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Celebrity Chef Cook-Off

Taste of the Nation evening to aid local childhood hunger programs.

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OTPOURRI ...
This is the first year that Epoch
Restaurant Group, owners of the
fine Tribute and Forte upscale restaurants,
will be local hosts of the annual Taste of
the Nation event held nationally ... And
also the first time money raised will be
directed specifically to benefit childhood
hunger hereabouts rather than just hunger
at large ... Tribute's highly acclaimed chef,
Don Yamauchi, and another countrywide
prominent chef will engage each other in
a celebrity chef cook-off ... Top local per-
sonalities will also judge an amateur chef
cook-off as well.
Taste of the Nation this year will be held
6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, at
Diamond Center Ballroom inside the Rock
Financial Showplace on Grand River, Novi,
of which Epoch is the official and exclu-
sive caterer ... This-could be the biggest
yet in this area since Diamond Center can
hold as many as 1500 people.
Also taking part will be over 20 repre-
sentatives and chefs with tastings from
Michigan food spots, plus wines, cocktails
and musical fun ... For $75 general tick-
ets or $125 V.I.P. admission, call Tribute,
12 Mile, Farmington Hills, (248) 848-
9393, or Forte, on S. Old Woodward in •
Birmingham, (248) 594-7300, or log on to
tasteofthenation. org .
TIRAMI-SU OWNER Joe Dana
says, "It's just a rumor" about his Orchard
Lake Road, Farmington Hills, restaurant
being closed, as reported here last week
... Joe says that it is "still open seven days
a week, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and is not clos-
ing."
NOW THAT SELDOM BLUES
has its own radio show, Frank Taylor,
CEO of Southern Hospitality Group,

which includes the highly
Backyard lights went on and
popular Renaissance Center
the fun continued for Jordyn
dining spot, can have his
and Michael, son of L'Uomo
wife give some tips if need-
Vogue boss Bruce Goldman and
ed ... Carolyn Clifford is too
his wife, Bridget, who can't say
pretty to be hidden behind
enough about the total coopera-
a radio mike and, besides,
tion of O'Toole's.
is under contract to WXYZ-
HE HELPS MAKE sure
TV, where she is a top
that the computers are working
anchor gal ... Seldom Blues'
properly at their many venues,
Danny Raskin
"Dining In Detroit" program Senior Columnist and they made certain that his
is every Saturday, 11-noon
wedding reception went off
over WGPR-FM (107.5) with interviews,
without a problem ... The celebration
talks with restaurant reviewers, recipes,
after Sean Goldman exchanged vows with
jazz appearances, etc.
Shelley Galea couldn't have been better ...
OPEN IN JUNE and closed in August It was at the Summit on the Park Banquet
of this year is the very short-lived history
Center, Canton, owned by his employer,
of Polo Grill that opened on 12 Mile, east
Continental Services, well-rioted in the
of Orchard Lake Road.
food industry for work with its own yacht
THE CURTAIN WAS almost
charters, vending services, cafe dining,
dropped on the 30th birthday festivity
corporate cafe catering, wedding and bar
given by Michael Goldman for his wife,
mitzvah catering, etc ... If the food for
Jordyn, at O'Toole's Restaurant on Cass-
over 175 guests and Sean and Shelley's
Elizabeth Road in Waterford, former
affair was any indication, it would be quite
Mitch's Tavern locale ... Its power went
difficult to match the excellence of fine
out shortly after the affair began ... but
Continental chefs, Executive Chef Pearse
the celebration went on, thanks to some
Tormey and Corporate Executive Chef
quick thinking by her parents, Henry and
Chuck Sansone.
Wendy Abrams.
THE NEW-FANGLED sensation you
"Let's move the party to our back yard:'
may see at supermarkets, Jazz Chips For
said Henry, and so O'Toole's was closed
Sips, is the baby,of localite Ida Nemzin
and its staff, including the chef, went to
Her company of the same name, putting
the Abram's home in West Bloomfield
out the delicious bags of flavor-seasoned
... Restaurant tables and chairs, center-
gourmet goodies, is continually adding
pieces and decorations were transported
markets as its popularity keeps growing
to their house in trucks and vans owned
... As of this writing, they are at Hiller's,
by O'Toole's employees ... Complete
Papa Joe's, Vineyards, Market Basket,
transformation took just an hour with
Market Square and Holiday Market ...
the coordinating.help of Henry's brother,
Jalapeno with tequila and lime, parme-
Mike Abrams, co-owner of Mr. Joe's in
san with cracked black pepper, brie with
Southfield, and their dad, Ray Abrams,
herbs, and roasted garlic and sweet onion
McVee's and Snooker's owner with Mike.
... Ida's different idea gets away from

Home of Rose Guttman's
Famous Homemade Specialties

all those mundane chips while contain-
ing zero trans fat, the baddie fat of 'em
all, and cooked in cottonseed oil ... Her
hubby, Mark Nemzin, is the Ira Kaufman
gent.
RECENT EVENING AT Sposita's
Italian Ristorante, 14 Mile, east of
Farmington Road, Farmington Hills, a
frenzied gal celebrating her birthday there,
suddenly realized that she had forgot-
ten to put on makeup ... Mona Rickart,
Tuesday and Wednesday evening hostess,
to the rescue ... During the day, a makeup
artist at Aqua Salon in West Bloomfield's
Orchard Mall, she and took the girl into
the restroom for a happy conclusion to a
near female tragedy.
CONGRATS ... To Albert Freud on
his birthday ... To Edwin "Tut" Mentzel on
his birthday ... To Robert Wyrick on his
58th birthday ... To Mary Stanek on her
80th birthday.
REUNION DEPT. ... The path from
high school to life today seems to have
been a straight line for Robert (Bobby)
Shaye, producer of Lord of the Rings and
Ninja Turtles ... He was a member of
the Dramatic Club while at Mumford
Bobby, federal Judge Paul Borman and
Douglas Bloom, Jewish Federation com-
munity service chairman, are among
those in the 1956 Mumford graduating
class having its 50-year shindig, Saturday,
Aug. 26, at the Roostertail, Detroit ... For
more info, contact Anita Liberman (248)
360-9294, or anitamay@hotmail.com ,
or call Susan Klinger Radner, (248) 669-
0889. II

Danny's e-mail address is

dannyraskin@sbcglobal.net .

The
Rugiero
Family

Free dessert with all dinner entrees.

•Trays
•Catering
• Kids Men

RESTAURANT
3258 Orchard Lk. Rd.

Carry-Out Specials

1 Lb. Meat
1 Loaf Rye Bread
1 Pint Coleslaw
1 Pint Potato Salad
1 Qt. Soup of the Day
Pickles & Russian Dressing

Just North of Commerce

19"save

248.683.3344

Open 7 Days A Week

50 August 10 2006

"Where Family Cooking
Means Everything"

MICHIGAN's

Voted Michigan's
Best Italian
Restaurant 3rd
Year In A Row

$8.50

When Purchasing
2 Full Course Dinners

Specials Not Included
Dining Room Only
Mon-Thurs Only
Excludes Holidays
Expires 8/31/06

expires 08/31/06

1145530

37646 West 12 Mile
Farmington Hills

248-994-4000