Giving back tastes perhaps even better than a fresh scallop crudo, earthy liver pate, or oyster foam. Altruism and volunteerism were as much on the menu as the endless bites and libations at Capital Food Fight, DC Central Kitchen’s most important event, held annually at the Ronald Reagan Building downtown.

The organization brought in more than a cool half-million dollars for use in its programming, which includes preparing and delivering meals across the area, as well as providing empowering culinary training. Not a bad haul for one night.

Chefs Carla Hall and Jose Andres make great auctioneers.

The evening started in the low-key VIP lounge, as a sort of cocktail hour. Master mixologists poured unique, creative drinks – but a highlight came from Don Ciccio & Figli, DC’s only producer of Italian-style liqueurs. It recently started producing aperitifs like the barrel-aged Amaro Delle Sirene (also available in a special edition), a just-bitter-enough, deeply herbal drink perfect to begin the evening. While all the cocktails were tasty, one was actually on fire: the Smoky Old Fashioned, from the revamped restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton. Expertly wielding a blowtorch as well as he did a cocktail shaker, the bartender fired each glass over a wooden board before pouring the drink. Hot.

Enough libations for a while. Over on the main stage, the ebullient voices of locally based, nationally renowned Chefs José Andrés and Carla Hall led the actual “fight” portion of the evening. Amy Brandwein of Centrolina came out on top, dishing out winning items using the surprise ingredients that reflected all the latest in food trends: “imperfect” butternut squash that would have otherwise been tossed, and an entire pig, nose to tail. No food left behind!

Adam Bernbach pours punch.

Volunteerism really did take center stage at the High Stakes Cakes competition, where the winning contestant, Erin Schwartz of Stacked, put together a towering confectionery ode to giving back to the community.

Back to those veggies: Keany Produce, which supplied the winning infamous stageworthy produce, partnered with The Hamilton to show off what we can do with an ugly-but-delicious bounty. A deer-bitten squash stood proud over the result: a crostini of goat cheese and bacon, topped generously with a beautiful rainbow of slaw from said formerly ugly veggies. More than 75 other restaurants participated, serving everything from cranberry-stuffed turkey meatballs (holler, Thanksgiving!) to beef tartare sliders (haute middle American cuisine, if there ever was to be such a thing).

And finally, smoky to start, smoky to finish. “Smoke,” of sorts, poured from the machines at Nitro’s Creamery, which served handcrafted ice cream cooled by liquid nitrogen. Doing well is surely sweet.

Guest Blogger, Evan (ESC)