Taste of the Nation Embarks on the East Bay
A handful of the great chefs in the East Bay are gathering in Berkeley on Sunday, October 20 for a special event showcasing their talents, but also working toward the fight to end childhood hunger.
Taste of the Nation East Bay marks the first year Share Our Strength has settled on the other side of the Bay Area. “The growth of the culinary scene in the East Bay has been amazing over the last few years,” said Katie Bone, Western Regional Manager at Share Our Strength. “I think we really wanted to focus on the culinary talent on this side of the Bay.”
This is one of several Taste of the Nation events across the country, benefiting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Share Our Strength, which was started by siblings Billy and Debbie Shore in 1984, works under the belief that everyone has a strength to share in the global fight against hunger and poverty. The first Taste of the Nation event took place in 1988, raising nearly $250,000, and since then, it has continued to grow, raising more than $80 million for the cause.
The event has already had plenty of success in San Francisco and Bone said that with the help of a few restaurants and chefs early on in the process, they have been able to gather an all-star group of East Bay talent. “Our host chef and chair for the event, Tanya Holland, has really been instrumental in not only spreading the word, but getting her fellow chefs signed up. And we also had the team at A16 Rockridge come on board early. They have taken part in the event in San Francisco and were excited to bring it to the East Bay,” she said.
Along with Holland (Brown Sugar Kitchen, B-Side BBQ) and chef Rocky Maselli of A16 Rockridge, the event will feature bites from James Syhabout (Hawker Fare), Kim Alter (Plum) and Huw Thornton (Tribune Tavern) among many others. There is also a VIP Lounge, accessible to VIP ticketholders only, and will feature a unique tasting experience with Tim Nugent and Jennifer Biesty, chef and owners of the soon-to-open Shakewell Bar & Kitchen in Oakland. Some of the best bartenders in the East Bay will also be on hand to serve some creative and unique cocktails, with wine also part of the evening’s festivities.
A handful of tickets are still available for the event, which takes place on Sunday, October 20 from 4:00-7:00pm (VIP entrance starts at 3:00pm) at the Claremont Hotel(41 Tunnel Road) in Berkeley.
