The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, September 18, 1996         TAG: 9609170101
SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY RUTH FANTASIA, FLAVOR EDITOR 
                                            LENGTH:   30 lines

EVENTS: UNHERALDED CHEFS GET THEIR MOMENT IN THE SUN

THE JOY of fund-raising events, aside from being able to eat great food and help a good cause simultaneously, is that you are often able to sample dishes from chefs who don't operate restaurants.

That is, chefs who are caterers or confectioners or work for food distributors so there wares aren't available to the average joe on a daily basis. But their dishes are often as inventive and skillfully presented as their restaurant-running counterparts.

So if you're at a charity event, be sure to stop at all the tables, even if you aren't familiar with the names.

Here are a couple of coming charity events:

Zoo To Do benefits, and is held at, the Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk. 7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Sept. 21: Dinner from more than 20 restaurants and chefs, including Toques Creative Catering, Fellini's, GreenTrees and Du Chocolat/Chocolatier. Tickets: $50 for Virginia Zoological Society Members; $60 nonmembers; $110 VIP seating. Call 622-WILD.

Gourmet Gala benefits St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Norfolk Waterside Convention Center. More than 30 tables, including offerings from Kate's Catering Service, Johnson & Wales University, Le Chambord and Nesson Meats. Tickets: $35 each. Call 622-3317. by CNB