Ryan
Andrea Sanders
Stefanie Schneidler
and Jeffrey Robinson
Melissa and JP Sevilla
Dr. Jennifer Stimpson
Gretel and Justin Shipley
Stephanie Spaulding
Tammany and Robert Stern
Dr. Whitney and Rob Strauss
Kristina and Rob Swift
Tamela Thornton
Ariel and Taylor Toynes
Miles Trapp-Danielson
Alicia Voltmer
Gayla and Jim Von Ehr
Joan and Alan Walne
Julie and Jacob Walter
Lori and Chuck Whitten
Sarah-Michelle Stearns Wiley
Jane Williams
chefs &
restaurants
coming soon
Avra
Chef George Ortega
Celebrated chef with over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry.
Boxwood Hospitality
Chef Justo Blanco
A Dallas-native whose talent and curiosity have led him around the world.
Café Momentum
Chef Aaron Collins
Culinary leader advancing farm-to-table cuisine at Cafe Momentum for 10 years.
Cenzo’s Pizza
& Deli
Chef Jason Smith
Master craftsman of pizza with 12 years of experience across Texas kitchens.
The Crescent Club
Chef Guillaume Chhun
Executive Chef guiding the kitchens of Hotel Crescent Court and The Crescent Club.
Curio Kitchen + Market
Chef Chris Patrick
Chef-Owner of Curio Kitchen + Market, a chef-driven market and natural wine shop in Lancaster.
Eledi
Owner/Chef, Anastacia Quiñones-Pittman
First-generation Mexican-American and native Texan, known as Chef AQ, owner and Chef of Eledi.
Empire Baking Co
Chef Meaders Ozarow
Baking pioneer with husband, Robert, serving DFW fresh artisan bread since 1992.
Emporium Pies
Chef Landon Perdue
Master pie maker devoted to making Fine Pie for Fine Folk.
Encina
Chef Matt Balke
Texas-born restaurateur crafting seasonal award-winning cuisine with refined culinary technique.
Garden Cafe
Chef Mark Wootton
Community-focused chef sustaining Old East Dallas landmark Garden Cafe, in Old East Dallas.
Gemma & Sachet
Chef Stephen Rogers
With wife, Allison Yoder,
co-owner of Michelin-recognized and James Beard-nominated Dallas restaurants.
Goodfriend
Beer Garden
Chef David Pena
Dallas chef and pitmaster, creating inventive fare at Goodfriend and Fortunate Son.
Goodwins
Chef Jeff Bekavac
Chef and owner of Goodwins, and passionate Zoo To Do supporter.
The Heritage Table
Chef Rich Vana
Chef-owner championing Blackland Prairie Cuisine, a culinary philosophy rooted in North Texas farms and ecology.
Hugs Cafe
Chef Diana Zamora
Award-winning local pastry chef, leading a social enterprise empowering individuals with developmental disabilities.
La Bodega
Rotisserie & Goods
Chef Skye McDaniel
Oak Cliff native chef and owner with a passion for feeding her community.
La Duni Bakery and Restaurants
Pastry Chef Dunia Borga
Award-winning nationally recognized pastry chef Dunia Borga has elevated Dallas’ dessert scene for over two decades with her signature Latin-European desserts.
Las Palmas Tex-Mex, Bowen House, Mike’s Gemini Twin,
St. Martin’s Wine Bistro, and
Urbano Café
Chef William Salisbury
Chef overseeing kitchen operations and menu development at these beloved Dallas restaurants.
Manny’s Tex Mex
Chef Omar Hernandez
Industry veterans who started as young dishwashers over
20 years ago, now shaping flavorful Tex Mex cuisine.
Mozzarella Company
Chef Mauricio Travesi
Working owner and President, leads this award-winning artisanal cheese factory.
MVP Coffee Company
Victoria Parshikova
Entrepreneur and coffee lover bringing community together through quality coffee.
Nobu
Chef Antonio Rendon
Culinary veteran bringing over 30 years of experience to Nobu Dallas.
Parigi
Chef Janice Provost
Proprietor and Chef of Parigi, celebrated for seasonal cuisine and generous community contributions.
Punch Drunk Chef Meal Prep
Chef Brad Miller
Dedicated chef and advocate for positive change through food and community.
Rye & Apothecary
Chef Taylor Rause
Executive Chef of Walkabout Hospitality; consisting of Rye, Apothecary, & Flamant.
Salum Restaurant
Chef Abraham Salum
Born in Mexico, with 25 years of experience, has been shaping Dallas dining since opening Salum 20 years ago.
Sea Breeze Fish Market & Grill
at The Wilfred
Chef Ryan Oruch
Chef owner has been with Sea Breeze since its opening in 2007.
Sevy’s Grill
Chef Jim Severson and Gerardo Calderon
Veteran sous-chef delivering excellence to Sevy’s guests for 28 years.
SSA Group
Chef Sara Dipinto
Experienced chef bringing extensive hospitality expertise to the Dallas Zoo’s culinary offerings.
Stock & Barrel*
Chef Jon Stevens
Chef owner serving Bishop Arts community with 30 years of culinary dedication.
Sugar & Sage Bakery
Chef Jill Bates
Executive pastry chef creating signature desserts at Sugar & Sage Bakery.
Sushi By Scratch
Chef Dohnovan Davis
Hailing from Houston, trained at Uchi, and sharing his skills at Scratch.
Suze
Chef Gilbert Garza
Chef and proprietor running Suze, a Dallas favorite and award winner for 25 years.
Taco Y Vino
Chef Jimmy Contreras
Once ashamed to have tacos in his lunch box as a kid, now proudly serves them in Bishop Arts and Garland.
The Texas Barn at Circle T Ranch
Chef Dan Landsberg
Classically trained chef blending Napa Valley elegance with Texas wood-fire influence.
The Zodiac Room
Chef Sara Toth
New Orleans native crafting refined cuisine inspired by heritage and joy.
sponsors
PRESENTED BY
The Eugene McDermott Foundation
Official Zoo Airline
