LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth

EATING Out

This October 2, you can join hundreds of avid gourmet food lovers for a feast unlike any other at the Third Annual Celebrity Chefs' Beach Brunch at the Baycenter at Ruddertowne, presented by WSFS Bank. Twenty-five top area restaurants will concoct gourmet delights sure to entertain the taste buds of even the most jaded gourmands.

"This is not your average brunch," notes Chef Peter McMahon of Blue Moon and Chefs' Committee Chair for the event three years running. "These are leading chefs working months in advance to put together some very creative dishes, all at their own expense, all for a very important cause, Meals On Wheels Delaware."

He should know. For the last several years Chef McMahon has also participated in the mother of all brunches (and the event from which the Beach Brunch sprung two years ago), the Meals from the MastersCelebrity Chefs' Brunch held in Wilmington every spring. Two years ago, Chef McMahon, knowing he could stir up support among the strong restaurant community in Sussex County, teamed with Scott Swingle of WSFS to launch the Celebrity Chefs' Beach Brunch. With Swingle at the head of the table as Event Chair, tickets have sold quickly both previous years, earning a sizable $90,000 for Meals On Wheels Delaware in 2004.

Proceeds from the event benefit Meals On Wheels Delaware, who supports five meal providing agencies whose volunteers delivered nearly 620,000 nutritious mid-day meals to 4,300 homebound seniors across the state last year. Recipients are unable to consistently shop or cook for themselves, so this service is a lifeline and a key to their ongoing independence, allowing them to live at home and not in a nursing home.

New restaurants to the Beach Brunch this year include 59 Lake, Beautiful Foods, Fins Fish House, Sydney's Blues and Jazz and Victoria's. They'll be joining last year's returnees, Atlantic Seafood Company, The Back Porch, Baywood Greens Country Club, Blue Moon, Blue Water Grill, Caf Zeus, Celsius, Classic Catering, Cloud 9, Confucius, Cultured Pearl, Dog Fish Head Brewings & Eats, Eden, Espuma, Fish On, Java Beach, King's Creek Country Club, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and Toscana Kitchen + Bar from Wilmington.

(Back Porch Cafe and co-owner Leo Medisch and John McLaughlin at the 2004 Celebrity Chef's Brunch.)

If you need a few moments to savor Toscana's Duck Tortellini with Coach Farm's triple cream aged goat cheese, crispy duck garnish and candied pecans (or you simply need to digest), you can stroll through the silent auction of specialty items like sports memorabilia and tickets, luxury vacations, vintage wines, gourmet cooking items and unusual gifts.

Top sponsors include WSFS Bank, Highway One Limited Partnership, Aloysius Butler & Clark, Cape Gazette, Atlantic Theaters-Movies at Midway, and CAMP Rehoboth. Sponsorships are still available and start at $200.

"With Sussex County's retirement population growing so rapidly, we need to be sure the entire community understands the value of Meals On Wheels and also supports it," says WSFS' Swingle.

On average, Sussex County has received 31% of the funds allocated statewide by Meals On Wheels Delaware since 1996, but last year, that figure jumped to 42%. "It's important for Meals On Wheels to be able to meet Sussex County's increasing demands easily without making someone in need sit on a waiting list for home-delivered meals because the funds aren't there," adds Swingle. "This is a way we can all make sure there are no waiting lists for our elderly neighbors as we enjoy a spectacular feast."

Approximately 53% of the cost of each meal delivered is covered by the state and federal government. Meals On Wheels Delaware and its member agencies cover the remaining cost through private sector donations and grants. Since 1996, Meals On Wheels Delaware has distributed $1.4 million to its member agencies.

Plan now to eat, drink and be merry on October 2nd from 11a.m.2 p.m. (for a mere $75 which includes all that fabulous food, beer, wine, cocktails, as well as a copy of the commemorative cookbook containing recipes of all the dishes served that day, plus biographies on the chefs).

The Celebrity Chef's Beach Brunch at Ruddertowne in Dewey Beach is Sunday, October 2. For more information, or for tickets, call 1-800-62-MEALS or 302-656-3257.

LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 15, No. 12 August 26, 2005