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 45 restaurants and more than a dozen brewers, distilleries, wine purveyors, and specialty beverage vendors. Newcomers include 310 Restaurants, Big Fin Seafood Kitchen, The Glass Knife, The Old Jailhouse, Pharmacy Orlando, Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Terralina Crafted Italian, 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.
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.
“By holding this year’s Taste! Central Florida during Hunger Action Month, we have a
tremendous opportunity to elevate the dialogue about the specific hunger challenges children in our own community are facing on a daily basis and remind our guests about the many ways they can support the local anti-hunger efforts of Second Harvest Food Bank and Coalition for the Homeless beyond this one event,” said Michele Byington, co-chair for Taste! Central
Florida.
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. 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.
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. 310 Restaurants
2. 4R Restaurant Group
3. A Taste of Reunion Resort
4. American Culinary Federation & Nestle Professional
5. Benihana
6. Big Fin Seafood Kitchen
7. Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
8. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
9. Canvas Restaurant & Market
10. Catering for Good
11. CFHLA Food & Beverage Council
12. Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen
13. Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar
14. Dragonfly Robata Grill & Sushi
15. Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
16. Empress Sissi
17. Florida Nitro
18. Glass Knife, The
19. Hemisphere Restaurant at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
20. Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
21. JW Marriott Grande Lakes, Whisper Creek Kitchen
22. K Restaurant
23. Marlow’s Tavern
24. Old Jailhouse, The
25. Orlando Food Department Co.
26. Orlando World Center Marriott
27. Pharmacy Orlando
28. Raglan Road
29. Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
30. Red Wing Restaurant
31. Rosen Shingle Creek • A Land Remembered
32. Rosen Shingle Creek • Cala Bella
33. Seasons 52 Fresh Grill
34. SeaWorld Orlando
35. STK
36. Sysco
37. Tapa Toro
38. Taverna Opa
39. Terralina Crafted Italian
40. Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
41. T-REX Café
42. Universal Orlando
43. Vines Grille & Wine Bar
44. Whiskey, The
45. 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. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
16. Tsing Tao
17. Wild Buck Whiskey & Mermaid Rum
For more information, visit tastecfl.org.
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ABOUT TASTE! CENTRAL FLORIDA
Featuring the area’s most accomplished chefs, brewers, wine purveyors, and beverage vendors, Taste!
Central Florida is an annual celebration of the community’s culinary excellence offering an evening of
tasting portions of signature dishes accompanied by fine wines, craft beers, cocktails, and specialty
beverages. With a an all-volunteer steering committee, more than 300 day-of event volunteers, in-kind
support from a variety of local business partners, and the generous backing of Orlando World Center
Marriott who donates the event space each year, Taste! Central Florida is one of the largest fundraisers
of the year for the children’s feeding programs of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and
Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.