Salish Lodge & Spa’s third annual “The Falls Come to Life” benefit, held Feb. 19, raised more than $24,000 — enough to provide nearly 100,000 meals for hungry people in Western Washington — for the Food Lifeline.

Salish Lodge’s Chef de Cuisine of The Dining Room Jack Strong hosted a line-up of Seattle celebrity chefs including John Howie, chef and owner of Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar, Sport Restaurant & Bar, Adriatic Grill and John Howie Steak; Brian McCracken and Dana Tough, co-chefs of Spur Gastropub and Tavern Law; Kerry Sear, executive chef of ART Restaurant & Lounge and Jason Stratton, executive chef of Cascina Spinasse. Each chef prepared a signature dish to create a distinctive five-course dining experience with wine pairings from some of Washington’s most renowned wineries.

“We are honored and humbled by the generous contributions made during this year’s Falls Come to Life event,” said Linda Nageotte, president and CEO of Food Lifeline. “People in our local communities are forced to make difficult choices to keep their families fed, every day. We are so grateful to have the support from the Seattle culinary community and Salish Lodge & Spa to help end hunger in Western Washington.”

“We are so fortunate to have such a talented culinary community here in the Seattle-area,” said John Murphy, general manager of Salish Lodge & Spa. “The Falls Come to Life is a wonderful way to celebrate these very talented chefs while supporting Food Lifeline’s incredible mission.”