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Miami Heat star Kevin Love may give it all on the basketball court — but he’s just as much of a team player off the court as well.
The five-time NBA All-Star, 36, along with wife Kate Love and chef Danny Grant, recently hosted a benefit dinner at upcoming Miami hotspot Maple & Ash, where celebrity attendees helped raise $500,000 for the athlete’s Kevin Love Fund, which supports mental health initiatives in South Florida.
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The group of 80 guests was made up, in part, of a who’s who of Heat royalty, including owner Micky Arison, Heat president and former coach Pat Riley, alum Alonzo Mourning and power forward Duncan Robinson. Also in attendance? former Meet the Press host David Gregory, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, restaurateur and chef Mario Carbone and more.
The Loves and Michelin-starred chef Grant made sure guests were feted with Maple & Ash’s wood-fired steakhouse fare and a curated wine selection. Bites included a caviar bump station, Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, fire-roasted seafood, steak, and ice cream sundae towers.
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“What a way to kick off our newest restaurant!” Grant enthused about the event. Maple & Ash Miami will open in the 305 on Thursday, March 13.
“One thing I love about the restaurant industry is the opportunity to enjoy and celebrate food, and tonight was even more meaningful because it supported a cause I deeply care about,” he added. “Hosting this benefit dinner was truly special, and I couldn’t imagine a better way to introduce Maple & Ash to Miami.”
While stars chowed down on the specially-selected feast, it was their generosity — the half-a-million dollars raised — that will make a difference in breaking the stigma around mental health and expanding access to vital programs as served by the Kevin Love Fund.
