CELEBRATING

OF HAMPTON ROADS

24th Annual

FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore’s 24th Annu-al Taste of Hampton Roads event on March 5, we thank you for your sup-port. It was a great evening!

Through your partnership for the 2013 event, we can provide more than 603,000 meals to those strug-gling with hunger in our community. We couldn’t have taken a “bite out of hunger” without you.

The evening was filled with great food from 30 favorite area restau-rants, an iron chef-style competi-tion, a great casino experience, mu-sical entertainment and amazing dé-cor. The “Farm to Fork” theme of the

evening was evident in fabulous local foods featured by our restaurants as well as the secret ingredient used in the iron chef-style competition.

As we gear up for our 25th annual Taste of Hampton Roads in 2014, we hope that you will join us once again for an incredible evening.

If you missed the event this year, we invite you to join us next year and help us provide much-needed meals to those who are hungry in South-eastern Virginia and on the Eastern Shore.

Again, thank you for your invest-ment in our mission to lead the effort to eliminate hunger in our community. Together, we can solve hunger.

Sincerely,

Kenneth J. Thomas, President, Board of DirectorsJoanne E. Batson, Chief Executive Officer

Dear Friends:

For 24 years, Taste of Hampton Roads has taken a ‘bite out of hunger’

RAMONE PHOTOGRAPHY/RAMONE PHOTOGRAPHY/HOWARD RODMAN

BY LORRAINE EATON The Virginian-Pilot staff epicure

What were they doing with those sweet potatoes? Just as the timer start-ed ticking, local Foodbank Iron Chef competitors accepted burlap sacks of sweet potatoes and got to chopping, mashing, dicing and dredging.

Sweet potatoes were the mystery in-gredient at this year’s Taste of Hamp-ton Roads – that annual, ballroom-sized smorgasbord to benefit the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia.

Competing chefs from four local res-taurants got right to work, spinning a pantry of local ingredients into an amazing variety of dishes.

In no time flat, knives were down and the food was presented to judges, (in-cluding lucky me!).

Mannino’s Italian Bistro turned the sweet potatoes into gnocchi and served them alongside pan-seared duck breast, warm caramelized fennel and bacon vinaigrette, all set off with a perfect

sweet potato chip.Still Worldly Eclectic Tapas turned

out Rockfish Queen Elizabeth, flaky seared rockfish over Surryano ham with sweet potato hash, sweet potato beurre blanc and vanilla-saffron cream sauce. The dish was crowned with a tangle of sweet potato frites.

The Whole Foods chefs went anoth-er direction, creating a Thai red cur-ry dish with sweet potatoes, tofu and green beans over brown rice.

And Passion: The Restaurant present-ed a plate of pretzel-encrusted rockfish topped with sauteed arugula and a Di-jon tarragon butter sauce, with a side of sweet potato-pecan gnocchi.

A tough field to judge, for sure.And the winner was … Chef Michael

Farrell from Still in Portsmouth. Con-gratulations!

Meanwhile, more than 30 eateries and culinary schools competed in a sep-arate ballroom on the first floor of the downtown Norfolk Marriott for a con-stellation of honors.

VIP RECEPTION PARTNERSPresenting Partner Portfolio Recovery Associates Inc.

Culinary Presenting PartnerMorrison Healthcare Foodservice

Media PartnerInside Business

Savor the moment

Foodbank is big winner when local chefs hash it out

HOWARD RODMAN/RAMONE PHOTOGRAPHY/HOWARD RODMAN

A version of this article first appeared in The Virginian-Pilot.

FOR NEARLY A QUARTER OF A CENTURY,

the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia’s

Taste of Hampton Roads event has provided

funds for the purchase of food to help feed

the hungry in our community. As we gear

up to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2014,

we would like to share our fond memories of

your support that has taken place on this one

special night each year for the past 24 years.

Thank you for your continued partnership

and helping us lead the effort to eliminate

hunger in our community. Together, we can

solve hunger.

Tradition

A taste of this year’s event and years gone by THE WINNERS • Chefs’ Choice Distinctive Gourmet• Most Memorable Brand Sweetwater Cuisine• Best Dessert Art Institute of Virginia Beach• Most Artistic Culinary Presentation Fin Seafood• Most Unique Taste Atlantic Shores Retirement Community• People’s Choice Mannino’s Italian Bistro

But the night’s biggest winner Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Proceeds will provide more than 603,000 meals to those struggling with hunger.

