Join Liz Jeressi for a Great Night of Food and Wine

It's an event you won't want to miss and a chance to taste some original dishes created in honor of children who have suffered the devastating loss of a loved one.

Chefs Extraordinaire is this Thursday evening, April 23rd. It's a culinary and wine tasting experience featuring outstanding cuisine prepared by Monmouth and Ocean County's finest chefs along with exceptional wines and desserts.

Here's what makes this night extra special.

Chefs from some of our local restaurants are going out of their way to serve dishes in a one-of-a-kind tribute to area children who are grieving the loss of a loved one. These chefs all decided to donate their time to invite a child or teen who lost a loved one into their restaurant kitchen. Together they created a special recipe that the child remembers eating with their lost loved one.

These are the amazing chefs who made this happen:

Chef Roy of 709, Chef Mark of Black Trumpet, Chef Chris of Brandle, Chef Mike of Chef Mike's ABG, Chef Gerardo of Fratello's, Chef John of Jersey Mike's, Chef Doug of Jersey Shore BBQ, Chef Lenny of Joe Leone's, Chef Maged of Local Urban Kitchen, Chef Benny of Mossuto's, Chef Gerard of Prime 13, Chef Michael of Remington's, Chef Terry of Shipwreck Grill, Chef Lou of The Blend, and Chef Scott of The Poached Pear.

Some of the other restaurants that will be at Chef's Extraordinaire include: Bank on Mattison, Arugula Restaurant, Pagano's UVA,  Rella's, Scarborough Fair, St. Stephen's Green, and The Spring Lake Manor.

Dessert tables will include: Bella's Gelato Cart, Chocolate Carousel, Lil' Cutie Pops, Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe, The Macaroon Shop and many more.

You'll also get to see a heart-felt film and amazing tribute that was created by the co-creators of the Broadway show "Hereafter" musical. It's a short yet beautiful story that will have a lasting affect on you. Special thanks go out to all of the amazing local children and teens who participated in the film. They opened their hearts for all of us to see so that we can better understand their journey.

Chefs Extraordinaire takes place Thursday, April 23rd, 6 pm - 10 pm, at Spring Lake Manor on Rt. 71.  CLICK HERE (and scroll down) for advance tickets.

This wonderful evening will raise money for an amazing place for children and teens to come together with peers and counselors after the loss of a parent, sibling, relative, or close friend so that they are not alone during the very scary and sad journey of having to get through life without that special person.

The mission of the Common Ground Grief Center in Manasquan is to provide support in a safe place for children, teens, and their families who are grieving a death. It's a beautiful and special place inside and out that opens its doors so that these children and teens can come together and share their experiences as they begin the journey through the grief process.

Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides services free of charge to all families, supported entirely through private donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations.