Dear Friends, Supporters and Students,
It's that time of year again! The 12th annual M.E.N.U.S. (Mentoring & Educating Nevada's Upcoming Students) event will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight on Friday, Oct. 4, at Luxor Hotel & Casino.
M.E.N.U.S. is an annual celebration held to support the Epicurean Charitable Foundation's (ECF) scholarship program. This year, we are excited to host a private performance of the all-new show, "PRiSM," by the world-famous Jabbawockeez dance crew followed by an exclusive, poolside dine-around highlighted by many of the city's top chefs. The dine-around will include an array of hand-crafted cocktails, a silent auction, music provided by a DJ throughout the night and a posh VIP area.
We believe that M.E.N.U.S. encompasses everything that is ECF: fundraising for our scholarship program, hands-on learning and mentoring for our students and community outreach to help build a better Las Vegas.
ECF students play a vital role in every M.E.N.U.S. event, assisting with set-up, dining operations and venue logistics. This participation provides a valuable learning experience for the students, allows them the opportunity to mingle with top industry leaders and bond with one another in a world-class hospitality and culinary environment.
We hope you will join us this year at Luxor Hotel and Casino for an entertaining evening that supports the future and growth of our Foundation. Without our valued donors, friends, mentors, board and partners, the continued success of M.E.N.U.S. would not be possible. Information on how you can donate through sponsorships or donor packages can be found below.
Once again, we thank you for your continued support.
See you at M.E.N.U.S.!
Sincerely,
Jason Shkorupa
President of ECF
M.E.N.U.S. Ticket and Sponsorship Information |
Tickets start at $500 per person |
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| Sponsorship Levels: | ||
| DIAMOND: $48,000 | ||
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| PLATINUM: $28,000 | ||
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| GOLD: $15,000 | ||
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| SILVER: $10,000 | ||
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| BRONZE: $5,000 | ||
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| For more information and to purchase tickets, please contact Liz Gaiter at (702) 932-5098, liz@ecflv.org or visit www.ecflv.org. | ||
M.E.N.U.S. 2013 |
The gala will begin with a cocktail reception and celebrity red carpet outside the Jabbawockeez Theatre at 6 p.m. Guests will then enjoy a private performance of the new hip-hop dance show, "PRiSM," by the one-of-a-kind Jabbawockeez at 7 p.m., followed by a first-class dining exhibition at Luxor's pool from 8:30 to midnight.
"M.E.N.U.S. continues to grow along with our foundation," said Jason Shkorupa, ECF President and Vice President of Food and Beverage for Luxor and Excalibur Hotel Casinos. "This fundraiser presents a fantastic opportunity for donors to make philanthropic contributions to the education of future food and beverage and hospitality professionals, and I am excited and honored to host it at Luxor this year."
The exclusive poolside dine-around will feature samplings from more than 30 of Las Vegas' top restaurants, including Gordon Ramsay BURGR, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Poppy Den by Chef Angelo Sosa, KGB by Chef Kerry Simon, Bradley Ogden's Hops & Harvest, Table 10 by Chef Emeril Lagasse, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, TENDER Steak & Seafood, Rice & Company and Tacos & Tequila, as well as several restaurants from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and Bellagio. Guests will also enjoy music provided by a DJ throughout the evening and an elegant silent auction featuring unique and imaginative items.
Proceeds from M.E.N.U.S. support ECF's primary charitable endeavor of providing annual scholarship awards for underprivileged high school students seeking careers in the hospitality and food and beverage industries. Scholarship recipients receive financial support of up to $48,000 to cover tuition, books and other fees at the college or university of their choice. Since being founded in 2001, ECF has donated more than $1 million in scholarships to local Clark County students.
What M.E.N.U.S. Means to our Students |
ECF students themselves play a key role in the execution of every M.E.N.U.S. fundraiser. M.E.N.U.S. is completely student-run with direction provided by ECF's Executive Director and board members. This event provides our students with the unique opportunity to mingle with some of the city's top culinary and hospitality executives while gaining valuable hands-on experience. |
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"Working at M.E.N.U.S. gives me the chance to benefit from hands-on learning at one of the biggest events of the year in Las Vegas." – Vesna Boskovic, Class of 2013 |
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"The executives and chefs I meet each year at M.E.N.U.S. are many of the same people I hope to work with in the future. Not only is it a tremendous learning experience, but the event helps me expand my network of connections with industry professionals in Las Vegas." – Vildan Buric, Class of 2014 |
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ECF Donors & Community Support |
ECF has been able to provide financial support and guidance to students for more than 12 years thanks to generous contributions from donors, which currently include Johnson Brothers, Southern Wine & Spirits, Wirtz Beverage Nevada, Fiji Water, MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment and more. Future donors can support ECF with a monetary or in-kind donation, by matching a gift or by becoming a scholarship or M.E.N.U.S sponsor. ECF is not only dedicated to enriching the lives of local hospitality students, but also to positively impacting the Las Vegas community on the whole. Recently, the Foundation made generous contributions to other local philanthropic organizations including donations of $25,000 to Keep Memory Alive, $15,000 to Nevada's Latin Chamber of Commerce and $15,000 to the Nevada Blind Children's Foundation. For more information, please contact Epicurean Charitable Foundation at 702.932.5098 or visit the ECF website at www.ECFLV.org. |
Student Updates |
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Ajaha Johnson, a sophomore at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, recently accepted a position as a sales specialist at Pandora Jewelry. |
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Daniela Sanchez, a freshman at UNLV, was a recipient of the Marriott International Inc. Academy of Hospitality & Tourism Scholarship from the National Academy Foundation. |
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Jasmyn Franklin, a senior at Penn State University, officially began serving as Chairwoman of the National Society of Minorities in Hospitality (NSMH). Jasmyn is currently working as an HR, Campus Recruitment Intern for Hilton Worldwide and was recently awarded the Louis E. and Patricia Harvey-Silvi Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is given annually to one student in the PSU School of Hospitality Management. |
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Martha Morales, a 2009 graduate, was recently promoted to Hotel Operations Manager at Caesars Palace. In this position, Martha will oversee all hotel managers and operate the front office and VIP reception areas at the resort. |
Board Member Updates |
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Jason Shkorupa,Vice President of Food and Beverage for Luxor and Excalibur Hotel & Casinos, recently celebrated the grand opening of "PRiSM" by the Jabbawockeez and the accompanying Jabba Bar inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. |
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Luiz Oliveira, Owner of Sambalatte Torrefazione, announced the planned opening of a second location this November near Southwest Las Vegas. |
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ECF Media Updates |
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Jason Shkorupa and Karina Saucedo on Channel 13 "Making Las Vegas a Better Place to Live" segment |
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Michael Kennedy and Vildan Buric on Channel 8 "Cool at School" segment |
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