Immaculate Conception Tastefest returns with competition favorite, The Voice
Lots of food, plenty to drink, the chance to win $5,000 and entertainment that promises a first-class cooking competition will highlight the 2010 Tastefest at Immaculate Conception Church and School in Anchorville.
Organizers will host the fifth annual Tastefest at the school's gymnasium on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Guests are invited to enjoy samples from premiere restaurants, caterers and bakeries from the area. Admission is $30 in advance or $40 at the door, which includes food, beer, wine and pop. The evening also includes a live auction, 50/50 raffle, Iron Chef live cooking competition and a chance to win a $5,000 Grand Raffle prize.
A trio of parents from Immaculate Conception are marking their fifth year sharing chairing duties for the event. Jim Charbonneau, of Chesterfield, Kathleen Cyr, of New Baltimore and Carol Gafa, of Chesterfield Township, lead the planning for the popular Tastefest along with a big group of committee chairs and volunteers.
The evening is for those ages 21 and over and proceeds from the night go to the general fund for both the church and the school, Charbonneau said.
"Everyone just really seems to enjoy this night, we have a really good MC and everyone just seems to relax and sits back and have a good time," he added.
The 22 restaurants coming in are from the local community, plus other area eateries from Port Huron, St. Clair, New Haven and Mount Clemens will be represented, Gafa said.
They sold over 300 tickets the first year and closed in on 400 attendees at last year's Tastefest.
"It's exciting to know that you're doing something for the community, the parish, friends and family and it benefits the children and school as well," Gafa said. "And we have countless volunteers who help us too and for me it feels good to be a part of it."
Iron Chef rules
A mainstay for the crowd at the Tastefest is the Iron Chef competition introduced three years ago. Three local cooks agree to show up with their pots and pans, an array of ingredients and prepare to create a dish using a special item provided by the organizers. In the past that item has been venison, peppers and squash.
"Once we give them the secret ingredient, they have just 45 minutes to create a dish for the judges," he said. "That includes making a dessert, and I didn't know how they were going to do that the year we gave them peppers, but they did."
Last year's Iron Chef champion was a firefighter from Warren and he plans to return, so Charbonneau said they hope to get two more local firemen to join the three-person competition.
"I guess that's what's new for Iron Chef this year; having all the cooks be firefighters," he said. "They have to come up with a recipe on the spot so they have to be able to think on their feet and be a decent cook to add the spices and stuff to make the dish good."
The trio of contestants are each given $150 to shop for items to create their entry. Most make sure to bring chicken or beef in case the secret ingredient isn't a meat item and all three have to have some idea about how to make something quick from scratch.
"Most of them come in with a basic staple of things, spices and stuff, so they can make their dish and they can bring along one or two sous-chefs to help them," Charbonneau said.
The crowd watches the contest, some on big screens placed around the gym, and when the time is up just before 9 p.m., the creations are turned over to three local judges. The winning chef takes home bragging rights for the year and a nice plaque.
"The Iron Chef is really popular and I think it's because it's such a unique entertainment feature you don't really get to see anywhere else," Cyr said.
Still fine tuning some aspects of the event late last week including items for both the Chinese and live auctions plus the chefs and judges for the cooking competition, Cyr had no qualms about another successful Tastefest.
"It's just such a cool community event, it's throwing a party where everyone is happy," Cyr said. "And I come out of it so happy too, just on such a high that we were able to offer this unique event to the community and I think that's what keeps the numbers up."
Tickets to the Tastefest can be purchased in the school office or at the door the night of the event. Immaculate Conception is located at 7043 Church Road in Anchorville. For more information about the event, call (586)725-0078.
Organizers will host the fifth annual Tastefest at the school's gymnasium on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Guests are invited to enjoy samples from premiere restaurants, caterers and bakeries from the area. Admission is $30 in advance or $40 at the door, which includes food, beer, wine and pop. The evening also includes a live auction, 50/50 raffle, Iron Chef live cooking competition and a chance to win a $5,000 Grand Raffle prize.
A trio of parents from Immaculate Conception are marking their fifth year sharing chairing duties for the event. Jim Charbonneau, of Chesterfield, Kathleen Cyr, of New Baltimore and Carol Gafa, of Chesterfield Township, lead the planning for the popular Tastefest along with a big group of committee chairs and volunteers.
The evening is for those ages 21 and over and proceeds from the night go to the general fund for both the church and the school, Charbonneau said.
"Everyone just really seems to enjoy this night, we have a really good MC and everyone just seems to relax and sits back and have a good time," he added.
The 22 restaurants coming in are from the local community, plus other area eateries from Port Huron, St. Clair, New Haven and Mount Clemens will be represented, Gafa said.
They sold over 300 tickets the first year and closed in on 400 attendees at last year's Tastefest.
"It's exciting to know that you're doing something for the community, the parish, friends and family and it benefits the children and school as well," Gafa said. "And we have countless volunteers who help us too and for me it feels good to be a part of it."
Iron Chef rules
A mainstay for the crowd at the Tastefest is the Iron Chef competition introduced three years ago. Three local cooks agree to show up with their pots and pans, an array of ingredients and prepare to create a dish using a special item provided by the organizers. In the past that item has been venison, peppers and squash.
"Once we give them the secret ingredient, they have just 45 minutes to create a dish for the judges," he said. "That includes making a dessert, and I didn't know how they were going to do that the year we gave them peppers, but they did."
Last year's Iron Chef champion was a firefighter from Warren and he plans to return, so Charbonneau said they hope to get two more local firemen to join the three-person competition.
"I guess that's what's new for Iron Chef this year; having all the cooks be firefighters," he said. "They have to come up with a recipe on the spot so they have to be able to think on their feet and be a decent cook to add the spices and stuff to make the dish good."
The trio of contestants are each given $150 to shop for items to create their entry. Most make sure to bring chicken or beef in case the secret ingredient isn't a meat item and all three have to have some idea about how to make something quick from scratch.
"Most of them come in with a basic staple of things, spices and stuff, so they can make their dish and they can bring along one or two sous-chefs to help them," Charbonneau said.
The crowd watches the contest, some on big screens placed around the gym, and when the time is up just before 9 p.m., the creations are turned over to three local judges. The winning chef takes home bragging rights for the year and a nice plaque.
"The Iron Chef is really popular and I think it's because it's such a unique entertainment feature you don't really get to see anywhere else," Cyr said.
Still fine tuning some aspects of the event late last week including items for both the Chinese and live auctions plus the chefs and judges for the cooking competition, Cyr had no qualms about another successful Tastefest.
"It's just such a cool community event, it's throwing a party where everyone is happy," Cyr said. "And I come out of it so happy too, just on such a high that we were able to offer this unique event to the community and I think that's what keeps the numbers up."
Tickets to the Tastefest can be purchased in the school office or at the door the night of the event. Immaculate Conception is located at 7043 Church Road in Anchorville. For more information about the event, call (586)725-0078.
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