"REAP the Benefit" takes place at the Ohio City Farm

"REAP the Benefit 2016: A Night on the Farm," a benefit event for The Refugee Response, takes place on Aug. 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Ohio City Farm.

This special evening is an opportunity to experience a summer night at the nation's largest contiguous urban farm set against the backdrop of our beautiful city skyline. Cleveland's top chefs will create unique dishes utilizing produce cultivated by farm trainees. Guests will also enjoy live music and entertainment by members of the Cleveland refugee community.

While the event highlights local businesses and increases community awareness about refugees, funds raised through "REAP the Benefit" are an investment in a path to self-sufficiency for local refugees. Donations directly benefit students in the Refugee Response home-tutoring program that need academic support to thrive in an environment with a new language. Farm trainees will be empowered to secure employment using their agrarian skills through the Refugee Empowerment Agricultural Program.

As an added attraction, this year's event features a Dinner for a Year raffle package, where one lucky winner will receive a $100 gift certificate each month for 12 months of dining. Restaurant participants include Dante, Crop, Flying Fig, Nano Brew, Spice Kitchen and The Plum Cafe. Enter the raffle at www.refugeeresponse.org.
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Nature's Bin is celebrating locally produced food and beer

"We Love Local" is the August theme at Nature's Bin in Lakewood.

They will be celebrating locally grown and produced foods and beer at $5 Friday on Aug. 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 at the door and reservations are not required.

All food pairings will be vegan and will feature local products from Cleveland Tofu, Locust Lane Jams, Rust Belt Co., Walnut Creek, Stino da Napoli and Cleveland Crops.

The five featured beers are: Jackie O's Razz Wheat Ale from Athens, OH; Market Garden Brewery Hella Mango IPA from Cleveland; Great Lakes Brewing Edmund Fitzgerald Porter from Cleveland; Platform Brewery New Cleveland Palesner from Cleveland; and Fat Head's Sunshine Daydream IPA from Cleveland.

Nature's Bin is at 18120 Sloane Ave. in Lakewood. Phone 216-521-4600.

Culinary Vegetable Institute hosts Atera chef at pop-up event

The Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI) is hosting Chef Ronny Emborg, a two-star Michelin chef from New York City's Atera restaurant, on Aug. 13 for a 1:30 p.m. luncheon and a 7:30 p.m. dinner.

Atera is known as one of the most immersive sensory-dining restaurants featuring modernist cuisine, and Chef Emborg is venturing out from his landmark restaurant to create an unforgettable experience for diners at CVI.

"This is a very special day," Lee Jones of The Chef's Garden said. "I've been to Atera and I was absolutely blown away by their menu and ambiance. Now Chef Emborg and his team are coming to see the farm and then present a meal at the Culinary Vegetable Institute. CVI was built for the most forward-thinking chefs in the world, both for rest and relaxation and for research and development, and I include Chef Emborg in our list of today's most forward-thinking chefs."

Chef Emborg was trained at Molskroen in Denmark in 2000 and, in 2002, was named the Culinary Star of Europe. In 2004, he was chef to Her Majesty, the Queen, on the royal yacht Dannebrog. His impressive resume continues to build until, in 2015, he came to the United States to work at Atera.

Visit www.culinaryvegetableinstitute.com for reservations. The CVI is located at 12304 Mudbrook Rd. in Milan, OH.

RNC guests with fashion emergencies can access the Saks Fifth Avenue pop-up

Delegates to the Republican National Convention (RNC) will have every opportunity to look their best while they are in Cleveland.

Saks Fifth Avenue is setting up a pop-up store in the lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland next week.  Open from July 17 to July 21, the boutique will welcome the public and hotel guests and will be stocked with accessories and apparel for convention-goers. Guests staying at The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland will also receive a $50 savings certificate valid when making a $300 minimum purchase. Boutique hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

For after-hours fashion emergencies, special trips to the larger Saks Fifth Avenue store in Cleveland can be arranged for guests of the hotel, as can overnight tailoring, with measurements able to be taken directly at The Ritz-Carlton.

