TORONTO — The 15th-annual Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival raised $33 million for the Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.
The largest of its kind in the world, the festival fuses fine dining, the brightest minds in medical research and University Health Network (UHN) donors and sponsors. This year, Grand Cru featured wines from more than 80 vintners from around the world, private gourmet dinners throughout the city prepared by more than 33 world-class chefs and participation from more than 30 UHN clinicians and scientists who are innovating in the medical field.
“Never before have four Michelin-star chefs cooked together for such a worthy cause,” says Todd Halpern, founder and co-chair of the Grand Cru Culinary Wine Festival. “This event is the largest culinary wine festival in the world. It’s an opportunity for people to unite around food, wine and great conversation — all while supporting critical medical research. We’re proud of how Grand Cru has grown into what it is today: a one-of-a-kind event with big impact.”
Since its inception in 2005, Grand Cru has raised more than $63 million in support of UHN programs, including the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, Sprott Department of Surgery, Krembil Brain Institute, Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research, Donald K. Johnson Eye Institute, McEwen Stem Cell Institute, Soham & Shaila Ajmera Family Transplant Centre, the Arthritis Program and the Diabetes Program.
“Philanthropy fuels the many advancements we make across care, research and education at UHN. We’re so thrilled to have achieved a record-breaking fundraising year that will directly benefit medical research that will help save lives,” says Dr. Kevin Smith, president and CEO, UHN.
