'Taste' to benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank

The fifth annual A Taste That Matters: A Culinary Event presented by Jewel-Osco offers an evening filled with dishes from more than 30 area chefs and restaurants, live entertainment and a silent auction, all to benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank and our hungry neighbors.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 19, at Drury Lane Theatre & Conference Center, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace.

Among the restaurants and vendors providing tastings are Antico Posto, Bacardi USA, Ballaro, Blount Fine Foods, Bucca di Beppo, Carlucci Restaurant, Devon Seafood & Steak, Dietz and Watson, Drury Lane, Eddie Merlot's, Eli's Cheesecake, Emilios Tapas, FLO Wines, Fox River Distilling Company, Glen Prairie, Goya Foods Inc., Jo Snow Syrups, Kasia's Deli, La Preferida, Lynfred Winery, Meson Sabika, Miss Dottie's Pound Cake, Moet Hennessy USA, Nobel House, Old Town Pour House, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille, Soothsayer Hot Sauce, Titos Handmade Vodka, Turano Baking Company, Wildfire and Yerbabuena Mexican Cuisine.

Marcus Johnson, a Billboard Top 10 jazz artist, will provide entertainment throughout the event.

The evening also includes a silent auction in which guests can bid on items such as travel and leisure packages, tickets to professional sporting events and concerts, electronic goods, gift baskets and gift certificates.

Single tickets are available for $200. Hunger Helper Sponsors can reserve a table of 10 seats for $2,500. All proceeds benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank's mission of solving hunger in northern Illinois. Tickets are available at solvehungertoday.org or by calling (630) 443-6910, ext. 136.

More than 71,500 people each week seek food assistance through Northern Illinois Food Bank's network of 800 food pantries and feeding programs across 13 counties. Northern Illinois Food Bank is able to turn every $1 donated into $8 of groceries for hungry neighbors.