The newly refurbished lobby of The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland will also be home to nightly live entertainment next week, as well as a menu of themed cocktails, including a signature red, white and blue Freedom Spritzer. Other limited edition cocktails are the Candidate and the Patriot. The Ritz-Carlton will keep its bars and dining rooms open nearly around-the-clock next week, opening at 6 a.m. and closing at 4 a.m. daily during the convention.

The Ritz-Carlton, Cleveland is at 1515 W. Third St. Phone 216-623-1300.

Comedy Central is coming to Cleveland for the RNC

Comedy Central is providing comprehensive coverage of the 2016 Republican National Convention.

"The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" will feature a unique on-the-ground activation in Cleveland, launches on SiriusXM and Amazon, and a series of specials on Snapchat.

"The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents The 2016 Republican National Convention: Submission Accomplished" will originate from the Breen Center for the Performing Arts in Cleveland from July 19 through July 22. To kick off the convention, Comedy Central will telecast a special hosted by Noah on the Monday of convention week. The clip-based special will provide fans with a look back at the primary season and examine how the candidate arrived at the culminating moment in time. The RNC special, "The Daily show with Trevor Noah: The Road to 'The Road," debuts on July 18.

On the ground at the RNC in Cleveland, Comedy Central will stage an activation, turning this "circus-esque" political season into a fully interactive, comedic and social experience with games and activities for all ages, regardless of party affiliation. "The Daily Show Convention Sideshow," free and open to the pubic, will be located at 2400 Superior Ave. E and will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on July 17 and July 18.

"The Daily Show with Trevor Noah" airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central. Visit www.cc.com for details.

Pizza Hut announces plans to eliminate artificial preservatives

As dining consumers seek more menu transparency and fewer artificial ingredients in their food, Texas-based Pizza Hut has announced plans to remove BHA/BHT from all meats by the end of July.

The nation's largest pizza chain also plans to remove artificial preservatives from cheese and antibiotics from chicken for its pizzas by the end of March, 2017, according to an article in the Dallas Morning News. This announcement comes roughly a year after Pizza Hut became the first national pizza restaurant to remove artificial colors from its pizzas.

Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT) is an antioxidant used in the food industry as a preservative, mainly to prevent oils in foods from oxidizing and becoming rancid. Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) also is an antioxidant.

Pizza Hut Chief Brand Officer Jeff Fox said these changes are being made because the chain's customers say they do not want these items in their pizzas.

Pizza Hut is not alone in eliminating artificial ingredients. Chipotle gained media attention when it announced plans to cook only with non-GMO ingredients. Texas-based Frito-Lay is noting on packaging whether the product was produced with genetic engineering. Kellogg and General Mills made announcements last year regarding removing antioxidants BHA/BHT from their products.

"This push comes because consumers increasingly want restaurants to be more transparent about menu item ingredients," Lizzy Freier, managing editor at Technomic, a Chicago-based restaurant research firm said. "Also, two in five consumers cite a rising concern over food additives. Because of this growing concern, health claims that convey wholesome, pure ingredients resonate strongly with consumers."

Ritz-Carlton Cleveland rolls out the gold carpet for Cavs fans

The Ritz-Carlton Cleveland is rolling out the gold carpet for Cleveland Cavaliers fans celebrating the basketball finals.

Celebrants are invited to wear their caps and jerseys and join in the fun at the hotel's official TV viewing parties set for the evenings of June 2, 5, 8 and 10 and, as needed, June 13, 16 and 19. Viewing festivities begin one hour before game time.

The Lobby Lounge on 6 will offer game night food and drinks highlighted by a new cocktail, the "All In." Created with tequila, triple sec and prickly pear liqueur, the All In is garnished with a gold sugar rim and sprinkled with gold dust, and served in a martini glass.

Hotel guests staying on the Ritz-Carlton Club Level over the finals dates will enjoy extra televisions in The Club Lounge, as well as basketball-inspired treats and beverages.

The hotel also has a squad of game day concierges. Basketball enthusiast employees will provide guests of the hotel with information on home games, team stats, traffic and crowd updates, walking routes and parking for the arena.

The Ritz-Carlton is at 1515 W. Third St., adjacent to Quicken Loans Arena. Phone 216-623-1300.