Local chefs get chance to shine at annual Food Fest WestDate: 10/26/2011
By Debbie Gardner
Assistant Editor
GREATER SPRINGFIELD — More than a dozen of the area’s best restaurants will be showcasing their signature cuisine at this year’s Food Fest West, slated for Nov. 3 at the Crestview Country Club in Agawam.
Sponsored by the West of the River Chamber of Commerce (WRC), the annual tasting event, which this year offers a culinary trip through Italian, Mediterranean, German, Latino, Asian and classic American cuisines, will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Tickets which are $25 in advance, are available at http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e4qn39lv1511d9c6&llr=hkqd6gcab or by phone at 426-3880. At the door, admission will be $30. Valet parking will be available. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the WRC Education Fund. The event is being sponsored by Western Mass Electric Company and OMG Inc.
“This is our fifth Food Fest,” Susan Kelly, WRC program chair, told Reminder Publications. “It started under the West Springfield Chamber and when we merged to become the West of the River Chamber, it came with us.”
She said the annual tasting, designed to showcase the culinary talents of local chefs as well as show local restauranteurs the benefits of chamber membership, usually draws “anywhere from 200 to 250” guests hungry to sample the artistry of the area’s best chefs.
Among the 16 restaurants slated to take part in this year’s event are Chez Josef, the Hofbrahaus, Nadim’s Mediterranean Grill, Casa di Lisa, Mama Iguana, Partner’s Restaurant, Tokyo Asian Cuisine, and Fusion Café. In addition, Kelly said chefs from three local country clubs, including Crestview and Tekoa, would be showcasing their talents, as well as the chef at Nora’s, a new restaurant that just opened in July in Southwick, and the baker from Nina’s Cookies.
“We’ve got to have dessert,” Kelly added.
Kelly said the WRC was thrilled to be returning to Crestview again this year for the Food Fest. “It’s a lovely venue for this,” she said, adding that the country club setting “allows people to get together in a networking format.”
As attendees are sampling the various cuisines, they will be asked to vote for both the Best Restaurant and Best Presentation at this year’s Food Fest. In addition, Kelly said several of the chef’s – including the ones from Casa di Lisa and Partners Restaurant – have agreed to raffle off dining packages as part of the event’s Live Chef’s Auction.
Kelly said the proceeds of the annual fund-raiser would be used to further the various educational initiatives of the WRC.
“The WRC mission is to support training both for businesses and also for high school students,” she said, adding that some of the support the WRC provides comes in the form of scholarships for high school students, mini-grants for programs in West Springfield and business grants to defray the cost of training for WRC member. Last year Kelly said the WRC awarded four $500 training grants to member businesses.
“The cost of joining [the WRC] is $300,” she said. “You can make up the whole cost of joining in a grant.
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