It’s time once again for the amazing Annual Orlando Taste of the Nation for No Kid Hungry. This event is every foodies dream. 42 awesome restaurants from around Orlando will be participating this year. They will be cooking up for a great cause to end childhood hunger in Central Florida. Guest will be able to sample signature dishes, cocktails, premium beers and wines. I have been lucky enough to dine at some of these fabulous restaurants in the area and this is a great way to sample the culinary delights of the best restaurants that Orlando has to offer. The best part is helping those in need for one of my favorite charities! We’ve attended the past three years and absolutely love it! You can read about our wonderful experience here.  

Event Details: Orlando’s Taste of the Nation When: Saturday, August 27, 2015 from 6:45pm – 10pm. Where: Orlando World Center Marriot – 8701 World Center Dr., Orlando. Tickets: $150 each and can be purchased at http://ce.strength.org/orlando Attire: Cocktail/Semi-Formal.

Participating Restaurants

1. Artist’s Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
2. B Resort & Spa/American Kitchen
3. Benihana
4. Black Fire Brazilian Steakhouse
5. Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
6. Café Tu Tu Tango
7. Canvas Lake Nona
8. Capa at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
9. The Capital Grille
10. CFHLA Food & Beverage Council
11. Cress Restaurant
12. Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar at Pointe Orlando
13. Eddie V’s
14. Eleven at Reunion Resort
15. Empress Sissi Cake & Specialty Pastries
16. Forte at Reunion Resort
17. FreshPoint Central Florida
18. Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center/Old Hickory Steakhouse
19. Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center/MOOR
20. Hemisphere Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
21. Highball and Harvest at Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
22. JW Marriott Grande Lakes Orlando, featuring Whisper Creek Farms: The Kitchen
23. K Restaurant and Wine Bar
24. Marlow’s Tavern
25. Nestle Professional
26. Nova Scratch Kitchen
27. Orlando World Center Marriott
28. The Osprey Tavern
29. RA Sushi
30. Red Wing Restaurant
31. Restaurant ASH
32. Rosen Shingle Creek │A Land Remembered
33. Rosen Shingle Creek │Cala Bella Restaurant
34. The Rusty Spoon
35. Seasons 52 Fresh Grill
36. SeaWorld Orlando
37. Tapa Toro Tapas Bar and Paella Pit
38. Taverna Opa Orlando
39. The Whiskey
40. Three 2 OH Ice Cream
41. Universal Orlando
42.  Yak & Yeti

Newcomers include nine of the area’s most popular and exciting restaurants including Benihana, Canvas Lake Nona, Eleven and Forte at Reunion Resort, Hemisphere Restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, Nova Scratch Kitchen, The Osprey Tavern, Restaurant ASH, and The Rusty Spoon.   There are several mini opportunities taking place before the main event…

• The Giving Tree raffle, sponsored by Edible Orlando, returns for the second year inviting guests to win a taste of Orlando’s most popular establishments. For a $50 donation, guests can select a Giving Tree envelope hanging from a towering tree containing a gift certificate ranging from $25 to $300 in value.

• The event’s ever-popular Instant Wine Cellar game offers participants a chance to win more than 150 bottles of wine valued at more than $2,500. There are only 250 chances to win this exquisite wine cellar. Each key is a $25 donation.

• Guests can also win fine bottles of wine with the all-new Ring Toss for Wine fundraiser. Rings are available for purchase to toss onto wine bottles ─$5 for two tosses or $10 for six tosses. When a ring lands around a bottle neck, the guest wins a bottle of wine to take home.

• Eola Wine Company welcomes guests to raise a glass to end childhood hunger with a series of weekly wine tasting events on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. from July 20 to Aug. 24. For a$15 donation at the door, guests will receive free tastings of select wines. Offering fine varietals by the glass, flight and bottle, plus light fare, Eola Wine Company is located in downtown Orlando at 430 E. Central Blvd., Orlando.

• The Ancient Olive is fighting childhood hunger with olive oil by donating $1 for each bottle of ultra- premium extra virgin olive oils, aged balsamic vinegars, and flavor-infused olive oils sold between July 20 and August 31. The tasting bar for premium extra virgin olive oils and balsamic vinegars is located at 324 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. The Spice & Tea Exchange, located at 309 Park Ave. North, Winter Park, will also donate $1 for each gourmet grinder blend sold.

• For the first time, Orlando’s Taste of the Nation introduces the Golden Ticket Giveaway, offering an exciting new way to win a pair of complimentary tickets to this year’s event. Guests who dine at select, participating establishments can ask their server for a Golden Ticket to receive a concealed envelope that may contain a pair of tickets to this year’s event. Chances of winning are 1 in 10. Follow hashtags #OrlTaste and #GoldenTicket for a list of participating restaurants and updates on remaining Golden Tickets. The Golden Ticket Giveaway runs from Aug. 1 – 22.

  I hope all of you in the Central Florida area will come out and join me for a great cause! I will be sharing photos during the event. You can follow along with me via twitter and instagram. You can also follow the official twitter account of the event @OrlandoTaste. I will be using the hashtag #OrlTaste. For more information and tickets at  http://ce.strength.org/orlando.