EVERETT — Everett foodies have a unique opportunity to combine their fascination with food and a charity event that has been successful in Everett at helping build job and career skills across Snohomish County and Camano Island.
Housing Hope’s Summer Dinner event series is an annual fundraiser for the Everett-based non-profit but in 2026 it features a guest chef, Mike Lim, who will serve patrons a creative menu, all to benefit the non-profit’s Culinary Training Academy.
Housing Hope’s Marketing and Communications Director, Joan Penny, tells EverettPost.com, “Following the success of our inaugural event, we wanted to evolve the concept even further for 2026 by partnering with top local restaurants and guest chefs to elevate the dining experience and provide unique opportunities for HopeWorks Trainees.”
Penny says “The Culinary Training Academy has been working with guest chef, Mike Lim, from (restaurnat) 16-Eleven in Everett and he has been working with our students, our alumni and some of our first-year trainees on putting together this three course meal. And they’ve been in our kitchen and they model what to do, how to do it. And the students take a turn at it and then they’re supervised and coached through the process for making each of the ingredients for the three different (menu) courses.”
The students in the Culinary Training Academy are typically people who have been previously homeless, on the street or substance abuse addicted. Penny says they training programs are 12-weeks long to learn the skills and techniques to gain employment in the hospitality food service industry for graduates. “The 12-weeks include soft-skills up front; how to look for a job, how to present yourself, financial literacy, resume building, interviewing. And then the other weeks are devoted to the specific topics. The culinary has the 8-weeks in the kitchen and we have a full curriculum for that.”
The Summer Dinner fundraiser menu created by 16-Eleven chef, Mike Lim, and the culinary students will start with a first course of beet salad–sous vide yellow and red beets | gochujang oat cream | pine nuts. Then a Smoked & Silk Tart, consisting of smoked salmon | eel | sweet soy | yuzu crème fraîche | fried caper | dill.
The second course serves a Cauliflower Steak–Cauliflower | purple cauliflower purée | pistachio | candied yuzu peel | microgreens.
The main course entree features surf and turf. Beef Short Rib–Korean-style soy marinade | braised daikon | water kimchi and then Seared Salmon–Cooked salmon | Miso ginger glaze | cauliflower purée | Belgian endive | breakfast radish
The dessert includes two offerings. Vegan Dark Chocolate Coconut Mousse–Creamy dairy-free chocolate mousse made with coconut milk, cocoa, and dates, garnished with raspberry and coconut whipped cream. The other is Yuzu Crème Brûlée–Creamy yuzu custard with a caramelized sugar crust, garnished with candied yuzu peel and raspberries.
Classic cocktails for the fundraiser are being served and crafted by The Colby Club, located in downtown Everett.
Tickets to this sumptuous dinner and fundraiser are $150 each but reserved tickets must be purchased today, July 9, before 5pm. Click here for more information and to order tickets.
Adding to the July 16th event fundraising event, Kyla Baird, an alumnus of Tomorrow’s Hope, will be the keynote speaker. Baird has just recently graduated from high school after benefiting from the Tomorrow’s Hope program for child care training. Baird has been working with children enrolled at Tomorrow’s Hope child care facility to teach them how to make gorgeous pipe cleaner flowers. These flowers will be incorporated into the tables and decor at the fundraiser and auctioned off during the event, with proceeds benefiting Tomorrow’s Hope.
This year’s event will feature a raffle for a 3-night stay at a Poulsbo Retreat on Hood Canal, just twenty minutes from the Kingston Ferry. This beautiful recently refurbished vacation home has an amazing west facing view of Hood Canal and the Olympic Mountains, features a large deck with a swim spa, and is a great launch point for adventures throughout the Kitsap Peninsula. Raffle tickets are $25 and will be available at the event.