It’s Time for the Taste of Tyler

TYLER — The 31st Annual Taste of Tyler! It will run from 6:30 till 8:30pm Tuesday night at the Harvey Convention Center. This popular event offers menu samples from many of Tyler’s finest restaurants. Visit the restaurant booths of your choice as often as you choose for delicious appetizers, breads, entrees and desserts, along with complimentary water, sodas, beer and wine. Circulate, socialize and enjoy live music from three groups in separate areas. All net proceeds from Taste of Tyler are applied toward charitable and educational causes. Taste of Tyler is co-sponsored by East Texas Restaurant Association (ETRA) and Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club. Tickets are $20.00 if purchased in advance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door for $25.00. Advance tickets are available at Tyler area Dairy Queens and Papacita’s Mexican Restaurant on South Broadway in Tyler.

Six area high school Culinary Teams will compete in the first ever “SNAP Hot Food Challenge” during the “Taste of Tyler”. Teams will have just over an hour to setup, cook and plate a meal for a family of four that will be judged by members of the East Texas Chefs Association. Each team may not spend more than $11.00, which is the SNAP average budget for the evening meal for a family of four.

This East Texas Chefs Association sanctioned event has two goals. First, to introduce or fine tune these future Culinarians’ skill sets as they prepare for a career in foodservice. Second, to educate themselves and the viewing Public of healthier options that are available to those in the SNAP program,” said Bob Westbrook, event spokesperson for the East Texas Restaurant Association.

“We are very grateful to the East Texas Restaurant Association for remembering our families that are struggling with hunger in our community. This is a great opportunity for young culinarians demonstrate not only their cooking skills, but the creativity that is required to eat well on the limited resources of a SNAP budget,” said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank.

All participants will receive a certificate with first and second place schools receiving a cash prize. The event is sponsored by the East Texas Chefs Association, East Texas Restaurant Association and Farm and Food Coalition.