March 11, 2009 (New York, NY)

Some of NYC's top chefs and more than 150 guests turned out to support the STREETS INTERNATIONAL annual benefit event on March 11, 2009, in New York City at the Astor Center in the landmark Devinne Press building. All money raised is being used to benefit Streets International.

The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra, featuring accomplished local student musicians who play weekly at Danny Meyer's Jazz Standard, performed New Orleans street music throughout the evening. A silent auction was also held to raise additional funds, with items including NYC Wine & Dine Weekends, Celebrity Chefs' cooking classes and other culinary delights.

Chefs from some of the city's favorite restaurants prepared their mouthwatering interpretation of iconic street foods for guests to sample, including:

• Chef Floyd Cardoz of Tabla, Chicken Tikka Frankie
• Chef Michael "Bao" Huynh of BarBao and Chef Thao Nguyen of Baoguette, Sloppy Bao and Short Ribs on a Lemongrass Stick
• Chef Romy Dorotan and Amy Besa of Cendrillon Empenadas
• Chef Kenny Callaghan of Blue Smoke, Shrimp Corndogs with Avocado Lime Dip
• Chef Pichet Ong of P*ONG and Batch, Marinated Pork Skewers and Peanut Sabayon
• Chef Gabe Thompson and Joe Campanale of dell'anima and L'Artusi, Lamb Sliders
• Chef Susana Trilling of Rosa Mexicano, Chips & Guacamole, with Pomegranate Margaritas
• Executive Chef Ron Rando from Thomas Preti Caterers, Coconut Rice Pudding with Lychee Nuts and Shaved Coconut

Mark Maynard-Parisi, a Street board member and managing partner of Union Square Hospitality Group, Blue Smoke and Jazz Standard was the evening, emcee. Neal Bermas, founder of Streets International, unveiled photos of the first Streets restaurant and training center site in Hoi An, Vietnam. He announced that the historic Hoi An location is currently undergoing renovation and would be opening this summer.

STREETS will open culinary training centers and restaurants in Vietnam and the Philippines in 2009. Subsequent locations are planned for Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Tourists, residents and local dignitaries will enjoy the outstanding food, beverages and hospitality, while at the same time support this innovative social enterprise for disadvantaged youth.

STREETS International would like to give special thanks to the many generous sponsors listed below who helped made this event possible.

April 2008 (Vientiane, Laos)

Neal Bermas, Ph.D., founder and president of STREETS INTERNATIONAL, was recently welcomed in Vientiane, Laos by Ambassador Vang Rattanavong, a Vice Chairman of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, (pictured to the right), to discuss the STREETS project.

Ambassador Rattanavong was pleased to learn about the project's planned initiatives for SE Asia. Tourism is rapidly growing in Laos and considerable government effort is being expanded to further develop the country's infrastructure to serve this important sector.

Bermas said, "I was taken not only with the Ambassador's perceptive observations and instructive ideas but also by his gracious warmth. Our meeting concluded with the Ambassador extending an official welcome and invitation to STREETS to come to Laos with our planned project." Discussions between STREETS INTERNATIONAL and the Laotian government will continue.