THE many faces of philanthropy will be popping up all around the Apple over the next few weeks. Food-loving do-gooders are going from one extreme to the other to promote their causes.
The high-end ticket, at $10,000 per table of 10, is at Wednesday’s “Salute to Great Chefs and Sommeliers” benefiting Ch.13/WNET. The second-annual cocktails-and-dinner soiree includes five courses, one each from four-star toques David Waltuck of Chanterelle, Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, Sottha Khunn and pastry wizard Jacques Torres of Le Cirque 2000 and Christian Delouvrier of Lespinasse.
Wine selections from the sommeliers of the restaurants’ stellar cellars will accompany. Afterward, there’s a live auction of luxe food and wine lots. The top-drawer blowout begins at 7 p.m. at the St. Regis. Call (212) 560-4916 for more info.
FAST FRIENDS: World Vision’s 30-Hour Famine takes the minimalist approach. The not-for-profit organization is looking for sponsored teens to fast for a 30-hour period on Feb. 26 and 27 to fight global hunger. They’re expecting 600,000 kids to raise $8 million worldwide. Call (800) 7-FAMINE.
Meanwhile, Ben’s Kosher Deli on West 38th Street is saying it with knaidlach. Their annual Matzoh Ball Eating Contest is under way with a local qualifying round Wednesday at 6 p.m. The victor’s the one downing the most dumplings in two minutes and 50 seconds, who then moves on to the finals Feb. 2 and meets The Post’s Metro Gnome, judge Gersh Kuntzman. Champ chomper gets a $2,500 PC Richard gift certificate. It’s $10 to enter, with proceeds going to Interfaith Nutrition Network.
SEA YOU LATER: The SeaGrill closes its doors tomorrow for a year-long renovation. A spokesman for the highly rated Rockefeller Center fish-dishery says they plan to reopen for New Year’s 2000, with an interior revamped by one of two well-known designers they’re considering. They’ll retain the SeaGrill name but with a less-formal, cutting-edge concept.
HUNG UP: Molyvos is apparently having no problem turning over tables. Wednesday night the refined Greek spot (Seventh Avenue between 55th and 56th) was so crowded they ran out of coat-check numbers, leaving some patrons to tote their drippy wraps temporarily to their tables. Before long everyone had a hanger to call their own, but the staff’s so warm and the moussaka’s so ethereal here that diners barely cared.
Speaking of Greek, that just-opened seafood estiatorio (bistro) on Second Avenue (between 70th and 71st) is called Trata. Gregory Zapantis, former chef at Milos, is chef-owner; vowing to keep it simple and authentic, e.g. grilled octopus and fisherman’s stew.
WHAM BAM: You know you read it just for the articles. February’s Playboy magazine features an interview in which TVFN’s popular “bam-bam” man, Emeril Lagasse, bares his culinary soul. Among other tidbits, the chef reveals that not only do real men eat the stuff, but “incidentally, quiche is coming back.”