The mother of all San Diego food events will take place for the 15th year in a row from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Friday, May 12, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine. Nearly 900 visitors are expected to attend the annual fund-raising event for Mama’s Kitchen, which this year is titled “Mama Mia! What a Heart!”

About 70 restaurants will dole out generous samples that include gourmet preparations of steak, seafood, seasonal vegetables, pasta, chocolate and everything in between. Grazing through the entire lineup of food stations arranged throughout the hotel’s indoor pavilion and outdoor pool area, many will attest, is a feat that requires a ravenously wild appetite.

“The focus is on eating and having fun,” says Edith Glassey, director of development and communications for Mama’s Kitchen. “This is an event without speeches, and it’s the only place where you can go and literally eat at 70 different premier restaurants in a three-hour time period.”

The roster includes several restaurants that have participated in the Mama’s Day fund-raiser since it was started 15 years ago. They include: Café Japengo, Azzurra Point, Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza, Laurel, The Marine Room, George’s at the Cove and Extraordinary Desserts.

Among this year’s newcomers are: Café Cerise, JRDN, Stingaree, Jsix, Confidential and the Palm Restaurant.

Glassey says most of the chefs don’t reveal what they are serving until only hours before the event, but adds that visitors can expect to graze on beef filet, venison terrine, soft-shell crab sandwiches and some “extraordinary desserts.”

Some of the participating chefs typically present their restaurant’s signature menu items. Others push the boundaries solely for the event. “I’ve seen everything from bleu cheese burgers and melt-in-your-mouth filet mignon on sticks to scallops cooked in 20 delicious ways,” recalls Glassey. “There are dozens and dozens of gourmet foods to sample at this event.”

Mama’s Day last year raised $160,000, although Glassey says that this year’s goal is to raise $175,000, which will directly benefit the nutritional program at Mama’s Kitchen, designed for people living with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses throughout San Diego County.

“You will see the broad support that Mama’s Kitchen receives manifest at this fund-raiser event,” she says. “Our constituents come from all walks of life from all over the region.”

Other participating restaurants include: Ono Sushi, Parallel 33, Star of the Sea, Baja Betty’s, Molly’s, The Shores, Jake’s Del Mar, AR Valentien, Morton’s steakhouse, Prego Ristorante, The French Gourmet and more.

Live entertainment by DJ Tim Altbaum, a silent auction and an Absolut martini bar will also be featured.

Tickets are $125 per person and can be purchased at the door. The venue is located at 3777 La Jolla Village Dr. For more information, call (619) 233-6262 or visit www.mamaskitchen.org.