ATL’s premier food festival feeds masses, raises funds for child hunger

Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill won Best Restaurant at third annual Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson Nov. 1. © 2017 Decisive Moment Events

By Anika Robertson
Senior Editor/Assistant Public Relations Manager

 

Hundreds of ATL travelers and guests filled their bellies for a good cause at the world’s 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.

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.

“In 2016, our concessions program grossed more than $1 billion dollars in sales for the first time in our Airport’s history,” Council said to Taste attendees on Nov. 1.

“But beyond monetary success, our concessions program boasts an assortment of dining options.”

With more than 75 items to sample from more than 30 restaurants, attendees waited patiently in popular lines including Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill, Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint, Atlanta Chophouse and Phillip’s Seafood. Tasters voted Papi’s “Best Restaurant” for its assortment of Caribbean dishes, including shrimp and grits, jerk chicken, black beans and yellow rice.

Radio personality and ‘Atlanta Eats’ host Steak Shapiro presented the timed chef’s 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.

Place won the challenge with a seared pork loin paired with a secret ingredient: apple pie moonshine.

“I was given a personal compliment from chef Cat Cora, which means a lot in my career,” the 20-year industry veteran said. “But hearing and overseeing the audience’s responses and reactions was exciting.”

Place, who works at Atlanta Chophouse and Umaizushi on Concourse C, revealed it’s always best to incorporate fresh ingredients when cooking.

“[Herbs] liven and open up the flavors of the food,” Place said. “Fresh 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’s lasagna. I was very proud in the growth my team has shown each year in the participation of the Taste of Hartsfield-Jackson.”

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.

“The funds raised set a record for the event. The crowd size increased as well,” Wideman noted.

“That 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 — children and the homeless.”

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 “solvable problem.”

“Together, we’ll make sure no kid in our nation goes hungry and they all get the healthy food they need every day,” Palestrini said.

“It is like an event trifecta – business, stakeholders and community,” Wideman added.

“We all win, and that makes it all worthwhile.”