Ted Allen talks Dining Out for Life (and Pam Grier)

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Ted Allen talks Dining Out for Life (and Pam Grier)

POSTED: Thursday, April 29, 2010, 5:01 PM

Filed Under: Food Events | Interview | We're Here to Help

It's celebrating its 20th annual Dining Out for Life tonight, April 29, but Philly's ActionAIDS hasn't bothered to rest on its laurels. Raising $290,000 from last year's event for AIDS-related charities (nearly $4 million annually) and stretching its charitable aims to 53 American cities and 3,500 restaurants hasn't made anyone lazy. Monies raised and outreach achieved just strengthened their resolve. This year DOFL enlisted actress/author Pam Grier (in the news this week for her new book, My Life in Three Acts, as well as racy comments about ex-beau Richard Pryor) and Food Network personality Ted Allen as spokespeople for the cause. Several months ago, the pair filmed a PSA (watch here) co-starring Jose Garces, one of many area chefs who've opened their doors to DOFL tonight."Pam was great," notes Allen of the foxy Foxy Brown sensation. "I've admired her for years and love her in Smallville, so a chance to hang out with her was great. She really went to a lot of trouble to get to Philly to shoot the PSA, was super warm and funny, and told me a few stories that I can't repeat." Wow, he beat me to the punch on the Pryor question. "I was really interested to learn that she is a certified equestrian trainer. Who knew?â OK, I'll take a cute horse story — this is charity. That said, while both spokespeople were supposed to attend Philly's DOFL, Grier may currently be either at her ranch in Colorado or in L.A. on set with Julia Roberts in a new project (this according to DOFL press person Matthew Vlahos), leaving Allen to do the good work of eating at Butcher & Singer (1500 Walnut St.) with ActionAIDS execs. "This is the third year that I've had the privilege of being spokesman for DOFL," says Allen. "It's a perfect fit for me. [It] raises a ton of money for the fight against HIV/AIDS right in peoples' own communities, and brings business into hundreds of great restaurants all over the country at a time when the economy is really hurting business. It's win-win-win.â

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Posted 2010-04-29 13:48:42

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This post was mentioned on Twitter by mealticket: Dining Out For Life spokesman @ChopTedAllen talks to @ADAmorosi about @DineOut4LifePHL (tonight), Pam Grier: http://bit.ly/9KWHZb...

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