Newport Beach Mayor Joe Stapleton stood before a crowd of some 250 men and greeted them with his trademark welcome from the “Mayor of the Greatest City in America.”
Stapleton, with his back to the glistening sunset waters of Newport Harbor, launched the 27th edition of the Balboa Bay Club’s Gentlemen’s Smoker. At his side, John Wortmann, co-chair of the event with Kory Kramer, reminded the crowd that the purpose of the night was to raise significant funding for the club’s annual 1221 College Scholarship Fund.
The event unfolded on the beachfront lawn of the legendary club,. The guests paid $500 per ticket to share an evening of decidedly elevated philanthropy coupled with fine food, wine, spirits, cigars and conversation.
Wortmann reminded the fraternity that they were attending the Top 2-rated private smoker event in the nation.
That begged the question posed by attendees: “So who and where is No. 1 and why are we No. 2?”
The answer to the question was a gent seated at one of the bayfront tables. Wortmann called out for Henry Schielein to stand and take credit as the founder of the Gentlemen’s Smoker in the United States, originally held at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston where Schielein was formerly posted.
Schielein was also the general manager of the Balboa Bay Resort Hotel and Club for more than 20 years. The respected hotelier with an international pedigree, known for his classic old world hospitality and service, took a bow.
Kramer and Wortmann planned this edition of the Gentlemen’s Smoker for a year. Balboa Bay Resort Executive Chef Diego Bernal, working with Hotel Managing Director Cindy Racco, event planners Inga Winkler, Katie Pool, Nick Guzzella, Melanie Hertrick and a large team of formal waitstaff at the ready, made sure the evening’s very special vintage of Soul of a Lion filled every goblet.
A long list of formidable vendor-donors stepped up. Among them were Joe Moody, Rick Weiner, Michael Dougherty, Lincoln Salazar, Daniel Daou, Richard Moriarty, JC Clow, John Word, John Pomer, Will O’Neill, Noah Blom, Craig Atkins, Jared Miller and John Wortmann IV.
The gents showed off their best sporty, nautical navy blue and white attire; there were no tuxedos to be found in the crowd.
Also on hand to support the 1221 Scholarship Fund were Steve Rosansky, Mark Larson, Daniel Yanni, Mario Marovic, Gary Sherwin, David Hoffman and Ronnie Newman, among other community standouts.
Special recognition was givne to the presenting sponsor of the Smoker, Ferrari Newport Beach. On hand for applause were Stefano Sbettega of Ferrari Newport Beach and Gilberto Medici from Ferrari Beverly Hills, along with Ferrari aficionado Scott O’Brien. Other major sponsors accepting praise were the JT & Guiseppe 8 Lounge, Las Vegas, Clique Hospitality, Ketel One, Johnny Walker, Don Julio Casamigo, Hennessy Kobrand, Herradura Proximo Dobel Reserva de la Familia, Diageo, and the Pickup and Martin families that own the Balboa Bay Resort and Club.
Funds raised at the Smoker will benefit the annual Balboa Bay Club 1221 Scholarships presented each June to deserving graduates from the Newport-Mesa Unified District’s public high schools. To date, more than $2 million in grants have sent dozens of local kids off in search of lofty goals.
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B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
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