Volunteers fuel the Silver Spoon Awards to celebrate the best tastes of Cleveland and support the Arthritis Foundation.
By Jill Tyrer | May 9, 2023
It’s an event that local foodies look forward to every year. The Silver Spoon Awards party bring together the best of Cleveland’s chefs and restaurants for a delicious and festive evening all for a great cause: to support the Arthritis Foundation’s work to conquer arthritis and support those who live with it. Now in its 27th year, Silver Spoon has raised over $2.5 million since it began in 1996 to support the Arthritis Foundation. Photograph by Sophie Sand Kannberg
Evette Holloway, who has been working behind the scenes with Silver Spoon for six years, has seen the event grow and evolve.
“Each year, we have an overwhelming amount of people participate,” she says. It usually sells out.
She got involved because of the food, she says, but when she saw that it benefits the Arthritis Foundation, she was hooked. Her mother, a nurse for 34 years, has long struggled with arthritis in her hands — so much so that she now spends winters in Arizona because the Ohio cold is so painful. And her cousin, now in his late 30s, was diagnosed in his 20s with psoriatic arthritis, which has left his hands and feet disfigured.
“I wanted to do something that was near and dear to my heart,” Evette says.
She started as a volunteer then became a planning committee member. Now, she’s also on the Arthritis Foundation’s local board of directors, committed to bringing support and resources to the 1.3 million people — including 12,000 children — living with arthritis in Northeast Ohio.
Silver Spoon features Cleveland-area restaurants that get top votes in Cleveland Magazine’s poll.
“All the restaurants get really excited,” Evette says. It gives them a stage to show off some of their best dishes, and a ticket to the event allows people to sample from each of the participating restaurants. This year, wineries will also be highlighted.
Each year features a different highlight. Last year, just three chefs prepared sit-down meals. Another year it was held in the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum — a fun and fascinating environment, and local mixologists competed to create the best cocktail. Participants also have had a chance to hear people living with arthritis share their stories, struggles and victories.
“The Silver Spoon event is a tradition. It’s a way to broaden your palate and meet new people and bring awareness to the Arthritis Foundation,” Evette says.
“The ultimate goal is to bring awareness to arthritis, bring in as many people as we can to be part of such a wonderful event and highlight the Arthritis Foundation and what we stand for to bring a cure for the people who are suffering.”
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