The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association is hosting its ninth annual Trio Dinner at 6:30 p.m., on Monday, April 20, 2015 at the Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, the host sponsor.

The Trio Dinner is the culmination of a culinary arts mentorship program that pairs a professional chef with two students, one in high school and one in college. Each trio will showcase its unique cuisine at the Trio Dinner. Along with excellent fare, the event includes entertainment by the U-N-I Jazz Band and a silent auction benefiting hospitality educational programming.

High school students participating in the mentorship program are from the Academy for Technology and Academics. This magnet school receives students from throughout Horry County, who have an opportunity to sample hospitality courses including culinary arts in the middle and early high school years. The college students completing the trio are from the culinary arts program at Horry-Georgetown Technical College.

The Trio Dinner’s purpose is to support and promote the hospitality industry’s culinary arts profession and to give each student real-world experience in creating an original dish with the guidance of an executive chef. This event is very important to the Grand Strand culinary arts programs. A portion of the proceeds of the event go to MBAHA scholarship funds directed at Hospitality and Culinary education.

In addition to creating wonderful dishes and working with students, chefs will have the opportunity to enter one dish to be judged for the “Best Dish” and “People’s Choice” awards. Knowing chefs are as competitive as they are creative, this allows participating chefs to show off their skills and be recognized for it. We will have a combination of celebrity chef judges and local American Culinary Federation judges for the event.

Chefs participating in this year’s Trio Dinner are Chef David Taylor of Sheraton Myrtle Beach Convention Center Hotel, Chef Steve Sleeman of Moe’s Original Barbeque, Chef Megian Cinari of Waterscapes at Marina Inn at Grande Dunes, Chef Andrew Fortner of Croissants Bistro & Bakery, Chef Casey Blake of Drunken Jack’s, Chef Dan Smith of Frank’s OutBack, Chef Kevin Luque of Hilton – Café Almalfi, Chef Murray Stahler of Murray and Mikes Café and Catering, Chef Richard Hartnett of Breakers Resort, Chef Tom Pennell of Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Chef Jamie Saunders of Johnny D’s Waffles & Bakery.

For more information visit www.TrioDinner.org or call (843) 626-9668.