The Lexington community raised an estimated $80,000 for Lexington Public Schools while enjoying an evening of fine dining during the annual Educated Tastes gala, held Sunday at Waltham's Westin Hotel.

The sold-out crowd noshed on grilled lamb, pate and lobster risotto cakes, as well as other tasty treats supplied by more than 30 area restaurants. Members of the award-winning Lexington High School jazz band provided music as attendees mingled. Throughout the silent auction, people bid on items ranging from a three-day weekend at a Maine farmhouse to an authentic English tea and dinner for six at Masala Art in Needham.

"The magic of this event is it brings together the whole town. It brings together people from every school and neighborhood. People come because they care about the cause and are happy to be involved with something that has a direct impact on the schools," said Leslie Nicholson, president of the Lexington Education Foundation.

Since 1990, Educated Tastes has been the premier school fund raiser in town. Run by the Lexington Education Foundation, or LEF, the event regularly sells out and attracts a wide array of residents. Sunday's gala drew 450 people.

"To me, it's a really wonderful thing about Lexington that we have a community that pours itself into this and then goes and enjoys the party," Nicholson said.

The money raised through Educated Tastes supports LEF's grant program.

Thelma Goldberg, owner of The Dance Inn, received nearly $5,000 to start the LHS Tap Project. The program started in September and features a combination of tap dancing and jazz music.

"It's been wonderful - very exciting and lots of fun," Goldberg said. "... I just wanted to expand the dance program at the high school. Lexington has a huge dance community. Tap dancing and jazz music have been closely connected for dozens and dozens of years."

Soon after Superintendent Joanne Benton joined the district 11 years ago, she received an LEF grant to attend a professional development conference in Minnesota. She's never forgotten it.

"LEF grants have been a wonderful recruiting tool for us. I was at a Harvard [recently] at a recruiting fair and was very happy to be telling people about the LEF grants. It was very well received," she said.

Educated Tastes represents the best of the Lexington community, Benton said.

"Now, more than ever we need the foundation because of lack of funds in the operating budget to allow teachers to do creative things," she said.

Educated Tastes organizer Michele Heist said the event reflects a community-wide interest in education.

"This is a year when people are very concerned about the schools with budget cuts and such. Education is a high priority and is top of mind for people," she said.

Former Lexington Selectman Bob Kent has attended Educated Tastes since it's founding. It's an evening he never misses.

"This event is an opportunity to show the flag for the schools of Lexington and to come together with a lot of other people for the schools," said Kent, a longtime Lexington resident.

His own four children went through the Lexington school system. His youngest graduated from LHS in 1979.

"Now that it's a generation of our grandchildren going through the schools us old folks should be grateful for what our kids had and not complain," Kent said.

Kent attended the event with longtime friend Ellen Fobert. Fobert's late husband Rudolph served as superintendent of Lexington schools from 1964 to 1975.

"I had six kids who went through the Lexington school system. Many years ago my husband was superintendent of Lexington schools. This is important to me," Fobert said of supporting the schools.

Like Kent, Fobert makes a point to attend the annual event.

"I just respect teachers," she said. "I don't think people understand how much time and effort they put into the schools. They're good people and they need to be reinforced in a positive way."

At Sunday's event, Nicholson also acknowledged four new corporate LEF grant partners and fellowship sponsors. Capstone Mortgage became the first grant partner with a $5,000 gift to support literacy. This summer, professional studies for 10 Lexington teachers will be funded with help from the $3,000 each given by Medford Cooperative Bank, Atlas Ventures and Highland Capital Partners.