The American Cancer Society’s California Spirit 34 Food and Wine Benefit honored actor and activist Patrick Dempsey (The Art of Racing in the Rain) with the 2019 Impact Award for his inspiring work in the fight against cancer through The Dempsey Center in Maine.  The event, held on Sunday, August 18 at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, was hosted byAntonia Lofaso, celebrated chef and restaurateur.

Honorary chairs Sherry Lansing (Paramount Pictures, STOP CANCER, Stand Up 2 Cancer) and Phil Rosenthal (15-time Emmy Award-winning Everybody Loves RaymondSpanglishI’ll have What Phil’s Having and Somebody Feel Phil on Netflix) welcomed the crowd.   Actor Harry Lennix (The Blacklist) spoke passionately about the Mission of the American Cancer Society and introduced 15-year-old survivor speaker Caitlin Herron.   Influencer June Quan, founder of the popular Instagram page Stir and Style, served as emcee for the benefit.  The event was attended byRebecca Metz (Better Things, Shameless, Coop & Cami Ask the World), Chef Derrick Fox (Master Chef season 6) and Kimberly Fox (actress), among others.

Guests enjoyed offerings from LA’s top restaurants including The Bel-Air;  BOA Steakhouse; The Butcher’s Daughter;  Charcoal Venice; DAMA; Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House; Eleven City Diner; Faith & Flower; Fig & Olive; Guerilla Tacos; Maple Block Meat Co; McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams; Milla Chocolates; Nic’s On Beverly; Pizzeria Mozza; Prawn Coastal; Takami Sushi  & Robata; Wolfgang Puck Catering; and Wood & Vine. Libations were poured by Ammunition Wine; Desparada Wines; Golden Road Brewing; Herman Story Wines; Kikori Whiskey; Michael Mondavi Family Estate; Moraga Bel Air; Mulholland Distilling; Nebula 9; and Seedlip.

Board of Ambassadors sponsors include Centric Capital Advisors; Houlihan Lokey; Paul Ferrente, Inc.; The Sherry Lansing Foundation; David Zuckerman; and Anonymous.

Media sponsors included KTLA5, The Hollywood Reporter; Billboard Magazine; Angeleno Magazine; the Los Angeles Business Journal and KJAZZ Radio.

California Spirit 34 proceeds support the American Cancer Society’s groundbreaking research, free patient and caregiver services, and early detection and prevention education programs.  To help the American Cancer Society save lives and attack cancer from every angle, donate by visiting www.calspirit.org or text “CAL” to 91999.  For cancer information, visit cancer.org or call 1.800.227.2345 anytime.

On the Pink Carpet at California Spirit Food and Wine Benefit for American Cancer Society:  Host Chef Antonia Lofaso, event honorary chairs Phil Rosenthal and Sherry Lansing, event co-chairs JB Wilhelm and Joy Davis, and Jeff Klaas, EVP of American Cancer Society West Regionb

On the Pink Carpet at Cal Spirit:  Jeff Klaas (EVP American Cancer Society West Region), JB Wilhelm (event co-chair), Patrick Dempsey (honoree), Grace Gunn (singer/performer), Joy Davis (event co-chair), and Harry Lennix (actor NBC “The Blacklist”).

On the Pink Carpet at Cal Spirit: Phil Rosenthal and Harry Lennix.