  
Back To News/PR Index | 
| 32nd Annual Taste of Collier Presented by Naples Daily News | Food Festival Set for April 26 at Bayfront Naples | As the area’s longest-running event of its kind, The Taste was launched in 1983 for area restaurants to thank year-round residents for their continued patronage, while simultaneously raising money for local charitable organizations. Admission is $5 per person and free for ages 5 and under. Admission tickets and parking passes may be purchased prior to the event online by visiting www.TasteOfCollier.com, as well as at the event. Event
parking will be available at 850 Goodlette-Frank Road at The Commons for
$5, with shuttle transportation to and from the event between 10:30 am
and 5 pm. In addition to the $5 admission ticket, all food and beverage
items must be purchased with tickets (sold in sheets of 10) with $1 equal
to one ticket. Food items and beverages are priced between 1 and 7 tickets.
All admission and food tickets are non-refundable. ATM machines are located
at the site. Also new this year, the Taste of Collier Discount Card is
being offered for $5 to provide exclusive discounts at local restaurants
during the summer months.
 Two of Naples’ most well known masters of the kitchen – Chef Brian Roland of Crave Culinare and Chef Charles Mereday of Mereday’s Fine Dining – will battle it out at 2:30 at the Chef’s Show Tent to compete for the title of Taste of Collier Top Chef. Seating is available on a first-come basis. A partial listing of restaurants includes: AGAVE Southwestern Grill, ALTO Live Jazz Kitchen, American Culinary Federation Naples Chapter, AZN, Bayfront Inn, Beefstro’s, Beauregard’s Homemade Ice Cream, Captain & Krewe Seafood Market & Rawbar, Costco, Edible Arrangements, EJ’s Bayfront Café, El Rincon de Mexico, Greek Gourmet, Market 8.5 Goodland Yacht Club, Mereday’s Fine Dining, Moe’s Southwestern Grill, Pincher’s Crab Shack, Texas Tony’s BBQ Shack, Seminole Casino Catering, South Street and St. Matthews House Catering. Check the event’s website for the growing list of restaurants and vendors. The Chef’s Show Tent will feature demonstrations at 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30 by popular chefs preparing starters, main courses and deserts. Seating is available for sampling every hour on a first-come, first-served basis with all seats cleared at the end of each session. Ice carving demonstrations by local chefs will be presented at 11:30 by Bill Irvin of Cold Cuts; at 12:30 by Rob DeFransesco of Worthington Country Club; at 1:30 by Michael Duncan of Marker 8.5 at Goodland Yacht Club; and at 2:30 by Robert Saalfeld and Grant Cole of Naples Lakes Country Club. The Taste of Collier Presented by Naples Daily News (www.TasteOfCollier.com) is tapping into the latest culinary trend of food trucks, with samples from some of the area’s finest mobile kitchens and caterers. The shady Copa Di Vino Wine Garden will offer samples of premium wines from their winery. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to sample wines. Alcoholic beverages are not included with admission and are an additional cost. The live entertainment stage will present entertainers throughout the event including music by Miss Chloe Friedman, The Good Bad Kids, and The Sarah Hadeka Band. Miss Krista Fogelsong of ABC-7 will emcee the event. Money raised by the event is donated to local nonprofits – nearly $1 million to date. This year’s beneficiaries will be St. Matthew’s House, Heil Luthringer Foundation, supporting individual with multiple sclerosis, American Culinary Federation Caxambas Chapter of Naples & Marco Island and the local ProStart Culinary Arts Programs. For more information, please contact Nicholas Jankowski at McQuaid Marketing & Promotions – Nicholas@mcquaidco.com or 239-331-7371. About
McQuaid Marketing & Promotions
Contact:
Media:
 |
