The Culinary & Cocktail Clash

The 12th annual Culinary + Cocktail Clash was a smashing success! The restaurant community came together to raise $74,000 for high school culinary arts programs!

We’ll see you in August 20224 for the next restaurant showdown! Interested in sponosoring? Contact Erin at foundation@calrest.org.

About the Clash: Restaurant brands battle it out in two fiery competitions – culinary and cocktail. In the Culinary Clash, restaurants are paired with a ProStart student sous chef to create a menu item using required ingredients. In the Cocktail Clash, restaurants shake up craft cocktails featuring Tito’s or Don Julio (no students involved).

This is the California Restaurant Foundation’s biggest fundraiser to support high school culinary arts programs.

2023 Restaurant Competitors

2023 Sponsors

The Cause

Event sponsorships support high school culinary arts programs in California! The California Restaurant Foundation empowers 13,500 teens each year with skills for work and skills for life. We change lives through restaurants!

Enrichment Services:

  • Mentorships
  • Job-training
  • Training for teachers
  • Scholarships

The 2023 Clash Winners!

The 2023 Culinary Clash Winners!

2022 Culinary: Coca-Cola Award: PorchBox

Culinary: Coca-Cola Award

Firestone Walker

2022 Culinary: Most Likely to be On a Menu: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Most Likely to be On a Menu

Urban Plates 

Culinary: Mentor of the Year: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Judges' Choice

American Gonzo Food Corp

Culinary: Mentor of the Year: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Team Spirit

American Gonzo Food Corp

2022 Culinary: Best Video: Wedgewood Weddings

Culinary: Marukan Vinegar Award

Black Bear Diner 

2022 Culinary: Best Video: Wedgewood Weddings

Culinary: Marukan Vinegar Award

BJ's Restaurants 

2022 Culinary: Best Photo: Specialty Restaurants

Culinary: Golden Plate Award

Wienerschnitzel

2022 Culinary: FreshPoint Award: Pizza Rev

Culinary: FreshPoint Award

Wedgewood Weddings

2022 Culinary: Best Video: Wedgewood Weddings

Culinary: Fan Favorite

Specialty Restaurants 

2022 Culinary: Best Video: Wedgewood Weddings

Culinary: Ecolab Award

Great Maple

2022 Culinary: Most Likely to be On a Menu: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Most Likely to be On a Menu

Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Mentor of the Year: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Mentor of the Year

Outback Steakhouse

2022 Culinary: Most Innovative: Wienerschnitzel

Culinary: The Innovator Award

PorchBox

Culinary: Mentor of the Year: Pacifica Hotels

Culinary: Inspiration Award

Joleen Goronkin

Clash 2023
Clash 2023
Clash 2023
Clash 2023
Clash 2019
Clash 2019
Clash 2019