Meet Our Chefs Celebrities

On February 18, 2023, nineteen of the area’s best chefs came together to create meals for the twelfth annual Chefs for Habitat Gourmet Gala, honoring HFHWC’s 35th anniversary. Honorary Chairs Lisa and Tom Shelton welcomed 500 guests to the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center for an evening of food, music, fun, and fundraising.

During the event, our Habitat Chefs Celebrities took the stage to conclude a fundraising and awareness challenge mission, and competed against one another in a series of “minute-to-win-it” style elimination challenges.

From hammering golf tees into floral foam to stacking champagne flutes into a tower, the competition narrowed from ten challengers to one victor. In the end, D’Shawn Doughty of Bank of America and the Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore Board of Directors, took home the Celebrity Challenge trophy.

Our Celebrities dedicate time and effort to fundraising for HFHWC in the months leading up to Chefs. A grand total of $17,388 was raised by our celebrities for the 2023 Chefs for Habitat Gala. For raising over $4,600 alone, Kayla Harrison of Real HVAC, won the fundraising component of the competition.

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed a VIP happy hour event, danced to music by the rock band Double Nickels, bid on live and silent auction items, and posed for photos taken by photographer Megan Powell. 

“It was a huge night for Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County,” said Director of Develeopment Christina Williams. “The support we received from our community through sponsors, donors, board and committee members, and especially the Celebrities and Gala Chefs, shone through in the success of the evening.”

Over $96,000 was raised for Habitat for Humanity of Wicomico County, all of which will be used to purchase building supplies for construction of safe and affordable homes.