In his fifth year as chair for Hartford’s Taste of the Nation event, Tyler Anderson is calling upon his chef friends, near and far, to lend their culinary expertise to the fundraiser.
The Sept. 30 event is a reunion of sorts for Anderson, a recent contestant on “Top Chef: Colorado,” and his fellow cast mates on the Bravo reality show. Ten of the “cheftestants” from Anderson’s season will join him in Hartford for the food and wine festival at the Goodwin Hotel, including the season’s winner Joe Flamm, executive chef of Spiaggia in Chicago.
“It will be the first time all of us will really be back together,” says Anderson, the chef-owner of Millwright’s in Simsbury, The Cook & The Bear in West Hartford and Porrón & Piña at the Goodwin. Other cast mates Tu David Phu, Bruce Kalman, Joe Sasto, Chris Scott, Brother Luck, Rogelio Garcia, Melissa Perfit, Carrie Baird and Laura Cole will make the trip to support the cause, helping raise funds for No Kid Hungry’s campaign to end childhood hunger in the United States.
In recent years, the Taste of the Nation fundraiser has been a seated dinner experience, with chefs preparing multiple courses. This year, it returns to its former walk-around dining format, giving guests the opportunity to taste small bites from all participants.
“The walk-around’s a good opportunity for [guests] to meet all the chefs, and the chefs are very present,” Anderson says.
Taste of the Nation Hartford also features top Connecticut talent, with names representing restaurants throughout the state. Participating chefs so far include Billy Grant (Grant’s/Bricco Trattoria/Restaurant Bricco); Scott Miller (DORO Restaurant Group); Jesse Powers (ON20 in Hartford); Chris Sheehan (Max Downtown in Hartford); Joel Gargano (Grano Arso in Chester); James Wayman (Oyster Club, Engine Room in Mystic); Frederic Kieffer (Artisan in Southport and West Hartford); Jamie McDonald (Bear’s Restaurant Group); Xavier Santiago (Trattoria Toscana, Manchester); Kevin Cottle (Fire at the Ridge, Middlefield); Jessica Bengtson (terrain Garden Cafe, Westport); Dan Magill (Arethusa al Tavolo, Bantam); Prasad Chirnomula (INDIA, West Hartford); Joel Viehland (Swyft, Kent); Matt Wick (Osa, Middletown); and Jeff Lizotte (Present Company, Tariffville.)
“We’re very excited about the people we have from Connecticut,” Anderson says, noting that more names will be added as the event gets closer.
Internationally recognized French chef Jacques Pepin, a Connecticut resident, will also be at the event signing books.
“It’s awesome for the chefs to have him here too; so cool to have a living legend among us,” Anderson says.
The 6 p.m. event will be held in the hotel’s atrium area and banquet spaces. General admission tickets are $125, and VIP tickets, for $200, grant early admission at 5 p.m. Guests will also have access to special room rates at The Goodwin, Anderson says.
More event details will be posted in the coming weeks. Information: events.nokidhungry.org/hartford.
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