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Most Asheville residents and visitors are well aware of the high quality of many restaurants that call Asheville home, but the opportunity to sample foods from so many in just one night comes along but once a year. That opportunity is coming up very soon, as the 12th annual Culinary Showcase will be held today, January 8, at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa. The event will run from 5:30-8:30 PM. The event is expected to be a sell-out, as it is every year, so anyone who definitely wants to attend is wise to heed the warning and get tickets as soon as possible. The festivities, following the theme �Winter Carnival,� will include delicious food from 24 local restaurants and caterers, wine tasting, crafted beer sampling, gourmet coffees, live entertainment from Westsound, and fantastic raffle prizes. �Celebrating our 12th Culinary Showcase � this will prove to be the best ever. Our area�s finest restaurants, caterers, and resorts will strive to outdo each other and themselves to show our guests their best cuisine and take home the famed Culinary Cup,� event committee Chairman David Trout said. The showcase will feature area restaurants and caterers who will compete for top honors. Celebrity judges, including area print and broadcast personalities, will determine which participating restaurants will win awards for: Best Appetizer, Best Entr�e, Best Dessert, Best Organic, Best Service, Most Creative Display and, ultimately, the FRS-Asheville Culinary Cup for Best of Show. Savoy Cucina Italiana and Biltmore Estate were the 2003 Best of Show winners and will be competing again this year. Winners will again be presented with a prize package from FRS-Asheville valued at more than $2,000. The 2003 award winners were:
Attendees will also cast their vote for the coveted People�s Choice Gold and Silver awards as well as People�s Choice Wine and People�s Choice Beer. Event host, The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, will offer residents of Buncombe and Henderson counties a special room rate of $79. This rate is valid for January 4-29, 2004. County residents can make reservations by calling (800) 438-5800, or go online at www.groveparkinn.com. Please mention Culinary Showcase "Winter Carnival" when booking room reservations. Participants in the 2004 competition include 28806 Deli Bakery Caterers; Anntony's Caribbean Caf�; Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company; Biltmore Estate/Inn on Biltmore Estate; Cafe on the Square; Charlotte Street Grill & Pub; The Colorful Palate, Inc.; Earth Fare; Empire Distributors of North Carolina, Inc.; French Broad River Brewery; Flying Frog Caf�; The Grape Escape; The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa; Harrah's Cherokee Casino & Hotel; Hathaway's with Java Bill's Coffee Bar; Great Smokies Holiday Inn SunSpree Golf & Tennis Resort; Jae Thai Restaurant/Akumi Sake & Sushi Bar; Kamm's Custard Shops; The Laughing Seed Caf�; Left Bank; Los Volcanes; M-7 Event Solutions at Crest Mountain; The Melting Pot; Mountain Valley Spring Water; Mutual Distributing Company; Savoy Cucina Italiana; Sweet Heaven Ice Cream & Music Cafe; and Vincenzo's Ristorante & Bistro. All participating restaurants are donating any leftover food items to MANNA FoodBank, which will distribute the food to participating food distribution organizations throughout Western North Carolina. Tickets are $35 and may be purchased by calling the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce at 828-258-6114 or by visiting their web site, www.ashevillechamber.org. (image provided by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce)
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