Soup for the Soul bowls over with Denver's best chefs

Hundreds of foodniks with big hearts made the trek to the downtown Sheraton hotel last night for one of the year's most heartwarming events: Soup for the Soul, a benefit that provides bowlfuls of comfort to patients of Porter Hospice and St. Anthony Hospice, both of which provide hospice care and family bereavement programs. More than a dozen restaurants, including Table 6, Rioja, Fruition, Squeaky Bean and Root Down, strutted appetizers and soups, while Squeaky Bean owner Johnny Ballen made his mark with a polyester leisure suit that you have to see to believe.

We've brought back snaps of that -- and the delicious foodstuffs -- on the following pages.

Eat your heart out.

Fruition's potato and leek bisque. Scott Parker, executive chef of Table 6, with one of his kitchen cohorts. Scott Parker's pork, bean and celery root perogi soup. Butternut squash and apple soup and speck BLT profiteroles from Rioja, Euclid Hall and Bistro Vendome. Seared Columbian arepas with mozzarella, poblano-pistachio pesto, achiote crema and pico de gallo from Root Down.

Prosciutto brodo and potato and Parmesan cannoli from Squeaky Bean. Johnny Ballen, owner of Squeaky Bean, in a Squeaky Bean-stamped leisure suit and ruffled shirt. Classy! The up close and personal version. Squeaky Bean executive chef Max MacKissock and Rioja, Bistro Vendome and Euclid Hall chef Jennifer Jasinski. Max proposed to Jennifer last week. They're getting hitched! Mushroom bisque and filet beef tartare with goat cheese croutons from Sullivan's Steakhouse.