Support the employment training of our women by enjoying an exceptional fine dining experience. Renowned chefs come to Plates Café and serve up gourmet dishes — all in benefit of the mothers at Saint John’s!
Our Guest Chef Dinners take place on the first Thursday of the month from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The evening is filled with friends, supporters, live music, complimentary wine tasting, and appetizers followed by dinner and a raffle.
2023 Guest Chef Dinner Series
During our Guest Chef Dinners, Sacramento’s finest chefs work with Plates Café to produce a special world-class dining experience. Please note that Guest Chef Dinner is not held during the months of January, October or November.
Please check back often for updates on the 2023 Guest Chef Dinner line-up.
2023 Guest Chef Dinner Dates
February 2 – Chef Santana Diaz of UC Davis Health’s production kitchen
SOLD OUT!!!!
March 2 – Chef Jennifer Millsap and Chef Tara Martinez of Shef Madres
Featured Winery: Sean Minor Wines
Band: Darbytown
Ticket sales closed.
April 6 – Chef Deneb Williams of Allora
SOLD OUT!!!!
May 4 – Chef Aziz of Brasserie du Monde
SOLD OUT!!!!
June 1 – Plates Catering with Chef Stu
Join us for a special evening as we bid farewell to the original Plates Cafe and Catering location with a Guest Chef Dinner featuring the one and only Chef Stu and our talented team of alumni. This will be a nostalgic event as we celebrate the legacy of Plates Cafe and Catering and welcome back alumni who helped build the foundation of what Plates Catering is today.
Ticket sales closed.
July 6 – Thai Basil
SOLD OUT!!!
August 3 – Chef Laura Stewart of My Healing Chef and BeneFIT Bowls
Chef Laura Stewart is the founder of INDULGE Gourmet, a personal chef and catering business established in 2008. In 2015, she launched My Healing Chef, driven by the mission to educate and inspire individuals to enhance their quality of life through “healing with food.” Motivated by personal experiences, including her best friend’s mother battling cancer, Chef Laura recognized the lack of attention given to diet during diagnosis and treatment. Drawing inspiration from books like ‘Anticancer’ and ‘The Cancer Fighting Kitchen,’ she discovered the potential of certain foods to support treatments and combat cancer cells. With her culinary expertise, she creates delicious meals incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients, beneficial not only for cancer patients but also for individuals with conditions like diabetes, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. In 2019, Chef Laura introduced BeneFIT bowls, affordable and accessible options featuring over 25 flavors of healthy, flavorful, and filling food packed with anti-inflammatory elements, protein, and fiber. She continues to make her talents and nutritious offerings available to a broader audience, aiming to promote wellness for all.
SOLD OUT!!!
September 7 – Chef Allyson of Notre Ferme
Great cooking isn’t just about making delicious food—it’s about bringing people together and fostering an authentic connection with the local community. Notre Ferme is rooted in the belief of bringing good to everyone, which starts and ends with nurturing my relationships with farmers, clients, and organizations. My partnership with farmers comes down to respect. I work with everyone from a bespoke persimmon farmer to a caviar sourcer to a fungi grower. I bring their products to life in the most honest way possible—doing the bare minimum to each ingredient to preserve its authenticity and integrity. I believe it’s just as much my job to educate my clients about the ingredients I use—where they’re from and how they’re cultivated—as it is to create delicious meals.
SOLD OUT!!!
Tickets to this dinner are sold out. If you would like to be added to the waitlist, please email us at info@saintjohnsprogram.org
December 7 – Chef Scott of Saint John’s Program for Real Change
Become Part of the Guest Chef Dinner Club
Join our Guest Chef Dinner Club to take advantage of discounted pricing. Guest Chef Dinner Club sales are available until March 31, 2023. Tickets may be moved or combined to other months; contact us ahead of time to arrange. Please join us in supporting formerly homeless women and children transition to self-sustainability.
2023 Club Sales — Now through March 31, 2023
- February 27 – March 31
- Includes: June through December dinners (10 tickets total)
Does not include tickets to April or May dinners, which are sold out. - Price: $600 ($50 savings)
- Includes: June through December dinners (10 tickets total)
Updated Health & Safety Protocols
Saint John’s Program for Real Change is committed to safe gatherings. Masks are encouraged.
COVID-19 Safety Acknowledgement
An inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public space where people gather and you understand that no precautions can fully eliminate the risk of exposure. By attending Guest Chef Dinners, you expressly agree to comply with any and all rules and safety guidelines put in place by the event organizers, and voluntarily assume all risks and liability related to exposure to COVID-19.
Previous Guest Chef Restaurants
Some of the finest chefs from the Sacramento area have partnered with Plates Café to provide a one-of-a-kind gourmet meal in support of the women and children served at Saint John’s Program for Real Change.