La Bastille, a festive culinary benefit evening, takes place at the Edwins life skills center

CLEVELAND, Ohio – La Bastille, the Edwins Leadership & Restaurant Institute’s annual fundraising event, is scheduled for this month.

The festive dinner and party are scheduled from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 17 at the Edwins Second Chance Life Skills Center.

Billed as a Parisian-inspired summer evening with a New Orleans twist, the event will feature French cuisine, drinks and live entertainment to benefit Edwins.

Under the tutelage of Brandon Chrostowski, the restaurant hires and trains recently incarcerated people to learn all the facets of working in a French gourmet restaurant.

For La Bastille, Edwins employees will prepare a large buffet of Mardi Gras-inspired dishes, including crayfish stew, po’boys, and okra with chicken and sausage. A sparkling wine and oyster bar will be in place, and the dessert bar will feature King Cake cupcakes and Foster bananas. Singer-songwriter Harry Bacharach will perform and there will be entertainment inspired by the Cirque du Soleil.

At 10 p.m., Apr̬s la F̻te Рthe after party at La Bastille Рwill take over until midnight. The Shaker Square venue will turn into a Parisian speakeasy. The party will include light fare and craft cocktails as well as live music from Blue Lunch.

Limited tickets are available. Cost: $ 125 (La Bastille), $ 200 (La Bastille and Après la Fête), $ 100 (After the Fête).

Also: La Bastille à la Maison pour deux is $ 80. This is a limited edition “evening package†with exclusive Mardi Gras inspired cocktails, appetizers, entrees, desserts, gifts and giveaways.

Order online or call 216-921-3333.

The Edwins Second Chance Life Skills Center is located at 2910 South Moreland Blvd., Cleveland. After the Party is also at edwins, 13220 Shaker Square, Cleveland. Free valet parking and transportation to the after party will be provided.

I am on cleveland.comlife and culture team and cover topics related to food, beer, wine and sport. If you want to see my stories, here is a directory on cleveland.com. Bill Wills from WTAM-1100 and I talk about food and drink usually at 8:20 am on Thursday mornings. And tune in at 7:05 am Wednesdays for “Beer with Bona and Much, Much More†with Munch Bishop on 1350-AM The Gambler. Twitter: @ mbona30.

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