The Investment Company Institute and the Independent Directors Council are pleased to announce the entertainment for the 54th Annual GMM Dinner on Thursday, May 10.

Come celebrate this “twist-and-shout extravaganza” featuring Beatles hits from the early days of the Fab Four to their later classics!

Capital Chef Classic

Join us in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday, May 9, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. for the GMM’s second annual Capital Chef Classic, featuring renowned local chefs Geoffrey Tracy, Todd Gray, and Mike Isabella. Chef Geoff will host as Gray, the winner of the first annual Capital Chef Classic, and Isabella, a former Top Chef contestant, compete to create the best dessert of the evening. Both delicious desserts will be available for tasting following the competition.

Geoffrey Tracy 

Geoffrey Tracy graduated from Georgetown University in 1995 with a degree in theology. He then graduated first in his class at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. Before he reached the age of 30, Tracy opened Chef Geoff’s, in 2000, and Chef Geoff’s Downtown, in 2002. Subsequently, Tracy opened LIA’s, Hank’s Tavern & Eats, and Chef Geoff’s Tysons Corner.

Tracy oversees kitchen and dining room operations as well as managing the concept, menu development, marketing, finances, and growth at each of the restaurants. The restaurants serve 750,000 guests every year and employ nearly 300 people.

Tracy is also the coauthor of the New York Times best seller, Baby Love, which teaches busy parents how to prepare “healthy, easy, delicious meals” for babies and toddlers.

In 2009, Tracy was awarded the Albert Uster Chef of the Year Award. In 2011, Chef Geoff’s Tysons Corner won “hottest restaurant bar scene” from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington.

Visit Chef Geoff’s website.

Todd Gray

Already a star chef when he opened Equinox, Todd Gray is a top culinary talent in the nation’s capital and an avid promoter of local and seasonal mid-Atlantic foods. Known for breathing new life into historical recipes, Gray developed the distinct cuisine of Equinox to reflect Virginia-Piedmont ingredients and recipes as well as his classical training.

Gray has earned many awards for his artistry and inspired menu combinations, including the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s (RAMW) 2008 award for Best Fine Dining; five nominations for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic award; and eight nominations for RAMW’s Chef of the Year. Other honors include top ratings in the ZAGAT Guide, Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence for six consecutive years, and numerous Awards of Excellence from the Distinguished Restaurants of North America.

In 2011, Gray won the first annual Capital Chef Classic at ICI’s GMM.

Visit Chef Gray’s website.

Mike Isabella

Mike Isabella is the chef/owner of Graffiato in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, DC. The 130-seat Italian-inspired spot features small plates, locally cured meats, artisanal pizzas, and pastas with seasonal ingredients. The menu is influenced by the food that he grew up eating in New Jersey, prepared by Isabella’s Italian American grandmother.

Before opening Graffiato, Isabella was the executive chef of José Andrés’s Zaytinya. During his three-year tenure, Isabella generated accolades and national attention for Washington, DC’s powerhouse Mediterranean restaurant.

Outside the kitchen, Isabella recently appeared on season six of Top Chef, and was the runner-up on Top Chef All-Stars. In fall 2012, Isabella will publish his first cookbook, titled Flavors from a Jersey Italian, with Da Capo Lifelong Books.

Visit Chef Isabella’s website.