CARRBORO - "I think we all have some memory of home that is tied to the smell of something cooking," says Lynden Harris, director of Hidden Voices.

"When you ask people about that, you can see them sort of summon up those memories; their faces relax and they smile. And a lot of times, those memories have to do with something sweet."

That's the impetus behind "A Taste of Home," a unique fundraiser at 8 p.m. Friday night at The ArtsCenter. Thirty chefs will share desserts, recipes and reminiscences, along with wine, appetizers, a silent auction and live jazz.

The event supports Hidden Voices' new project, "Home Is Not One Story," which tells the stories of people who have experienced homelessness in North Carolina through writings, photography, performances, music and video.

"In our analyzing and preparing for this big project, it dawned on us how much the idea of home is about food," Harris said. "This also seemed like a good way to make connections and get the whole thing started."

Participating chefs include Mark Day, the National Association of Catering Executives 2007 Caterer of the Year; Karen Barker of Magnolia Grill; Alessa Gaboff of Elaine's; Chris Holloway of A Southern Season; Katrina Ryan of Sugarland; Dorette Snover of C'Est Si Bon; and many more.

"We've been overwhelmed by the support we've gotten from the chefs," Harris said. "They immediately understood what this was about, and they all have strong memories of food and home that have influenced their careers."

Day, who runs the Chapel Hill-based Mark Day Catering Company, said for his family, like many Southern families, Sunday lunch was a major gathering.

"Either at my home or my Grandma's, the finale for the lunch event was always some delicious dessert," he said. "Refrigerator desserts such as cherry yum yum and icebox chocolate eclair cake were my two favorites. I can close my eyes and still see the 9-by-12 aluminum pan with snap-on aluminum lid these desserts were housed in. I can still hear the distinctive metal-on-metal pop when the lid was removed."

Snover's childhood baking memories involve her grandmother, too.

"She guided me to follow my heart, always," Snover said. "Nana insisted on and drank good coffee every morning, and so often when she was baking she would add the last bit of brewed coffee to the bowl and make a memorable coffee-flavored, in this case, icing."

Admission for "A Taste of Home" is $50 for a single ticket, $75 for a pair. Call 929-2787 or see www.artscenterlive.org.