Blending food from New York City's top chefs with décor from top design talent, the first annual “Taste of Design” event will debut at the Cave du Vin at Lafayette Restaurant Wednesday, April 2, as a benefit for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.

Chef and designer duos include La Vara's Alex Raij and Eddie Lee, Dirt Candy's Amanda Cohen and Devon Morten, Restaurant North's Eric Grabynowicz and Tamara Eaton, General Assembly's Craig Koketsu and Jon Call, and Union Square Cafe's Carmen Quagliata and Sasha Bikoff.

From left: Jon Call, Eddie Lee and Tamara Eaton

Each chef will have a tasting station, which will be spruced up by the interior designer. Call described General Assembly as rustic, earthy, sophisticated and fragrant—with an unexpected twist. “The food is going to be the inspiration to create our tabletop design, and we look forward to creating something just as fun and unique as the restaurant we are working with,” he said.

General Assembly in NYC 

The event committee includes Mercedes Desio, Charlotte Druckman, John Druckman, Jessica Graham, Jonathan Graham, Alix Lerman, Lockhart Steele and Alberto Villalobos.

"The New York Design Center is thrilled to be a sponsor of the Kips Bay 'A Taste of Design' event," said Lerman, Director of Marketing and Communications at NYDC. "In addition to exposing The Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club to a broader audience, more importantly, the event will raise additional funds to help 11,000 kids annually."

VIP tickets are $150 per person, $250 per couple and $100 for an individual ticket. The event takes place from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at 380 Lafayette Street.

Since 1915, the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club has been focused on improving the lives of New York City’s children. In the effort to help these young people recognize their potential for growth and success, Kips Bay provides essential after-school and enrichment programs for young people between the ages of 6 and 18.