by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Besides the smiles all around, the most common look from attendees of Thursday’s 23rd Annual Celebrity Chefs Tasting Luncheon and Silent Auction was that of exhausted content.
“It’s all so good but I can’t eat anymore,” said one man with a clean plate, “but I really want to.”
He wasn’t alone, as close to 1,000 patrons dined on a dozen original dishes concocted by local celebrities for the annual charity event that benefits numerous programs of the Northeast Florida chapter of the Salvation Army.
“This event is always so much fun and the community really responds,” said Charlotte Drake of the Women’s Auxiliary, which produces the event. “Given the economy this year, we were a little nervous, but everything ended up great.”
Auxiliary and Salvation Army officials hoped to raise around $66,000 — down slightly from last year’s total — from the event and knew they had to factor in the economy to draw more people.
The lowered ticket prices helped, said Drake, and officials were surprised by the more than 300 silent auction items that were donated, up from last year’s 250.
“The way the community stepped up the past couple weeks with item donation and the surge in ticket sales was truly awesome,” said Karen Seals, president of the Women’s Auxiliary. “We’re truly appreciative because all the proceeds go to some great programs for the Salvation Army.”
Participating chefs and their dishes
• State Attorney Angela Corey – Renee’s Rollups
• TPC Sawgrass general manager Bill Hughes — “Sawgrass Crab Boursin”
• Jaguars linebacker Daryl Smith — Florida Citrus Hearts Salad with honey citrus vinaigrette
• Women’s Auxiliary members Sally Evans, Rita Joost and Darleen Unger — “Green Bean Bundles”
• Ch. 4 reporter Jennifer Bauer — Macaroni and cheese
• Ch. 12/25 anchors Victor Blackwell and Jeannie Blaylock — Spinach casserole
• Prudential Network Realty President and CEO Linda Sherrer — Three-cheese squash casserole
• The Loop Restaurants & Bistro Aix owner Mike Schneider — Poppyseed chicken
• PRI Productions President and CEO Randy Goodwin — “Randy’s Favorite Quick Dinner”
• Ch. 30/47 anchors Dawn Lopez and Mark Spain — “Spaintacular Anytime Chili”
• Chef Jessica Bright — Chocolate zucchini cake
• Wolfson Children’s Hospital board of directors director Karen Wolfson — “Derby Pie”
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