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VIDEO/PHOTOS: Cannoli, chain saw among attractions at 25th Taste of Collier
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2008 Taste of Collier
The Taste of Collier was held Sunday, May 4, 2008, at Bayfront.
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Ice carving may not typically elicit the same excitement associated with a grand slam or a touchdown in other spectator sports, but give Collier County residents good food and a cold beverage and they’ll cheer all the same.
Sunday’s 25th annual Taste of Collier celebrated all things good about food, fun and sun at Bayfront from noon to 4 p.m. It was the event’s second year at the location, after moving from downtown Naples.
With 30 restaurants to choose from, attendees shuffled from one tent to another in a euphoric stupor induced by a combination of sun, light breezes and the aroma of chili, crab cakes and cannoli.
When they needed a break from the food, the roughly 15,000 in attendance could enjoy music at a small sound stage, waiter and waitress races and ice carving.
Michael Duncan, head chef at the Naples Yacht Club, wowed a gathering audience as he sliced into blocks of ice with a chain saw. As he sent a spray of ice chips flying, people hit in the crossfire squealed with delight, surprise and amazement.
Every time Duncan made a particularly skilled cut, Tony Almodovar let out a cheer of excitement and encouragement. Duncan would occasionally turn to get a look at his admirer, and Almodovar would bashfully apologize for disrupting.
He was just really impressed.
“The way he just carves the ice, it’s really amazing,” Almodovar said. “To make art out of that (chain saw) — you usually cut trees with it — that’s my fascination with it.”
Almodovar and thousands of other attendees were enjoying the day for a good cause. Proceeds from the annual event will go this year toward the Collier County Chapter of the American Red Cross and St. Matthew’s House.
Organizers said figures on the proceeds would not be available for a few days, but Taste of Collier founder Ray Singer has estimated that the event has raised more than $600,000 since its inception.
With a potential record-breaking attendance this year, hopes for the final tally were high. By 3 p.m., food tickets were going through a second life because of the high turnout.
“Every ticket we have available for food is being sold and recycled, and sold again,” said Publicity Director Teresa Morgenstern an hour before the event’s close.
Samples, each the size of a small appetizer, ranged in price from $2 to $5 each.
Bill and Diane Lindsey, Old Naples residents who have been attending since they moved here 14 years ago, said they see more $5 samples now than they used to. Bill Lindsey speculated on the high costs of food due to rising energy prices, but said he and his wife hadn’t eaten any less spectacularly as a result.
On the contrary, they said, $3 crab cakes from Truluck’s were a delight, and they were seeing an increase in the quality of restaurants at the event over the years.
“We’re seeing some restaurants we’ve never been to,” Diane Lindsey said.
Her husband chimed in: “A lot of these are dragging us out of Old Naples, which is good.”
Megan Mauro, who was attending her 12th Taste of Collier, took a break in the shade as she listed off the restaurants she had been to — and the others she wanted to visit.
“The foods are awesome,” she said between bites of nachos. “We buy one and we all eat.”
Beyond the great food, the day meant something different to everyone.
Javier Vasquez, the chef partner at Roy’s, turned ribs on a grill set up directly in front of his restaurant.
“It’s really convenient, but it’s also a lot of fun,” Vasquez said. “It’s the favorite day of the year for everyone that works here. We get to interact with every single guest, and every potential guest.”
Without the melting of snow or the first flowers appearing as in other places, some Naples residents said Sunday was like the harbinger of a new season for them.
“This is a great yearly event for us,” said Almodovar between glimpses of the ice sculpting. “It means the coming of locals.”
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