The public is invited to join Providence ElderPlace and Heritage House at the Market for the 9th annual Cooking with Class event and fundraiser, to be held Sept. 14, 2010, at Salty’s on Alki.

The event pairs 22 chefs with 176 guests, with each chef teaching three 30-minute classes. Guests attend three classes each, to make a dish hands-on with the chefs. Each dish is paired with wine donated by Northwest wineries. Through this intimate setting, guests get to know the chefs and learn their tips. The concept has been such a hit that the concept and name have been trademarked.

In addition to cooking, eating and wine tasting, guests will have the opportunity to participate in a raffle of culinary items and a small live auction. John Curley, formerly of Evening Magazine, and Jeremy McLachlan, executive chef at Salty’s on Alki, will act as the auction tag team.

The event benefits Providence Heritage House at the Market and Providence ElderPlace-Seattle, both programs run by Providence Senior and Community Services, a division of Providence Health & Services. Both programs assist frail elderly in King County. For more about these programs, go to www.providence.org/pscs.

Being able to give the most possible money to the programs is the driving force behind this event. The volunteer team procures donations for auction and raffle items and wine. In an unprecedented act of giving, Salty’s on Alki has donated its entire banquet floor for the past eight years and will do so again this year. The restaurant also provides a meal for volunteers and appetizers for guests as they arrive. Local chefs donate their time and product, wineries donate wine to pair with the chefs’ dishes, Pike Brewing Co. donates beer, and many local businesses donate items to help make the event a success.

Each year, many of the same chefs and guests return. The event is fun and casual, unlike many other more formal fundraisers, and no one wants to miss the annual auction of Andaluca chef Wayne Johnson’s wild chef pants!

To register online, go to www.seattledining.com/cwc or contact Connie Adams at 206-283-9067 or connie@seattledining.com. Cost is $125 per person. Check in begins at 6 p.m. Guests must be pre-registered. Salty’s on Alki is located at 1936 Harbor Ave SW, Seattle.