about us

Featuring the area’s most accomplished chefs, brewers, wine purveyors and spirit vendors, Taste! Central Florida invites the community to enjoy an evening of tasting portions of signature dishes accompanied by fine wines, craft beers, and specialty cocktails.

This annual celebration of the community’s culinary excellence is a volunteer-driven event with local chefs, brewers and distilleries donating their time, talent and creations to make this event one of the largest fundraisers of the year for Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida.

An all-volunteer steering committee, more than 300 day-of event volunteers, and tremendous in-kind support from a variety of local business partners allow us to direct every dollar raised to our beneficiaries while generating profound awareness and relief for the children of Central Florida who face hunger on a daily basis.

Now in its 33rd year and having raised more than $4 million dollars for childhood hunger, the region’s premier food and beverage tasting event brings a supremely delicious experience to our community, for our community, with a positively local flavor.

We’re back with our same distinguished local chefs, committed local volunteers, and important local beneficiaries.

The best part? All event proceeds will remain in our community to help connect struggling Central Florida families to the meals they need.

SATURDAY,
AUGUST 10, 2024

Signia by Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Ln,
Orlando, FL 32821

 

beneficiaries

 

VOLUNTEER

Join our team of volunteers and be a part of an incredible event!

Sign up now and stay tuned for updates.

 

Taste! Central Florida Committee

Co-chairs

Michele Byington, Bank of America Private Bank
Haley Hitzing, Sodexo Live!

Nicole Spooner, Mpact Orlando Marketing
Christina Nguyen, Vidi Global


Planning Committee

Andrea Patenaude, Thirty-One Gifts

Anna Schoenherr

Bill Sullivan, I Wanna Distributors, Inc.

Brett Buske

Brooke Santiago, Coalition for the Homeless

Caitlin Canning Glassman, The Good Pour

Cathy Kort

Chris Chen, Viet-Nomz

Dan Robertson

Dan Samuels,
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Daniele Lajeunesse, Cox Seafood

Dominque Greco, OHA

Ed Nasser, Truist

Jay Rusch

Jennifer Pence, Community Advocate

Jessica Guzman, Coalition for the Homeless

Joe Takacs, Real Estate on the Riveria

John Cooper

John Kolata, Waldorf Astoria Orlando, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Joshua Taylor, Coalition for the Homeless

Julian Roger Da Costa, Disney

Karen Busch

Katie Johnson, Marriott Vacations Worldwide

Karen Smart

Kelsey Kercado, Sodexo Live!

Kimmie Caramuta, Paradigm

Leigh Anne Nieman, Disney

Liz Buske

Marc Gibson, Hawkmoon Entertainment

Mark Charlton

Mark Zickefoose, AT&T

Maurice Bridge, Regions Bank

Michele Stevens, WFTV

Michelle Kandrac, Mpact Orlando Marketing

Mike Mele, Pershing/BNY

Nancy Mele, Alpha Gamma Delta

Natalie Hunt

Paul Bodoia, Taylor Printing

Ricky Ly, Tasty Chomps

Selina Mullenax, CORT

Sharon Joseph, Chep

Susan Boucher, The Good Pour

Trinette Nation, Coalition for the Homeless

Veronica J. Mucha,
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida