{"id":8348,"date":"2017-11-03T19:21:22","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T23:21:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.atl.com\/?p=8348"},"modified":"2017-11-06T13:47:54","modified_gmt":"2017-11-06T18:47:54","slug":"atls-premier-food-festival-feeds-masses-raises-funds-for-child-hunger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.atl.com\/atl\/atls-premier-food-festival-feeds-masses-raises-funds-for-child-hunger\/","title":{"rendered":"ATL\u2019s premier food festival feeds masses, raises funds for child hunger"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill won Best Restaurant at third annual Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson Nov. 1. \u00a9 2017 Decisive Moment Events<\/p><\/div>\n

By Anika Robertson
\nSenior Editor\/Assistant Public Relations Manager<\/em><\/b><\/p>\n

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Hundreds of ATL travelers and guests filled their bellies for a good cause at the world\u2019s busiest airport. The Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson transformed the Domestic Terminal atrium into a communal feast, raising more than $11,151 for No Kid Hungry, a nonprofit fighting childhood hunger.<\/p>\n

Airport General Manager Roosevelt Council, Jr. shared that while Hartsfield-Jackson is known for many things, its award-winning concessions program deserves to be celebrated.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2016, our concessions program grossed more than $1 billion dollars in sales for the first time in our Airport\u2019s history,\u201d Council said to Taste attendees on Nov. 1.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut beyond monetary success, our concessions program boasts an assortment of dining options.\u201d<\/p>\n

With more than 75 items to sample from more than 30 restaurants, attendees waited patiently in popular lines including Papi\u2019s Cuban & Caribbean Grill, Sweet Georgia\u2019s Juke Joint, Atlanta Chophouse and Phillip\u2019s Seafood. Tasters voted Papi\u2019s \u201cBest Restaurant\u201d for its assortment of Caribbean dishes, including shrimp and grits, jerk chicken, black beans and yellow rice.<\/p>\n

Radio personality and \u2018Atlanta Eats\u2019 host Steak Shapiro presented the timed chef\u2019s challenge, which pitted Delaware North Executive Chef Rich Bolton against HMSHost Chef de Cuisine Pamela Place. The 20-minute competition featured celebrity chef Cat Cora, prominent restaurateur Tom Catherall and Airport Deputy General Manager Cortez Carter judging each dish.<\/p>\n

Place won the challenge with a seared pork loin paired with a secret ingredient: apple pie moonshine.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was given a personal compliment from chef Cat Cora, which means a lot in my career,\u201d the 20-year industry veteran said. \u201cBut hearing and overseeing the audience\u2019s responses and reactions was exciting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Place, who works at Atlanta Chophouse and Umaizushi on Concourse C, revealed it\u2019s always best to incorporate fresh ingredients when cooking.<\/p>\n

\u201c[Herbs] liven and open up the flavors of the food,\u201d Place said. \u201cFresh basil and fruits together complement and enhance each other. Basil offers a savory balance, whereas, when using citrus they tend to make the essence of the food pop. Atlanta Chophouse’s salmon was given much praise from the audience as well as Carrabba\u2019s lasagna. I was very proud in the growth my team has shown each year in the participation of the Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson.\u201d<\/p>\n

Event organizer and Concessions Marketing Manager Demetria Wideman also praised this year’s results that, in addition to raising funds for No Kid Hungry, donated more than 520 pounds of food from 14 participating restaurants to the Atlanta Mission.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe funds raised set a record for the event. The crowd size increased as well,\u201d Wideman noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat equates to great exposure for the concessions program as people are able to try food from several different locations and hopefully return to patronize them in the future. Most importantly, the event helps the most vulnerable in our community \u2014 children and the homeless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Allison Palestrini, Southeast Director of Share Our Strength – No Kid Hungry, shared that although one out of four kids in Georgia lives in a home that struggles with hunger, it is a \u201csolvable problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we\u2019ll make sure no kid in our nation goes hungry and they all get the healthy food they need every day,\u201d Palestrini said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is like an event trifecta \u2013 business, stakeholders and community,\u201d Wideman added.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all win, and that makes it all worthwhile.\u201d<\/p>\n

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