Longtime Chicago resident Chef Art Smith is hosting a special ticketed dinner on Thursday, June 1 — the first day of Alzheimer’s Brain and Awareness Month — at his newly opened restaurant, Reunion, to help raise awareness and support for the Alzheimer’s Association. The special four-course dinner will feature dishes that pay homage to the important women in Chef Art’s life – his mother, grandmother and aunt, all of whom he lost to Alzheimer’s disease.

Chef Art, TV personality and personal chef to celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey and Lady Gaga, opened Reunion last summer as a family-oriented eatery located at Navy Pier for locals, visitors and anyone looking for straightforward, down-home Southern food.

“Reunion holds a special place in my heart because it signifies my return to the city I love after being away for several years while I cared for my mother with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Chef Art Smith. “My grandmother, mother and aunt were all really remarkable, hardworking women who taught me that if you’ve got food, you’ve got life. Food has the ability to bring people together and I’m excited to invite the Chicago community to join me for delicious food and a night of fun that supports the Alzheimer’s Association.”

Chef Art is a longtime supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association through its Around the Table program, an awareness platform that showcases shared experiences with food to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and its impact on individuals, families and communities.

The special event will encourage communities to share the stories behind some of their favorite dishes, encouraging food lovers to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia. Tickets are $100 per person and are available on a limited basis here. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and 50 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter.

Today, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease including more than 230,000 Illinoisans. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends serve as dementia caregivers with more than 383,000 caregivers in Illinois.

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