Chocolate dresses and sugar tiaras seem like the stuff of little girls’ dreams, but at , the fantasy becomes reality.
As part of the annual soiree, fifteen local chefs create costumes out of confections for a runway fashion show. I caught up with three of the chefs — 2941’s Anthony Chavez, Co Co. Sala’s Nisha Sidhu and the Bourbon Steak’s Jerome Colin — to ask them about their creations for this year’s theme: literary classics. Before we get into all that, we should mention that tickets for the event are still available. They cost $95 in advance ($115 at the door) and include samples from 40 participating restaurants. Of course, it’s all for a good cause: Sweet Charity raises money for , which provides reading material for underprivileged kids. Check out the Reliable Source’s report from last year for more intel on the event. Nisha Sidhu, Co-Owner of “It’s truly like taking Cinderella and dipping her in chocolate,” says the Sidhu of her creation for Monday’s event. The dress will echo the classic cartoon dress — albeit in a darker shade — and the earrings, tiara and choker will be made of sugar that has been heated and molded to look like glassy crystal. Sidhu, 39, a pastry chef by training (after she left the biomedical engineering field, that is), has been involved with the event since its inception and has had her share of mishaps. One year, jewelery for an Indian bride costume melted under the heat of the lights. But for this year’s show, she already has one fan. “I have a little daughter and she said, ‘Mommy, when you’re done, can I eat the chocolate'” Jerome Colin, Pastry Chef at the Four Seasons Hotel and Colin chose Dulcinea del Toboso, Don Quixote’s imaginary love, as his inspiration. His model will wear a yellow and red tutu embellished with white sugar. “I wanted it to be very vibrant,” says the 30-year-old, noting that the belt and shoulder straps will also be yellow. The model will carry a bright fan and wear earrings and necklaces made out of sugar. — Julia We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com’s articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.