2013 TASTE OF HAMPTON ROADS CULINARY PARTNERS

80/20 burger barArt Institute of Virginia BeachAtlantic Shores Retirement CommunityBardoCarolina CupcakeryCulinary Institute of VirginiaDistinctive Gourmet - The Exclusive Caterer of the Virginia Beach Convention CenterFresh Events by Farm FreshFIN Seafood Freemason Abbey RestaurantGosport TavernIncredible Edibles BakeryMallards at the Wharf Mannino’s Italian BistroMona Lisa’s Pizza Ocean ViewNawab Indian CuisineNorfolk Catering CompanyNorfolk Coffee & Tea Co.Passion The RestaurantRajput Indian CuisineShula’s 347 GrillStill Worldly Eclectic TapasSwan TerraceSweetwater CuisineThe Chesapeake Bay Catering CompanyTidewater Community College - The Culinary Arts DepartmentTradeWinds RestaurantUnique Sweets & AccessoriesWhole Foods MarketWicker’s Crab Pot Seafood

Beverage vendorsAssociated Distributors Hoffman Beverage William Grant & Sons Pepsi Products

BY MARIANNE SMITH VARGASChief Philanthropy Officer, Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore

Lights-camera-action! Just like on a movie set, the presentation of an event sets the stage for the guests’ experience. One may ask how you transform an elegant hotel ballroom into an atmosphere resembling a farm where you can share a story of the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore’s work to procure local fresh produce and foods. Enter the event professionals and the antique tractor.

The International Special Events Society, known as ISES, partnering together with independent event businesses, committed to the mission of leading the effort to eliminate hunger in our community. Debbie Mergi, corporate outreach manager for the foodbank, was responsible for producing the Taste of Hampton Roads event.

“It all begins as we share our concept and they find the most creative, exciting ways to tell the story,” Mergi said. “Their services come from every aspect of the industry – rental supplies, floral designers, ice sculptors, food service equipment, props, audio-visual, designers, specialty entertainers, vintage rentals, draping, graphic artist, printers, coordinators, photographers, special effect lighting and many more.”

The Hampton Roads Chapter of ISES was founded by Kelly Coronel, who is now serving as the Northeast Region Vice President for ISES International. Coronel took the lead in

designing the Taste of Hampton Roads 2013 presentation.

“ISES chapters around the country typically choose one charitable organization in their area to support,” Coronel said. “We believe in giving back to our community.

“The foodbank helps feed people who have difficulty feeding themselves. In current times, I think we all have realized that at any time any one of us may need the services of this organization – you just don’t know.”

Tom Johnson, president of the Hampton Roads Chapter of ISES, supported this year’s event.

“Using our talents and resources to ultimately help feed the hungry is very important,” Johnson said. “We are delighted to support this important organization and make an impact.”

“As the 24th consecutive year of our Taste of Hampton Roads event closes, we know we could not have provided the record number of meals generated by this year’s event without the support of all these generous and talented individuals,” said Marianne Smith Vargas, chief philanthropy officer of the foodbank. “We realize that our event shines brightly among others hosted in the region because they make it memorable. This sentiment was expressed by many who attended.”

The foodbank’s board of directors, staff and customers thank the many vendors and volunteers who made the 24th Annual Taste of Hampton Roads one to remember.

They encourage all in the community to support the businesses listed at right as they support the foodbank.

True dedication

It takes a lot of support to put on an event like this

RAMONE PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTOS

In-kind partnersBon Appetit

Astro EntertainmentESI - Electronic Systems Inc.Astro Entertainment

Gourmand

Creative ImpressionsDistinctive Event RentalsDunmar Exhibit ServicesPepsi Beverages Co.

Foodie

Bloom the Art of FlowersCrest Foodservice EquipmentInspired Events by KellyRamone Photography StudioRiver Design Vintage Furniture RentalsStage Right LightingThe Board Walk Photo Booth Co.The Bridal DishVerizon Wireless

Foodbank Friends

AlscoHoward Rodman PhotographyNauticusPanera Bread

Donations

Cabot Creamery CooperativeIce ArtQuail Cove Farms Inc.Wingfield Farm Inc.

Thank you Taste 2013 Partners for your support

Presenting PartnerFacility Partner

Epicurean Partners

Media Partners VIP Reception Partners

Connoisseur Partners

Bon Appetit PartnersElizabeth River CrossingsFirst Potomac Realty TrustHarris Teeter, Inc.TowneBank

Gourmand PartnersBank of Hampton RoadsFood LionKRAFT Foods

Marketing PartnersRed Chalk StudiosSauce Designs

Culinary PartnersBest Ink Store Credit Management Advisory Services, LLC (CMAS)Diane Hill, Bank of AmericaGrand FurnitureHDM AssociatesNorfolk Truck CenterOld Dominion University Office of Community EngagementRetail AllianceSam’s Club - Taylor RoadSam’s Club - VA Beach Blvd Williams Mullen

Foodie PartnersABNB Federal Credit UnionAlpha Dog Marketing, Inc. Applied Management EngineeringAssociated DistributorsFulton Bank Hoffman BeverageIndependence Construction Co. of VAPayday Payroll, Inc.QVCServiceLink LoanCare ServicingSTIHL

Foodbank FriendsBeach Eye CareDr. Richard Manolio & Ms. Karen FritzEllie and Paul LipkinLangley Federal Credit UnionOld Point National Bank - Corporate LandingOld Point National Bank - HamptonUnilever LiptonWaypoint Advisors

Visit us online at

or call (757) 314-4554and join us in the fight against hunger

TasteofHamptonRoads.org

SAVE THE DATE!

Virginia Beach Convention CenterMarch 4, 2014

Together, we can solve hunger

BECOMEA PARTNER -

opportunities begin at $500

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