Tickets on sale for Hoffman Estates’ International Food Tasting Fest

Tickets went on sale Tuesday for Hoffman Estates’ second annual International Food Tasting Festival.

About 20 restaurants will provide samples of ethnic foods, ranging from French and Italian to Chinese and Pakistani, from 5 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at the Stonegate Banquet and Conference Centre, 2401 W. Higgins Road.

Tickets are $20 in advance and available for purchase at village hall, 1900 Hassell Road, or online at hoffmanestates.org. If space is available, tickets will be $30 at the door, but they sold out in advance last year.

The village’s director of tourism, Linda Scheck, said the food will be sample-sized and there won’t be many tables and chairs, as attendees are encouraged to walk around to all the restaurants’ booths.

“There’s a nice learning opportunity as well,” she said, noting numerous food demonstrations that are new to this year’s event.

Chef Patrick Guat and Chef Pascal Herbert from L’Amandier School in the village’s sister city, Angouleme, France, will do a demonstration and offer a tasting of a French entree.

Award-winning pastry chef Gale Gand, who hosts the Food Network show “Sweet Dreams,” will sign copies of her latest cookbook and prepare a brunch recipe.

Viktorija Todorovska will present a tasting of three distinct Armagnacs from France, and discuss the brandies’ origins.

Mariano’s Fresh Market will demonstrate how to create seasonal fruit and floral arrangements.

A cupcake competition between culinary students from Elgin Community College and Harper College will take place at the event again this year and attendees will vote for the tastiest cupcake. Winners will be announced at the end of the festival and receive scholarship money from Tate & Lyle, the Hoffman Estates-based manufacturer of Splenda sweetener.

“I’m excited to see the benefit that the economic development team was hoping to present (to the local restaurants) is being realized,” Scheck said, adding that more than 350 people attended last year’s event and there will be room for about 400 this year. “I know everybody who buys a ticket is going to be wonderfully happy.”

For information on the event or to see a complete list of restaurants, go to visithoffman.com.