Theme for the Evening Gala “A Tribute to the Sardine Factory”
Ted Balestreri and Bert Cutino, founders and proprietors of the Sardine Factory in Monterey, California, received the 2014 Jason J. Litton Award at the annual Tres Bonne Annee wine auction and charity event held in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Tres Bonne Annee, French for “a very good year,” is a nonprofit, charitable corporation which exists solely to raise funds to advance the arts, culture and education through a series of wine and food events held annually. The lavish Gala began with a reception and silent auction followed by a multi-course dinner, live auction and award ceremony. The ballroom was a re-creation of the Sardine Factory’s Conservatory, as this year’s event theme was “A Tribute to the Sardine Factory.” The Tres Bonne Annee event began in 2000 and has since become one of the largest wine auctions for charity on the East Coast.
Dr. Jason J. Litton was a founding member of Tres Bonne Annee and served on the Board of Directors from its inception until his untimely death in September of 2008. The Jason J. Litton Award was established in 2009 and was created to honor great wine individuals with unique character – individuals as outstanding in their own way as the man for whom the award is named. The annual award honors individuals who emulate Dr. Litton’s tenets and embrace his philanthropy, his generous spirit, his love of wine and his general life philosophy.
Balestreri and Cutino have received countless honors throughout their careers, becoming two of America’s most prominent restaurateurs. In 2003 Balestreri won Nation’s Restaurant News’ coveted Pioneer Award, recognizing his innovation and leadership. Currently, Balestreri is Chief Executive Officer of the Sardine Factory and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Cannery Row Company. He presided over the California Restaurant Association from 1983-1984 and chaired the National Restaurant Association from 1985-1986. In 2006, Balestreri and Cutino received Fine Dining Legends Awards from Nation’s Restaurant News for their extraordinary contribution to the restaurant industry.
Cutino is Chief Operating Officer of the Sardine Factory and a partner in the Cannery Row Company. From 1995-1999 he chaired the American Academy of Chefs (AAC), the prestigious honor society of the American Culinary Federation.
In 1988, Cutino was honored by his peers at the ACF with the National Chef of the Year award for his outstanding culinary achievements and contribution to the profession and his community. In 2006, he became the second-ever recipient of the AAC’s top honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest award given to any individual for outstanding contribution to the culinary profession and to the future of young culinarians.
About the Sardine Factory
Established in 1968, the Sardine Factory is known for its impeccable service, lavish decor, delicious sustainable seafood and USDA prime beef. The restaurant has received virtually every award possible in the industry, including the”Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNA) Award”, the Wine Spectator’s “Grand Award” and Restaurant Hospitality’s “Best Wine List in America”. The restaurant was also named the “Best Restaurant in Monterey County Over Ten Years Old” by Monterey County Weekly readers, voted the “Top Ten Most Romantic Restaurants on the Central Coast” by Open Table and listed as one of the “Top Ten Seafood Restaurants in Carmel/Monterey” by Gayot.com, in addition to many other honors.
The Sardine Factory is located at 701 Wave Street in Monterey, California. For more information visit www.sardinefactory.com.
