Last Night's Parties: Your Week At The Best Parties in DC

What: Chef Tom Colicchio Honored at 2nd Annual Chef's Roast Where: Union Market Who was there: Tom Colicchio, Padma Lakshmi, Morgan Fykes, Diego Zuniga-Gonzalez, Amelia Malkin, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Thad Cochran, Alex Wagner, Richard Blais, Spike Mendelsohn, Sam Talbot, Erik Bruner-Yang, David Guas, Robb Duncan, Nancy Pelosi Other details: Chef/owner of Crafted Hospitality and Food Policy Action co-founder Tom Colicchio, took the hot seat and invited friends Padma Lakshmi and Richard Blais to have a good laugh at his expense at the Second Annual Chef’s Roast. A collection of celebrity chefs and TV personalities led by MSNBC’s Alex Wagner, Bravo Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi and Chef Richard Blais took the stage to have a little fun with Chef Colicchio but also saluted his leadership to improve the food system, and raise the profile of food issues nationally. All proceeds from the event went to the Chef Action Network, an organization dedicated to building the next generation of chefs advocating for good food policies, and to Food Policy Action, a group co-founded by Chef Colicchio that is changing the national dialogue on food policy by educating the public on how elected officials are voting on a full range of food policy issues. In the kitchen, restaurateur and Top Chef alumnus Spike Mendelsohn, along with an all-star lineup of chefs including Sam Talbot and D.C.’s own Erik Bruner-Yang, David Guas and Robb Duncan, were put to the task of preparing a feast for guests. Many of America’s brightest culinary stars were in attendance including Chefs Emily Luchetti, Bill Telepan, Lee Anne Wong and many others. The Chef’s Roast celebration also honored U.S. Senators Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) for their continued leadership on childhood nutrition. The day following the roast Chef Colicchio and nearly fifty chefs representing 34 states headed to Capitol Hill to meet with hundreds of members of Congress about the Child Nutrition Act that is currently under consideration by Congress. Hundreds of chefs nationally also participated in this day of action on social media, using hashtags including #realschoollunch, #saveschoollunch, #chefslead and #votefood. [Photos via Sunshine Sachs]