Apr 20, 2012: Detroit Pistons Charlie Villanueva Celebrity Sushi Roll at Chen Chow, Birmingham

VBLifestyle.com Presents…

Meet & Greet with Detroit Pistons Charlie Villanueva,
Celebrity Sushi Roll to Benefit The Charlie Villanueva Foundation
and Wish Upon A Teen (non-profit)

It’s Happy Hour at Chen Chow Fridays… join us on this special evening as we continue to create awareness for this month’s featured Celebrity Sushi Roll, Detroit Pistons Charlie Villanueva, The Empire State.

Chen Chow Brasserie Teams Up with Charlie Villanueva as the April’s celebrity sushi roll to benefit The Charlie Villanueva Foundation and Wish Upon A Teen. Villanueva is the latest celebrity to sign onto the restaurant’s ongoing celebrity sushi program. Since its inaugural roll in November, each month Chen Chow partners with a local, regional or national figure to feature a signature sushi roll in support of their charity of choice. Throughout the month of April, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each $16 Charlie Villanueva Empire State Roll will be donated to both the Charlie Villanueva Foundation (CVF) and Birmingham-based Wish Upon A Teen.

“I’m so excited to have been asked to participate in the program,” Villanueva said. “I’ve been a fan of the restaurant for years but this program takes it a step further; I love that the Chen Chow team has made giving back to great causes a priority.”

Villanueva launched the Charlie Villanueva Foundation with three core areas of focus in mind: supporting programs that help eliminate bullying, assisting families affected by Alopecia Areata, as well as assisting families in the poverty-stricken Dominican Republic. He has worked closely with local nonprofit, Wish Upon A Teen, on programs that provide an outlet for teens recovering from life-altering, traumatic experiences. Villanueva’s CVF also has a partnership with the National Alopecia Areata Foundation (NAAF) as he was diagnosed with the disease when he was 12 years old. Since then, he has been passionate about initiatives that are supportive of the work that organizations like NAAF and Wish Upon A Teen do on behalf of children and teenagers across the country.

Villanueva worked directly with Chen Chow’s new executive chef, Ezra Bertakis, to craft a roll that is representative of his favorite flavors. A native New Yorker, Villanueva’s Empire State Roll is made of tempura tiger Shrimp and avocado A Kani crab mix, fresh ebi, tempura flakes and scallions top the roll, which is drizzled in a bbq eel sauce.

The Empire State Roll has been available since Friday, April 6, 2012 and will remain on the menu for the duration of the month. To find out more about the restaurant’s extensive sushi menu, events, executive chef and management team, visit:www.chenchow.com

Wish Upon A Teen: http://wishuponateen.org/

For more information or media inquires contact:
Robert E. Villanueva, (646) 745-7577