NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2010

Foundation Black and White Gala

Gourmet Encounter of the First Kind

Brockville—“A culinary journey of exploration” from Chef Seth O’Hara awaits the revelers this fall at the Black and White Gala.

On September 25th, the Brockville and District Foundation is hosting a Black and White Gala at the Brockville Armouries to celebrate the 125th anniversary for Brockville General Hospital. Chef Seth O’Hara, owner of the Brockberry Café, will be offering gala attendees “a magical place to taste and explore culinary adventures in celebration of the hospital’s 125th.”

“I’m planning a tasting environment to engage the senses,” says O’Hara. “This will be an opportunity for people to enjoy tastes they would otherwise have to travel great distances to get. This menu is the type of foods I wish I could do more frequently.”

O’Hara’s vision for the evening’s culinary adventure is not the typical sit-down dinner but cuisine stations, to which you can return as often as you’d like. “I’ve thought this out as an interactive gourmet experience, of your own design,” he explains, “to wander through at your own pace. Life’s uncertain,” he adds with a laugh. “Start with dessert!”

Interior designer Peggy Irvine has taken her role as event designer to mirror what Seth will do with his team. The gala will have a party atmosphere where mingling is easy. Irvine has designed multiple options for sitting, a variety of seating at different levels, as opposed to a formal sit-down dinner.

“It’s certainly a complimentary creative effect,” says O’Hara. “Peggy and I liaised quite a bit on this. At parties, people always end up in the kitchen, and for that night, the entire Armouries will be the kitchen!”

As for the actual menu, well…that’s top secret until the 25th of September.

“Brockberry’s will close for the day, and we’re really looking forward to doing this. It’s my first time with something of this complexity, and there is a culinary excitement about it. Some summer staff and culinary students have let me know they would like to return to work on this event as it cuts new ground for Brockville.”

There are only 250 tickets for this one-time event, available at either

Brockville Scotiabank locations (downtown on King Street, or uptown at Stewart and Parkdale), and sales have already been brisk. Proceeds raised will go toward the purchase of an Isotope Indicator, state of the art technology used in the treatment assessment of breast cancer.

“This cuisine experience is such a great celebration of the hospital’s 125th,” says O’Hara. “The Brockberry Café is very honoured to be involved.”


Hail to the kale! Brockberry owner and chef Seth O’Hara offers only one clue as to what the Black and White Gala menu might hold.

For more information, please contact:

Maggie Wheeler Communications Officer BROCKVILLE GENERAL HOSPITAL 613-345-5649 Ext. 1-1504

Healthy people – Outstanding Care

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