Ballers Will Bid on $55,000 'Ballers' Painting at Link & Stryjewski's Bal Masque

Cochon chefs Donald Link and Stephen Stryjewski's Bal Masque takes over the Orpheum Theater this Saturday, January 9, to raise money for local educational programs Kingsley House and the Youth Empowerment Project.  Bal Masque is the Link Stryjewski Foundation's first-ever fundraising gala, clocking in at $1,000/ticket with a chef lineup that includes Mario Batali, Paul Kahan and Suzanne Goin, a decadent menu fit for a king and musical headliner Jimmy Buffet & The Coral Reefer Band.  A private dinner at Calcasieu for 150 guests on Friday night from Mario Batali and his team of chefs has already sold-out.

While Link has previously stated that he wants to keep things "loose and formal"— costumes are encouraged, masks are required— there will be a live auction for true ballers only. The above painting by renowned artist and Texas native John Alexander, aptly titled Ballers, is valued at $55,000 with a starting bid of $20,000. More auction items include:

• A Parrothead's Dream package of four Jimmy Buffet concerts.
• A trip to Chicago with meals at avec, Blackbird and The Publican.
• A VIP trip to NY to visit The Chew and The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon with dinner at Batali's Lupa.
• A stay at The Durham with dinner by Lantern chef Andrea Reusing.
• Private dinner anywhere from Chefs Donald Link & Stephen Stryjewski.

The Times-Pic reports that guests can also "purchase things for the young people served by Kingsley House and YEP, like laptops and basketball goals, or donate the fees required for YEP participants to take their High School Equivalency Tests," which is pretty awesome, considering that donations of this sort usually aren't common place at high-end benefits.

Further Coverage: Advocate, Times-Pic