Over 250 hungry attendees enjoyed some of the best food that Staten Island has to offer recently at the first-ever “Savor the Flavors: Celebrate Our Island’s Diverse Cuisine” in the Center for the Arts. Proceeds from the event, presented by the CSI Alumni Association, with the support of Presenting Sponsor National Grid and Alumni Sponsors Liberty Mutual, Con Edison, and Reuben Sivagnanam, ’05, will provide much-needed funds for student scholarships. “Savor the Flavors” was chaired by James McBratney ‘05, CSI Alumni Board Member and President of the Staten Island Restaurant and Tavern Association, and staffed by volunteers who included alumni board members, students, staff, and friends.

Besides the opportunity to sample a wide variety of food and beverages and help fulfill the dreams of CSI’s students, attendees were also treated to a friendly competition among the establishments that donated their food for the event, judged by Rob Burmeister, featured on Food Network’s Chopped; Dean and Shari Dellaventura, of NBC’s Chopping Block, and John Sierp, winner of the Iron Skillet Cook-Off, 2005. Winners included: First Place, Best Dish: Celebrate at Snug Harbor; Second Place, Best Dish: Killmeyer’s Old Bavaria Inn; Third Place, Best Dish: San Rasa Sri Lankan Cuisine; First Place, Dessert: Alfonso’s; Second Place, Dessert: Cake Chef & Cookie Jar; People’s Choice: Da Noi; and Best Table Décor: Park Café.

Other eateries that were represented included Afternoones, Arirang, The Armory Inn, Bayou, The Beer Garden, Bocelli, Bridge Tavern, Canlon’s Restaurant, Elm Park Inn, España Restaurant, Hilton Garden Inn, Jacque’s Caterers, Jimmy Max (Westerleigh and Great Kills), La Candela Española, The Lake Club, Lorenzo’s Restaurant, Manor Restaurant, Mezcals Mexican Restaurant, Nucci’s North and South, Oriental Plaza, Park Café, Seaside Turkish Mediterranean Restaurant, South Fin Grill, Sushi Excellent, R. Ippolito Distributing, Superior Chocolates, The Vanderbilt, Vino Divino, Z One Restaurant–Diner–Lounge, and Zorba’s Mediterranean Grill.

Raffles were also held, thanks to the generosity of the following businesses: A&S Salumeria, Baskin Robbins, Cangianos, Colavita, Costco, Edith Susskind, Francesca, Hillside Market, The Historic Old Bermuda Inn, Jimmy Max, McDonald’s, Novelli’s Pork Store, Pastosa Ravioli, Perkins, Shoprite, South Shore Country Club, Stop & Shop, Tastebuds Natural Foods, Top Tomato (Victory Blvd & Page Ave.), Western Beef, and Wine & Liquor Boutique.

The Cola-Cola Bottling Company of New York, Inc. provided soda and water for the event and music was supplied by PartyHostDJs.com.