Hungry, hungry humanitarians

Here's a chance to eat a meal that will warm both your stomach and your soul. Plates Café and Catering—an employment-learning program that helps train formerly homeless mothers for jobs in the hospitality, retail and culinary fields—usually only serves breakfast and lunch. But on Thursday, March 7, it's dishing up a special Guest Chef Dinner event featuring Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar's Taro Arai. His food will be paired with local Sierra foothills wine from Lava Cap Winery and desserts from Sacramento's About a Bite Bakery. A wine tasting kicks off the evening at 6 p.m., and dinner starts at 6:45 p.m. Tickets are $45 and available online at www.guestchefnight.eventbrite.com; advance purchase is required. The event benefits Plates' parent group, the St. John's Shelter Program for Women and Children. Plates Café and Catering is located at 14 Business Parkway, Building 149. For more information, visit www.eatatplates.com or call (916) 453-1482, extension 15.