ATLANTIC CITY – Enjoy an evening of unique culinary tastings and decadent desserts from more than 23 acclaimed chefs and restaurants, complemented by an assortment of fine spirits, live entertainment, auctions and more at the fifth annual Captain’s Table event 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28 during the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show at the Atlantic City Convention Center.
The Captain’s Table event is hosted by Let Us Eat Please, Inc. and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey Southern Branch to help raise awareness and financial support for the summer feeding program that provides groceries to local families whose children receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year. More than 25,000 children in Atlantic County meet the federal criteria. The summer feeding program serves nine school districts, providing 30 pounds of groceries to each eligible family every two weeks.
“One in five children in New Jersey face hunger every day and when they don’t have enough to eat their physical and mental development suffer,” said Renate Taylor of the Community Food Bank.
Some of the children who have benefited from the summer feeding program are giving back by creating items to be sold at the event with all proceeds being donated for the cause.
Galloway Township Middle School students will be providing ceramic kitchen trivets while students from the Egg Harbor City School District will contribute colorful photo frames, a great addition for those who take advantage of the event’s photo booth.
In addition to these items, two auctions will be held. One will be for a private, five-course dinner for 10 people in the winner’s home prepared by Michael Brennan of Cardinal Bistro in Ventnor with pairings from Little Water Distillery. Brennan is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, worked at highly acclaimed Le Bec Fin and Lacroix in Philadelphia, has appeared on the Food Network and is recognized as one of the top chefs in the area.
A second auction, sponsored by the Atlantic City Arts Foundation, will be for a painting created during the event as part of a live art demonstration featuring local artists Christian Correa and Leah Morgan. The winning bidder will be able to leave that event with the nautically-themed acrylic triptych.
Additional entertainment includes a wine pull, live performances from the Egg Harbor Township Jazz Band and magician Chad Juros. There will also be a book signing of “Souper Chefs,” a collection of unique hearty soup recipes from volunteer chefs from the South Jersey Professional Chefs Association.
Tickets are $125 per person and are available online at: https://one.bidpal.net/captainstable/welcome, and includes admission to the Boat show all day Thursday, which features luxury motor and sailing yachts, sport fishers, performance boats and watercrafts.
“We encourage everyone to come early to take advantage of all that is available while supporting a great cause,” Let Us Eat Please President Ken Calemmo said.
Sponsors include the Progressive Insurance Atlantic City Boat Show, Atlantic City Electric, Cooper Levenson, OceanFirst Bank, AtlantiCare, Atlantic City Convention Center, M&T Bank, Marsh & McLennan Companies, David Finkel Merrill Lynch, Fulton Bank, Atlantic Marine Electronics, Petro Cohen Petro Matarazzo, PSAV, Vista and Viking Yachts.
For more information, contact Ken Calemmo at kcalemmo@cooperlevenson.com or Renate Taylor at rtaylor@cfbnj.org.
