Central Florida’s most celebrated chefs and beverage purveyors will gather on September 8, 2018 at the Orlando World Center Marriott to serve up support for the annual Taste! Central Florida and raise funds for childhood hunger relief in the community. Presented by Uncorked Gourmet, Taste! Central Florida is the region’s premier fundraising
food and beverage tasting event featuring sample portions of signature dishes accompanied by craft beers, cocktails, fine wines, and specialty beverages.
All proceeds from the event help Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida fund childhood feeding programs and services locally.
This year’s event returns with an impressive roster of 41 restaurants and more than a dozen brewers, distilleries, wine purveyors, and specialty beverage vendors.
Newcomers include:
BigFin Seafood Kitchen, The Glass Knife, The Old Jailhouse, Pharmacy Orlando, Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Big Top Brewing Company, Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout, Playalinda Brewing Company, and Wild Buck Whiskey & Mermaid Rum.
Hunger Action Month
Taste! Central Florida will take place this year during Hunger Action Month, a national movement held annually throughout the month of September designed to raise awareness around the hunger-related issues that affect communities across the nation. Since making the decision to operate as an independent event last year to advocate solely for hungry and homeless children in Orlando, Taste! Central Florida has been able to make an even greater impact to assist the one in four kids in Central Florida who struggle with hunger. For the first time last year, 100 percent of event proceeds remained in the community and were directed exclusively to Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, amounting to nearly $125,000 for each organization − the largest in event history.
Silent Auctions
In addition to enjoying unlimited sips and samples, guests at Taste! Central Florida can also participate in a mobile silent auction featuring signed memorabilia, stays at upscale hotels, dining experiences, and exotic adventures and getaways. The Giving Tree raffle, sponsored by Edible Orlando, is also back inviting guests to win a taste of Orlando’s most popular establishments.
Wine Anyone?
For a $50 donation, guests can select an envelope hanging from a towering tree containing a concealed gift certificate ranging from $25 to $300 in value. The event’s ever-popular Instant Wine Cellar game offers participants a chance to win more than 150 bottles of wine valued at more than $2,500. There are only 300 chances to win this exquisite wine collection. Each key is a $25 donation. Guests can also win fine bottles of wine with the Ring Toss for Wine fundraiser. Rings are available for purchase to toss onto wine bottles ─ 3 tosses for $15. When a ring lands around a bottle neck, the guest wins a bottle of wine.
Discounted Hotel Rate
Orlando World Center Marriott is offering Taste! Central Florida guests an exclusive rate to stay at the resort during the weekend of the event. A special rate of $139 per night for a standard room (additional $25 daily resort fee applies) is available between September 7 – 9, 2018. Guests can reserve their room at the discounted rate by clicking here.
WHEN:
Saturday, September 8, 2018
6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
WHERE:
Orlando World Center Marriott
8701 World Center Dr., Orlando
TICKETS:
$175 each
ATTIRE:
Cocktail / Semi-Formal
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
1. 4R Restaurant Group
2. A Taste of Reunion Resort
3. American Culinary Federation & Nestle Professional
4. Benihana
5. Big Fin Seafood Kitchen
6. Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
7. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
8. Canvas
9. Catering for Good
10. CFHLA Food & Beverage Council
11. Chroma
12. Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
13. Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi
14. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
15. Empress Sissi
16. Florida Nitro
17. The Glass Knife
18. Hemisphere Restaurant at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
19. Highball & Harvest
20. JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Whisper Creek Kitchen
21. Marlow’s Tavern
22. The Old Jailhouse
23. Orlando Food Department Co.
24. Orlando World Center Marriott
25. Pharmacy Orlando
26. Raglan Road
27. Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
28. Red Wing Restaurant
29. Rosen Shingle Creek • A Land Remembered
30. Rosen Shingle Creek • Cala Bella
31. Seasons 52 Fresh Grill
32. SeaWorld Orlando
33. STK
34. Sysco
35. Tapa Toro
36. Taverna Opa
37. Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
38. T-REX Café
39. Universal Orlando
40. The Whiskey
41. Yak & Yeti
PARTICIPATING BEVERAGE VENDORS
1. Acqua Panna & San Pellegrino
2. Big Top Brewing Company
3. Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
4. Crooked Can Brewing Company
5. Dragon’s Milk Bourbon Barrel Stout
6. Florida Farm Distillers Palm Ridge Whiskey
7. Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards
8. Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company
9. NOI CAFFE by Mr. Cappuccino
10. Not Your Father’s Root Beer
11. Orange Blossom Brewing Co.
12. Orlando Brewing Co.
13. Playalinda Brewing Company
14. Scavi & Ray
15. Tsing Tao
16. Wild Buck Whiskey & Mermaid Rum
To get a discount of 20 percent off on your tickets use Taste20 Tickets can be purchased at:https://feedhopenow. ejoinme.org/MyEvents/ 2018TasteCentralFlorida/ Tickets/tabid/941264/Default. aspx
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tastecentralflorida •Twitter: @tastecfl• Instagram #tastecfl
Annette says