Jose Garces grilling at Pat's Steaks, heading a chef benefit

Jose Garces will be out and about next week for two charity events.

Monday, March 14 from 1 to 3 p.m., he'll be behind the grill at Pat's King of Steaks at Ninth and Passyunk, as owner Frank Olivieri's guest chef series continues.

Garces, raising funds for the Garces Foundation, will prepare the JG Cheesesteak - provolone fondue, To-Jo wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, and black truffle, topping Pat's rib-eye and served on a roll. The sandwich will be priced at $10.

One cheesesteak customer will receive two tickets to the Garces Foundation's Think Local, Give Local Benefit on Friday, March 18 at the Loews Hotel, a $300 value.

For the Think Local, Give Local Benefit, Garces and crew have rustled up about three dozen chefs from the region (and throughout the Garces Group) to cook at food stations during the event:

Yehuda Sichel of Abe Fisher, Jeff Michaud of Alla Spina, Nate Johnson of Amada, Tom Harkins of Bank & Bourbon, Peter Woolsey and Kenneth Bush of Bistrot La Minette and La Peg, Ian Boothman of Bing Bing Dim Sum / Cheu Noodle Bar, Chip Roman of Blackfish, Jeremy Nolen of Brauhaus Schmitz / Whetstone Tavern, Shizhou Da of Dim Sum Garden, Maria Schmidt of Distrito, Aedo Rufino of Distrito Moorestown, Greg Brandberg of Double Knot, Jason Cichonski of Ela, Andrew Sabin of El Poquito, Josh Lawler of The Farm and Fisherman, John Patterson of Fork, Chad Williams of the forthcoming resurrection of Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Mike Jenkins of Garces Trading Company, Scott Schroeder & Pat O'Malley of Hungry Pigeon, Mike O'Meara of JG Domestic, Konstantinos Pitsillides of Kanella South, Damon Menapace of Kensington Quarters, Jon Cichon of Lacroix, Nicholas Elmi of Laurel, Ben Dayag of Morimoto, Natalie Maronski of The Olde Bar, Cory Morris of Rural Society Chicago, Louis Goral of Rural Society DC, Kevin Sbraga of Sbraga/The Fat Ham, Guillermo Pozos of Tinto/ Village Whiskey, Townsend Wentz of Townsend/A Mano, Rich Landau of Vedge/V Street, Greg Vernick of Vernick Food & Drink, Dave Conn of Volvér, Chris Kearse of Will BYOB, and Joey Baldino of Zeppoli.

Among the auction prizes is dinner for 10 at Garces' Luna Farm in Ottsville, Bucks County.

Tickets (here) are $150 each for general admission at 7:30 p.m., and $250 for a package that grants early admission (6:30 p.m.) plus access to the after-party on the 33rd floor starting at 10:30 p.m.

The foundation runs programs to help people in the region's immigrant community, especially those working in the restaurant industry.