D Magazine’s Best New Restaurants Urban Rio and Zio Cecio Participate in Symphony of Chefs

Dec. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- The KidLinks Foundation – a nonprofit that has been improving the emotional and physical needs of children by directly funding therapeutic music programs in North Texas for more than a decade – is hosting its third annual “Symphony of Chefs” fine dining event on February 25, 2013. Symphony of Chefs is pleased to announce that two restaurants named by D Magazine as Best New Restaurants in 2012 will be participating. Award-winning chefs Ryan Olmos (Urban Rio) and Francesco Farris (Zio Cecio Cucina Italiana) are returning to the event for a second year. These chefs, along with many others from Dallas and Fort Worth, have agreed to donate their time, talent and food to this worthy cause.

Symphony of Chefs attendees will experience an evening of fine dining with each chef preparing a five-course dinner tableside exclusively for a table of 10 guests. The chefs will create their own menu, select complementing wines, and interact with table guests while preparing their gastronomical masterpiece.

All proceeds from the event will be used to fund several North Texas therapeutic music programs for children that are critically ill or have developmental delays. These organizations include Children’s Medical Center Music Therapy Program, SMU/Hugworks Music Therapy Program, Cook Children’s Medical Center, Ft. Worth, and Hurst-based Hugworks. Co-chairs of this year’s Symphony of Chefs are Bonnie & Nathan Shea and Kaari & Jim Wicklund.

Chef Ryan Olmos is executive chef of Urban Rio – “the River of the City” – just East of the DART Rail tracks in Downtown Plano. The exciting flavors of UrbanRio will come from all-sides of the Rio Grande River with the freshest and most authentic ingredients. Over the course of 10 years, Olmos served as Executive Chef for some of the finest establishments in Texas, including Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Gallagher’s Steakhouse, The Petroleum Club of San Antonio, The Plaza Club of San Antonio and El Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel. Prior to joining Urban Rio, Chef Olmos was the Executive Chef for eatZi’s Market and Bakery. www.urbanrio.com

Chef Francesco Farris is the owner and Executive Chef of Zio Cecio Cucina Italiana in Dallas. Chef Farris has become renowned for his unique Sardinian cooking style –fresh, rustic and aromatic. The restaurant’s menu is packed with appetizers, featured pastas and risottos prepared with fresh seasonal vegetables, as well as organic beef, lamb, pork and chicken and fresh seafood. Ultimately, Francesco enjoys cooking and being a host to his friends and customers. Chef Farris has showcased his culinary talent for the James Beard Foundation and has been awarded the esteemed title of Italian Culinary Master Chef. www.ziocecio.com

A Symphony of Chefs will be held at the Petroleum Club, Dallas on Monday, February 25, 2013. It is open to the public with tables for 10 ranging in price from $5,000 to $25,000, and a limited number of individual seats are available for $1,000. For more information about the event, visit www.symphonyofchefs.com.

For more information regarding these therapeutic music programs:
www.kidlinksfoundation.org
www.hugworks.org
www.childrens.com
www.cookchildrens.org
www.smu.edu/meadows