The Ryan Wells Foundation

03/12/2026

Less than 24 hours left!!! Before 5pm tomorrow, please consider a donation to The Ryan Wells Foundation through the Valspare Championship Birdies for Tampa Bay Charities program https://www.birdiesfortampabaycharities.com/donate-now

Through this matching program, you can grow your donation to us by an additional 15%.

Every $20 donated becomes $23! Every $100 becomes $115!

05/30/2025

✨What an unforgettable night! ✨

This year’s "Evening with the Chefs" was more than just a culinary celebration — it marked 20 incredible years of coming together to support our community. From the first toast to the final bite, the love, generosity, and shared purpose in the room were truly inspiring.

Congratulations to our 2025 scholarship recipients, we will continue to support and cheer you on, wherever your journey takes you!

Over the past two decades, this fundraiser has made a lasting impact — and now, we’re excited to look to the future. With your continued support, we’re expanding our vision to meet new challenges and serve our community in even more meaningful ways.

Thank you to the chefs, volunteers, partners, and every guest who helped make this milestone so special. Here’s to the next chapter! 💙🍽️

JCAA Jacobson Culinary Academy Boosters ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association Pinellas County Schools Pinellas Education Foundation Rusty's Bistro at Sheraton Sand Key Resort The Birchwood Teak St. Pete OLIVIA Fenway Hotel, Autograph Collection William Dean Chocolates BayStar Restaurant Group Clear Sky Cafe Bern's Steak House Bon Appetit Restaurant & Marina Bar Mystic Fish

Stay tuned for more information on how you can continue to support the growing community of culinary and hospitality leaders through the Ryan Wells Foundation!

05/09/2025

🎉 SOLD OUT! 🎉

We are thrilled to announce that the 20th and LAST "Evening with the Chefs" is officially SOLD OUT!

📅 See you tomorrow!
📍 Location: 1160 Gulf Blvd, Clearwater Beach, FL

Thank you to our incredible community for your overwhelming support! Your enthusiasm ensures a night filled with meaningful contributions to the culinary arts community throughout Pinellas County.

Missed out on tickets? You can still contribute and help fulfill dreams of culinary students county-wide:

🔗 Bid in the Auction: Explore exclusive items and experiences in our online auction.
💖 Donate: Support our mission and help aspiring culinary students achieve their dreams.
👉 Visit our event page for more details: https://chef25.givesmart.com/

05/07/2025

🎟️ TIME IS RUNNING OUT! ⏳

Join us at the LAST "Evening with the Chefs" - 20 years in the making — an unforgettable evening of fun, community, and impact.

✨ All proceeds support the Ryan Wells Foundation, local culinary students and Pinellas County initiatives for the Culinary Arts! Let's Make Ryan proud 💙

🗓️ May 9, 2025
📍 Sheraton Sand Key Resort
⏰ 6:30pm-9:30pm (plus live music and dancing to follow!)

🎉 Chef-inspired Cuisine • Entertainment • Auctions • Special Guests

✅ Ticket Sales are still open, please don't miss the 20th and LAST "Evening with the Chefs"
🔗 https://chef25.givesmart.com/

Pinellas Education Foundation Osceola Fundamental High .hhs WFLA News Channel 8 .news

05/06/2025

And the winners are….

A ROUND OF APPLAUSE: Congratulations to our 2025 Walker's Rising Stars!!! In partnership with Pinellas County Schools, we have been providing students in the arts the opportunity to compete for college scholarships in culinary arts, dance, instrumental, theater, vocal performance and visual arts. The performances showcased tonight were truly remarkable. We are honored to award college scholarships ranging from $500-5,000 to these deserving students. A special thank you to all our generous sponsors who helped make this possible.

Congratulations to our first-place winners:
Culinary Arts: Elijah Salinas, Osceola Fundamental High School
Dance: Emma Keaton, Palm Harbor University High School
Instrumental Music: Naveen Yengera, Palm Harbor University High School
Theater: Markos Halkias, East Lake High School
Visual Arts: Mia Hipolito, East Lake High School
Vocal: Jocelyne Lioe, St. Petersburg High School

To see a full list of student placements, visit pinellaseducation.org/walkers

05/06/2025

✨ Feast Your Eyes (and Taste Buds) ✨
Friday's "Evening with the Chefs" menu has dropped!

