As the biggest fan of Bravo’s Top Chef (although Lisa Bang may fight me on that title), I perked up when I received the press release to attend GenderPAC’s Cook-Off fundraiser with the show’s Ilan Hall and Hung Huynh.

The Gender Public Advocacy Coalition is a not-for-profit human rights organization that works to create safe environments and public awareness of discrimination based on gender stereotypes, sexual orientation, age, race and class. Of the many initiatives that they’ve started, they publish the GENIUS Index, an annual report that tracks non-discrimination policies on college campuses across the country.

GenderPAC’s Cook-Off fundraiser, which took place this past Friday in New York, was a lively evening hosted by Kate Clinton which matched Top Chef season two winner Ilan Hall against Top Chef season three winner Hung Huynh with Bravo’s Ted Allen and season two contestant Josie Smith-Malave judging the dishes.

So while a grand time was had by all, watching these amazing cooks whip up a three course meal in a half hour, money and awareness was raised for an important advocacy organization.

Always on the job, I had a chance to talk to Ted Allen (I tried to get the scoop on season four but he wasn’t giving it up) and I also spoke to the chefs about how to impress chicks with food.

Both Hung and Ilan were given a bag full of groceries and asked to make an appetizer, main course, a drink and a dessert.
I couldn't see what each chef got, but I know there was spam, ostrich meat, rice crackers and other assorted condiments that a top chef would probably over look while shopping.

I need to tell you that watching Hung blaze around the kitchen is truly remarkable, his knife skills are, as we saw in season three, amazing. He chopped that fennel precisely while not even looking at it.

Ilan beats his meat.

Kate Clinton gives Ilan a hand getting his dishes to the judges table.

The GenderPAC Cook-Off Tour will continue into the summer with stops in Denver and Chicago.