BENTON HARBOR, Mich., June 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Love to cook?  Interested in supporting the fight against breast cancer?  If so, Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the leader of the global movement to end breast cancer, is ready to put you to work.

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The idea is simplicity itself.  Invite your family, friends or colleagues for a dinner party, barbecue, office party, dessert sampling or any kind of get-together from July 15-24, 2011. Instead of wine, flowers or some other token of appreciation, ask guests to bring a donation in any amount for Komen for the Cure. The funds can be designated for either the organization's national efforts or local breast cancer initiatives.

Called 1,000 Cooks for the Cure, this nationwide event is part of Cook for the Cure®, a decade-long partnership between Komen and KitchenAid that has raised over $8 million for the cause through the sale of pink cooking products, celebrity chef auctions and grass-roots initiatives. While Cook for the Cure offers ways to support the cause year-round, the goal of this initiative is to enlist 1,000 cooks to host gatherings during these specific dates in July.

As for the host or hostess gift, KitchenAid has that covered. The host of any party registered at CookfortheCure.com that raises more than $50 will receive a special Villeroy & Boch "Pass the Plate" serving platter (valued at $24.95) as a thank you by mail upon receipt of your contributions. Designed with charming artwork by PBS cooking show host Jacques Pepin, the platters are likely to be a tempting keepsake.  But they were created for a greater purpose: to be "re-gifted" again and again, along with a homemade culinary creation from the giver.  Each time the individually numbered plates are registered online at CookfortheCure.com and passed  along to others, KitchenAid will make a $5 donation to Komen, ensuring that parties keep on giving long after grateful guests have gone home.

KitchenAid has committed to donating a minimum of $450,000 to Komen in connection with Cook for the Cure in 2011.  For more information on 1,000 Cooks for the Cure and other ways to participate, visit CookfortheCure.com.

Since the introduction of its legendary stand mixer in 1919 and first dishwasher in 1949, KitchenAid has built on the legacy of these icons to create a complete line of products designed for cooks.  Today, the KitchenAid brand offers virtually every essential for the well-equipped kitchen with a collection that includes everything from countertop appliances to cookware, ranges to refrigerators, and whisks to wine cellars.  This year marks the brand's 10th anniversary of Cook for the Cure®, a partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® that has raised over $8 million to help find a cure for breast cancer.   To learn why chefs choose KitchenAid for their homes more than any other brand*, visit www.KitchenAid.com or join us at http://facebook.com/KitchenAid and http://twitter.com/KitchenAidUSA.

* Based on a 2010 survey, KitchenAid was found to be the home kitchen appliance brand chosen most often by members of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

SOURCE KitchenAid