Taste event licks rain, shows savory gain
Early Sunday morning rain could not dampen the spirits of the 16th annual Taste of the Beach organizers, who saw success in a large gathering at Bay Oaks Recreational Campus for food tasting, beverage drinking, business fair carousing, craft buying and live entertainment listening.
The event, sponsored by the Greater Fort Myers Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, partnered with the annual Chamber Business Fair for a dual-purpose festival. While 15 local restaurants lined a section of the outdoor campus perimeter, nearly 30 area businesses promoted their products and services inside the recreational center. Live music entertained at both locations, and arts & craft vendors greeted event goers as they came through the entrance. There was also an antique car show to entice those who enjoy older model vehicles.
“The overall feel from the organizers thought the event was a tremendous success with a great show by all parties involved, including the vendors, the restaurants, the entertainment and the classic car group,” said Taste of the Beach Chairman Steve DeAngelis, Jr. “It was a pretty well organized event all the way around.”
FMB Chamber President John Albion stated the early down pour could have caused a problem with the mainly outdoor event.
“We overcame what could have been discouraging circumstances with the weather that morning. But, it really turned out to be a great day. I thought it went surprisingly well considering the morning rain. The public came out and enjoyed an excellent afternoon. We received a lot of compliments about the entertainment and the quality of the food by the restaurants,” he said. “People really enjoyed the venue. The Model A cars was an excellent touch as well.”
Participating restaurants included Charley’s Boathouse Grill; Big Game Waterfront Grill; Parrott Key Caribbean Grill; JoJo’s at Pink Shell; Skye’s Mexican and More; Yucatan Beach Stand; Surf Club; Doc Ford’s; Chloe’s at Diamondhead Beach Resort; The Fish House; The Sandbar & Grille, Nemo’s On The Beach; Merlo’s Bar & Grille; Maria’s; and Zushi, Zushi.
Seven celebrity judges decided on 11 categories behind closed doors to rule out favoritism or negate any type of knowledge of where each dish came from. They were Tali BenTal of the Beach Observer/Beach Bulletin; Vice Mayor Bob Raymond; Councilwoman Jo List; Island Sand Paper’s Mark List; Lee County Commissioner Ray Judah; Lee VCB Executive Director Tamara Pigott’s daughter, Hayden; Food Author/Publisher Dean Foster; and CERT leader Alan Vacks.
Their tasting decisions led to JoJo’s Oster Crab Cake for Best Appetizer; JoJo’s Pina Colada Sundae for Best Dessert; Nemo’s Shrimp Mancini for Best Shrimp Dish; Yucatan’s Lobster Ravioli for Best Crab (Shellfish) Dish; Charley’s Boathouse’s Baby Back Ribs for Best BBQ Dish; Skye’s Beef Siccling Fagitas for Best Beef Dish; and Chloe’s Salmon for Best Fish Dish. JoJo’s Pina Colada Sundae captured Judges Best in Show, while Doc Ford’s food selection nabbed the People’s Choice. Parrot Key won for the Best Booth Design.
Parrot Key Caribbean Grill also captured first place in the annual server competition, a feat that netted the three participants $100 apiece. JoJo’s at Pink Shell grabbed second and a total of $225, while Chloe’s at DiamondHead took third and $150.
Bonnie Matz, a volunteer for the Community Emergency Response Team, took home the event’s Grand Prize which included a three-day/two-night stay at Pink Shell Beach Resort, private boat tour, “progressive dinner” on the Beach with limousine service to the restaurants, gift bags and more for a combined value of more than $1,500.
National Recording Artist “Cadillac Blue” (known for their hit, “Wide Open,” which is Danica Patrick’s theme song) headlined the live acts on one of the two outdoor stages. “Free Spirit” played classic rock and contemporary music by gracing the second stage, while “Legacy of Steel” featuring Harold Antoine performed steel pan music inside the Chamber Business Fair.
The 2011 Taste of the Beach/ Business Fair organizers thanked the Bay Oaks staff, all the volunteers and the event sponsors including Quenzel & Associates; Nervous Nellies; Pink Shell; Suncoast Beverages; US Foods; Southern Wine & Spirits; Veolia; Clear Channel, Lee County Elections; and The Beach Observer/Bulletin as the award sponsor.
“The Business Fair went well. Theresa Shay-See did a wonderful job on the microphone. A lot of people walked through the gymnasium, and I heard a lot of positive things about it,” said Albion. “We had a lot of great volunteers, a number of sponsors and solid help from town staff.”
DeAngelis, Yucatan Beach Stand’s general manager, believes the success at Bay Oaks will help keep the event grounded for future years.
“We are looking forward to continuing at that location. Every year we do that, we find ways to improve the actual setup at the overall event,” he said. “We are looking at bringing in an even bigger name for the headliner next year.”
Albion also thinks Bay Oaks is a great location for future Taste events. “We think it’s a great home for it. We went to Bay Oaks about a year ago on the basis that we felt it could be a permanent home for the event. Everything that has happened over the past two years has fully confirmed that.