Taste of the Nation, Central Florida’s largest gathering of chefs and restaurants, returns to Orlando World Center Marriott on August 8 when attendees can enjoy an unparalleled culinary experience while helping to end childhood hunger.
For one night, 44 of the area’s most accomplished chefs and purveyors will showcase tasting portions of signature dishes accompanied by fine wines, craft beers and specialty cocktails. It's an all-you-can-taste extravaganza of Orlando's best food and drink, and you'll be supporting a great cause with each bite and sip!
Check out some of the many participating restaurants:
4Rivers Smokehouse and The Coop
A Land Remembered at Rosen Shingle Creek
Artist Point at Disney's Wilderness Lodge Resort
American Q
B.B. King's Blues Club
Black Fire Bull
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
Cafe Tu Tu Tango
Cala Bella Restaurant at Rosen Shingle Creek
Capa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
The Capital Grille Orlando & Millenia
Cress Restaurant
Cuba Libre
Dragonfly Robata Sushi & Grill
Emeril's Tchoup Chop
Fulton's Crab House, Downtown Disney
Highball and Harvest at Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
Itta Bena
JJ's Grille
JW Marriott
K Restaurant and Wine Bar
Lafayette's Music Room
Marlow's Tavern
MOOR at Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
Old Hickory Steakhouse at Gaylord Palms Resort
Opa Orlando
Red Wing Restaurant
Seasons 52
Soco Thornton Park
Tapa Toro Tapas Bar
Three2OH Ice Cream
TR Fire Grill
Urban Tide Hyatt Regency
The Whiskey
Yak & Yeti Restaurant at Disney's Animal Kingdom
Along with appetizers, entrees, desserts and spirits, attendees will enjoy a fully automated mobile silent auction featuring signed memorabilia, stays at upscale hotels, dining experiences, rounds of golf on area courses and exotic adventures and getaways.
The event also features the popular Instant Wine Cellar raffle, a chance to win more than 150 bottles of wine valued at more than $2,500. New this year is The Giving Tree, an opportunity to win dinner at dozens of Orlando’s most popular restaurants by choosing a hanging envelope from the tree that contains a restaurant gift card ranging from $50 to $200.
Best of all, you’ll be changing the lives of vulnerable kids by ensuring they have the healthy food they need all year long. Proceeds from Orlando’s Taste of the Nation funds children’s nutrition programs provided by Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Share Our Strength. This event has raised millions in critical funds over the past 26 years.
WHEN:
Saturday, August 8, 2015
6:45pm – 10pm
WHERE:
Orlando World Center Marriott
8701 World Center Dr., Orlando
Interested in staying the night? Get a discounted $129/night room rate by clicking here!
TICKETS:
$150 each (Orlando date Night Guide readers can use promo code ODATE10% to receive a 10% discount on tickets).
ATTIRE:
Cocktail / Semi-Formal
For more information, visit ce.strength.org/orlando.
Is there anyway to see if there will be many vegetarian offerings at this event?
Here is the response I received from the event organizer: We don’t release the full menus ahead of the event, but l did glance through them just now and I counted 12 vegetarian menu offerings, not including dessert options. Many of the chefs also prep the items as they are being served, so a good number more can be prepared without the protein. I’m allergic to mushrooms – which are always a chef favorite at these events – and I just speak up and ask them to keep the mushrooms off the plate, and I’ve never encountered a problem. Also, for the first time this year, we will be denoting vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options on signage at each restaurant booth.