Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to Host 16^th Annual Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting & Auction to Benefit Ann Storck Center, September 25

The Tastiest Way to Raise Funds for a Cause!

Hollywood, Fla. - "BAM!" Celebrity Chefs from all over South Florida will converge at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Friday, September 25 at 7 p.m. for the 16^th Annual Celebrity Chef's Food Tasting & Auction to benefit the Ann Storck Center. The event will feature the culinary talents of these notable chefs from over 20 participating restaurant favorites, a special performance from Cirque Dreams and silent and live auction.

Among the local restaurants confirmed to be a part of the event this year are:  3030 Ocean; Anthony's Runway 84; Aruba Beach Café; Bamboo Noahs; Bin 595 Eclectic Grille & Wine Bar, Blue Martini; Bob Roth's New River Groves; Brooks Restaurant; Chef Allen's, Chef Elisa's Catering; Chef's Palette Restaurant, Council Oak; Empire Pizza Café, Gatsby's, Graziano's, Hard Rock Café; Jimmie's Chocolates; Lola's on Harrison; Mancini's; Renegade BBQ; Specialty Bakers; Sublime.

"This tasty event gives some of our best local chefs an opportunity to show their culinary skills, great food, and serve a great cause," says Ann Storck Center's Executive Director Jim McGuire." Food connoisseurs as well as loyal followers of the event all agree that the Ann Storck Center's Celebrity Chef's Food Tasting & Auction is one of the most outstanding fundraiser's of its kind," McGuire added.

Signature dishes will include rigatoni alla vodka, spice BBQ shrimp cocktail, pesto polenta, smoked brisket, key lime pie, specialty cheesecakes, chocolate filled crepes, conch chowder and more. Guests will also enjoy a silent auction that features a selection of luxury items, ranging from vacation packages, jewelry, sports items and autographed memorabilia as well as a unique live auction called "Bids for Kids," where guests can make a difference by sponsoring a child attending the Ann Storck Center's Preschool.

ickets to the chef's tasting cost $175. Raffle tickets, available for $25 each, will provide guests with the opportunity to win a 14K gold and diamond encrusted fashion ring.

Presenting Sponsors of this year's Celebrity Chefs event are Joel and Marcia Hochberg and the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.  More than 40 additional individuals and companies are participating as contributing benefactors.  Sponsorship opportunities range from the Twinkling Star level at $500 to the Diamond level at $10,000 and remain available.  Details on all sponsorship opportunities as well as additional information on the event can be found at www.annstorckcenter.org/chefs

"We are so grateful to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, the chefs and the hundreds of people who participate in this spectacular event to help the Ann Storck Center raise vital funds for the important services they provide," says Roz Perlmutter, who is co-chair of the event with Marge Osceola.

For more information about the upcoming 16^th Annual Ann Storck Center Celebrity Chefs Food Tasting & Auction, please contact Daniela Bitshman at (954)584-8000 x372 or via email at dbitshman@ascfl.org.

About Ann Storck Center

Nearly 40 years ago, Nurse Ann Storck brought hope and a chance to gain independence to a special, but disregarded, group of children who were developmentally disabled.  Today, the center named in her honor, serves nearly 300 children and adults with severe and multiple developmental disabilities, including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism and mental retardation.  A nationally-accredited non-profit human service organization, the Ann Storck Center neighborhood campus in Fort Lauderdale features a preschool for infants and toddlers up to five years old, a developmental training program, three family-like homes for children and adults with severe and/or multiple disabilities. The Center also operates five professionally staffed and equipped group homes in other local neighborhoods, including the Gizmo House, a high-tech "smart" single family home for six residents, as well as a residential cluster in Pembroke Pines.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino provides quality guest experiences where South Floridians can play, stay, dine, and shop. Eighty-nine tables offer Blackjack, Baccarat, Mini-Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Texas Hold'em Bonus Poker and Let it Ride on a nearly three-acre casino floor. Play one of the more than 2,400 Vegas-style slots including the Native-American casino linked Multi-Area Progressive Jackpots and Mega Jackpots. Separate high-limit rooms for table games and slots, in addition to a non-smoking room are available for guests to enjoy. Loyal Player's Club members experience an exclusive VIP Plum Lounge and celebrity show kitchen. Convene in The Poker Room at Seminole Paradise for Texas Hold 'em, limit Texas Hold 'em, Seven Card Stud and two dollar and four dollar limit Omaha Hi Lo games. Located inside the casino is Hard Rock Café-Hollywood, part of Hard Rock's 125 globally recognized rock 'n roll themed restaurants. The Green Lodging Certified by the State of Florida, AAA, Four Diamond rated resort showcases 500 luxurious guest rooms, 16 restaurants and lounges, 40,000-square-feet of meeting room space, a European-style spa, auto salon, 22 retail shops, 14 nightclubs, Paradise Live, and Hard Rock Live. Located on State Road 7 (U.S. 441) in Hollywood, Florida. Take I-95, exit Stirling Rd. and travel west to 1 Seminole Way. For more information, call (954) 327-ROCK, 1 800-937-0010 or visit us online at www.seminolehardrockhollywood.com.   

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