🌿 Fresh ingredients
🔥 Bold flavors
👨‍🍳 Chef-inspired creations

Thank you to our Restaurant and Chef partners including @hewchophouse Bon Appetit Bern's Steak House Teak St. Pete

Still need tickets?
Don't miss out on the 20th and LAST "Evening with the Chefs" event in support of the Ryan Wells Foundation, click here for info on how to purchase tickets, bid on auction items and more: https://chef25.givesmart.com/

See you at The Sheraton Sand Key Resort, this Friday, May 9 for some great food, good fun and a little philanthropy...let's dance the night away!

JCAA Jacobson Culinary Academy Boosters ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association

05/05/2025

Ready, Set, Bid! The auction is OPEN!

Register through Givesmart and start the bidding wars today through approximately 9:15pm on Friday, May 9: https://e.givesmart.com/events/ExS/i/

You do not have to be present to win, so please use this opportunity to support an amazing cause, even if you are unable to attend our LAST "Evening with the Chefs" event this Friday.

The auction is FILLED with amazing experiences, dining options, kitchen tools, jewelry, autographed items, weekend getaways and so much more!
Premiere travel packages and private catered dinners will be available during the live auction and are "browse only" until then.

Some highlights:

🍽In-home Dinner with Wine Pairings for 8 guests with amazing local chefs (and brothers!), Chef Scott Bebell and Chef Doug Bebell
⛰5-night Luxury Safari in South Africa's Limpopo Province for 2
🥦35-week Supply of seasonal, organic vegetables from Life Farms
🫖Afternoon Tea for 10 guests at William Dean Chocolates
⛳️Stay & Play at Innisbrook Resort (2 nights)

"Evening with the Chefs" is one of the most epic culinary events in Tampa Bay and we promise to go out with a bang! 20 years of mission driven fun, we've definitely saved the best for last.

Still need your tickets? Click here: https://chef25.givesmart.com/

05/04/2025

Walker’s Rising Stars is almost here! Join us Monday evening at the Mahaffey Theater as we celebrate the incredible talent of Pinellas County high school artists in this inspiring annual showcase.

This unforgettable evening is made possible thanks to the generous support of our event sponsors. 🎭🎶🎨 Thank you for championing arts education and empowering students to shine on stage and beyond!

Thank you Dr. Jeffrey Walker, Crown Cars Automotive Charities and Hawkins Family Foundation, Publix Charities, LMCU, Suncoast Credit Union, Elisa's Greatest Wishes, The Ryan Wells Foundation, Fleischman Garcia Maslowski Architecture, Hepner Architects, and Wharton-Smith, Inc.

🎟️Don’t forget this is a free and ticketless — all are welcome!
Learn more at pinellaseducation.org/walkers

05/02/2025

Before we jump into "event countdown mode", we wanted to take a moment and share a big THANK YOU to all of the generous sponsors who help make "Evening with the Chefs" possible!

Thank you for making a difference and a positive impact on our local community. Improving culinary arts and hospitality education throughout Pinellas County helps students develop life-long skills and a head start in their professional journey.

Thank you for all you do!

East Shore Resort FreshPoint ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association Beach & Assoc., Schmidt Investments and Russ & Martha Kimball.

PS: Do you have your tickets yet? Click here to reserve your place at the table on May 9.....we promise you won't want to miss out on one of the best "foodie" events in Tampa! https://chef25.givesmart.com/

05/01/2025

See you at the Mahaffey Theater on Monday to celebrate the amazing talents showcased by Pinellas County Schools students and the stars of tomorrow!

Finalists compete for college scholarships across six dynamic categories: Culinary Arts, Dance, Instrumental, Theater, Visual Arts, and Vocal Performance.

Excited to celebrate our local culinary students on May 5 - and then again on May 9!