Taste of Talent Wows Guests

Hundreds of patrons poured through the doors of Perona Farms on Monday night to help support Project Self-Sufficiency at the 15th annual A Taste of Talent, a fundraising event which offered guests the opportunity to sample hors d’oeuvres, entrees and desserts from area restaurants while mingling with the chefs. This year, patrons were also invited to bid on the tabletop creations of several local designers. More than 30 restaurants participated in the event, along with representatives from 10 design firms. Proceeds from the event benefited Project Self-Sufficiency’s programs for low-income families in Sussex, Morris and Warren counties.




Kathy and Lou Esposito served as honorary chairpersons of this year’s A Taste of Talent. “We were pleased and honored to be asked to be honorary chairs of an event for such a worthy cause,” noted Kathy. Lou agreed, adding, “We were very excited to be a part of such a worthwhile cause, and we were excited to help generate funds for Project Self-Sufficiency.”



Participating restaurants included The Prickly Pear, Perona Farms, Andre’s Restaurant & Wine Boutique, Black Forest Inn, The Boat House, Bobolink Dairy, Café Pierrot, The Chatterbox, Cheddar Alley, The Chocolate Goat Gift Shoppe, Cliff’s Homemade Ice Cream, County Seat Restaurant, The Dining Room, Everything Homemade, George’s Wine & Gourmet Gallery, Glenmere Mansion, Homestead Rest, Jimmy’s Italian Tavern, Krave Café & Caterers, Pandan Room, Pies on Wheels, Restaurant Latour, Salt Gastro Pub, Salt Studio, Smokey’s Brick Oven Tavern, Sunset Pub & Grill, Tanti Baci Caffé, Trinity, Truffles, Upstream Catering, Wok ‘n’ Sushi, and others.



For added intrigue this year, the entryway at Perona Farms was transformed into a showcase featuring the wares of local designers, including Alicia Shearer Interior Design; Ellyn Norwillo, AMA Designs; Carrie Oesmann and Nancy Kanson, Bailiwick Designs, Melissa Mauro, Fine Design; Leslie Moore Interior Decorating; Lisa Fairclough Enterprises; Patti Bruterri, Sweet P.E.A.’s; Tracy Gibbins Interior Design; Louise Van der Haeghen, Kathy Jamison and Beverly Gordon; and Linda Moran and Michelle Michaluk and their team at Project Self-Sufficiency.



“A Taste of Talent is our signature fundraising event and the cornerstone to our annual campaign,” noted Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “We are exceptionally grateful for the support we continue to receive from this community.”



Supporters of A Taste of Talent at the Chairman’s Table level included Kathy and Lou Esposito; Beverly and Bruce Gordon; and Rhoda and Norman Seider.



The President’s Circle was comprised of Frank Allocca, Intercar Mercedes Benz.



Partners of A Taste of Talent included Linda and Rhea Fountain; and Ruth and Don Williams.



Supporters at the Patron level included Suzanne and Joseph Celentano; Barry Douglas, Mountain Spring Irrigation; Virginia and Paris Eliades, Patron; Joanne Friedman; Susan and Roy Knutsen; Lakeland Bank; Ellen and Arnold Lieber; Lois and Harold Pellow; Alice and Kevin Prendergast; Richard Nevins, Shanachie Entertainment Corp.; Nisivoccia; Dr. Salvatore; Dale Thatcher and Carol Campbell; Louise van der Haeghen; and Louis Weber, Weber Surveying, Inc.



Sponsors included Lana and Jim Ayers; Marie and Ed Bernegger; Mike Brazitis, Freedom Business Machines; Marjorie Bressler; Caristia, Kulsar & Wade; Phyllis and Harold Carstens; Mary Ann and Larry Condit; Mary Ann and Phil Deacon, Deacon Homes, Inc.; Becky and Bill De Gasperis, Atlantic Imaging Group; Jon Eigner, Northern Rain Irrigation; Amy and John Eskilson; George Frizell, Frizell, Kafafian, Devries & Company, LLC; Kurt Gewecke; Frances Gould and Martin Naftal of Flatbrook Farm; George Guptil, Franklin Mutual Insurance; Michael Harris; Dr. Hope Hartman; Hautau & Sons, LLC; Robert Barnes and Roberta Kelly, the Hardware Store; KG Solar Renewable Energy; Melissa and Paul Lewandowski, Cliff’s Homemade Ice Cream; Robert Levy; Suzanne and Gerald Mirkov; James Moore Construction; Michelle and George Morville, Morville, LLC; Lora and Chuck Musilli; Denise and Jeffrey Panicucci; Ken and Kathleen Potts; Robert Poust, R. Poust, Inc.; Robert Smith, Wood Funeral Home; Sparta Trades Kitchen & Baths; Susan and Sovann Stark; Cheryl and Kenneth Syberg; Paul and Harry Tarzian, Tarzian Hardware; Jody and John Ursin; Dr. Richard Vaz; Susan and Peter Ventricelli; Stephen Wescott, Sterling Financial Group, Inc.; and George Zitone, Zitone Construction & Supply Company, Inc.