The 2014 Tour of Kitchens – Cincy Chic

Help make a difference while enjoying delectable dishes in this all-day community-wide event hosted by the Junior League of Cincinnati. Dig in for all the delicious details.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the 2014 Tour of Kitchens. Hosted by the Junior League of Cincinnati, the Tour of Kitchens makes an impact in the Cincinnati community through a number of volunteer efforts while also furthering the success of two newly launched Signature Projects: RefugeeConnect and Pediatric Oral Health.

“The RefugeeConnect project educates, unites and engages Greater Cincinnati to improve the lives of resettled refugees,” explains Junior League of Cincinnati Friend Beth Ciafardini. “Its primary goal is to construct a sustainable support system through a physical and virtual resource center, which will connect refugees with available resources in the community.”

Resettlement agencies help as many as 180 individuals from countries such as Bhutan, Burundi, Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Burma, Vietnam, Russia and Iraq relocate in the Greater Cincinnati area each year so that they can be reunited with families and have access to better employment opportunities. In fact, Ciafardini says that at any given time there are between 12,000 and 25,000 refugees from these countries living in Greater Cincinnati.

There’s also the Pediatric Oral Health project, which is committed to serving the community by managing a public advocacy campaign that drives awareness, educates the community and bring accessible oral health care for children up to age 18 who are living in Greater Cincinnati. “Tooth decay affects approximately 42 percent of children by age 11, and this condition is nearly 100 percent preventable,” she says. “Dental care is the single-most common healthcare need among children in Ohio, with nearly 200,000 unmet encounters in Hamilton County alone.”

The Tour of Kitchens is an all-day community-wide event that showcases homes, vendors and services from around the Greater Cincinnati area. This is a self-guided tour that starts at the Mariemont Inn in Cincinnati. The tour starts with check-in and ticket pick-up from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the hotel.

Attendees then head off on the tour, where they have the opportunity to explore some of the most unique and exclusive kitchens and entertaining paces in the Tri-State while also munching on sweet treats and savory delights that are prepared by Cincinnati’s top chefs and caterers.

At each tour home, you’ll see a chef’s demonstration, enjoy tastings and chat with local decorators showcasing new home design ideas. There will be several new vendors featured on the tour this year.

The 2014 Tour of Kitchens will feature nine homes in Mariemont, Madeira, Indian Hill and the surrounding areas. “The kitchens in the homes range from small, recently remodeled spaces that fit the lifestyles of growing families to large, elaborate and entertaining kitchens that are perfect for hosting events,” says Ciafardini.

New this year is a champagne reception at The V Collective: Design and Craftsmanship, which is located at 21 Whitney Drive in Milford. The last stop on the tour will bring attendees together to celebrate the tour as well as the funds that were raised to support the mission of the Junior League of Cincinnati. “At The V Collective, attendees will continue their culinary experience by enjoying small bites of desserts while sipping champagne and seeing the latest kitchen design ideas,” explains Ciafardini.

General admission tickets for the 2014 Tour of Kitchens are $30 and are available on the Junior League of Cincinnati’s website. You can also contact the Junior League of Cincinnati’s office at 513-871-9339. If you don’t get your ticket ahead of time, you can purchase it the day of the event at the Mariemont Inn. Admission includes entrance to each home on the tour as well as a voucher for 50 percent off a Cincinnati Seasoned cookbook.