A Taste for the Arts
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Forks & Corks is a fundraiser that celebrates the culinary arts. Attendees sample the best of some of the area's favorite restaurants with music, wine, and more. The event sells out each year, so don't wait!
Funds raised support art education programs in Oktibbeha County, including after-school programs, summer scholarships, micro-grants to teachers, and other art-related projects. |
Forks & Corks 2023: Garden Party
July 8, 2023 | 6-10 pm | The Mill Conference Center
Join us for the comeback of SAAC's second-largest annual fundraiser, Forks & Corks 2023!
Forks & Corks is a fundraiser that celebrates the culinary arts. Attendees sample the best of some of the area's favorite restaurants with dinner, dessert, wine, music, dance, and more. Bring your appetite and support arts and arts education programs by heading to The Mill on July 8, 2023, from 6-10 pm for a massive Mississippi feast!
As always, this event will feature dinner and dessert competitions with special guest judges from all over the south.
This year's theme is Garden Party, so come in your most "Garden Party" attire! We'll have live music, cookbooks, a silent auction and other art sales, and other surprise activities planned.
Forks & Corks is a fundraiser that celebrates the culinary arts. Attendees sample the best of some of the area's favorite restaurants with dinner, dessert, wine, music, dance, and more. Bring your appetite and support arts and arts education programs by heading to The Mill on July 8, 2023, from 6-10 pm for a massive Mississippi feast!
As always, this event will feature dinner and dessert competitions with special guest judges from all over the south.
This year's theme is Garden Party, so come in your most "Garden Party" attire! We'll have live music, cookbooks, a silent auction and other art sales, and other surprise activities planned.
VOLUNTEERS
- We can't do this event alone! Forks & Corks required volunteers ALL DAY to decorate, set up tables, check in attendees, sell merch, pour beer, and more.
Please email arts@starkvillearts.org for any questions
TONIGHT'S JUDGES
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Chef Louis Chatham
Louis studied Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi and received an AOS degree from the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He has also won a number of culinary accolades. Louis was also a part of opening the Four Seasons Hotel in Houston. “Even when I left, I always had Mississippi in my heart,” Louis stated.
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Jay Reed
Jay Reed is a Starkville native, who describes himself as a food enthusiast, interested not just in eating and writing about food, but getting involved in a plethora of food-related events, including speaking to local civic groups. Over the past thirteen years he has co-coordinated The Taste of Starkville (Cotton District Arts Festival), Backyard Gourmet Grill-Off (Garden Expo), and Forks & Corks as a volunteer and board member of the Starkville Area Arts Council.
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Leanne Gault
LeAnne Gault who grew up all around the Delta knows her way around a kitchen and shows others how to do the same at the The Viking Cooking School in Greenwood, Mississippi. LeAnne is a PR and marketing professional, branding expert, and social media maven. She is the senior brand strategist for Viking Range and Lynx Grill. LeAnne is also one of the founders of the wildly popular Cooking and Coping Facebook group which boasts over 6,000 members from around the globe.
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Cayla Zahoran is a New York City-based food photographer for cookbooks, magazines, brands, and restaurants.
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Chef Mark Coblentz
Starkville native was in top 10 of season 5 masterchef Jr, he was a season 1 finalist of chopped Junior and was in making a chef season 2. Host on MPB television. |
For more information on tonight's judges, please visit www.starkvillearts.net/forksandcorks
SAVORY DISHES
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Central Station Grill
Cucumber and Honey Suckle Gazpacho, Roasted Corn & Jalapeño Pancake, Smoked Brisket wrapped Scallop with Apricot BBQ Glaze. |
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Harvey's Starkville
Pan seared Pork Belly over miso polenta, topped with pepper jelly and roasted peanuts |
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The Mill
Smoked Brown sugar Duck Bacon BLT On a Homemade Slider Bun |
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Proof - a Bakery
Roast Beef, Havarti, apple slices, arugula, horseradish mayo croissant |
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Arepas
Cachapa (sweet corn pancake) with queso topped with asado negro (marinated beef slowly cooked with onions and seasonings) |
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Two Brothers Smoked Meats
Bao Buns- Smoked pork belly, Korean bbq sauce, in house quick pickles, pork sung, cilantro |
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The Bin 612
Beef Wellie - Medium rare beef tenderloin coated with dijon mustard and mushroom duxelles, sitting atop prosciutto and wrapped in a puff pastry. Finished with rosemary honey butter.Plated on a "yin-yang" of Crème fraîche and a reduced sauce combination of Restaurant Tyler made demi-glace/MS Red Hot sauce/White Truffle oil/ Pinot Noir |
SWEET DISHES
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Central Station Grill
Dessert-Oreo- Butterfinger and Rum Shooters |
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Proof - a Bakery
Boston Creme Cake with Blackberry Reduction |
2023 AWARDS Winners:
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This year's awards were ceramic serving platterns designed and made by local ceramics artisan, Bonnie Brumley.
Check out more of her work here: www.brumleyceramics.com/ |
Originality:
Harveys, Chef Eric Stewart
Harveys, Chef Eric Stewart
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Presentation:
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson
The Grill, Chef Leon Jefferson
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Taste:
Bin 612, Chef Micah Graves
Bin 612, Chef Micah Graves
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Sweets:
Proof, Chef TJ Manna
Proof, Chef TJ Manna
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People's Choice Awards
The Grill entree, Chef Leon Jefferson
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The Grill dessert, Chef Leon Jefferson
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Harvey's entree, Chef Eric Stewart
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WINE
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Sommolier
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Melanie Hankins Booth, Certified Specialist of Wine
Melanie Hankins Booth is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) through the Society of Wine Educators and a Certified Wine Sommelier by the International Wine and Spirits Guild. Promoting wine culture in Mississippi is a passion for Melanie. Currently the Beverage Director and Sommelier at L’uva Wine Room in Starkville, she is also the Director of the Gumtree Art Festival’s annual Wine Festival in Tupelo. Melanie uses her gifts of teaching and hospitality in the wine industry. She has taught Wine Appreciation, Personal Enrichment classes through Mississippi State University Extension Service’s Continuing Education program and at MUW’s Culinary Arts Institute, at the University of Southern Mississippi’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, as well as private classes. She hosts individual, civic and charitable events, offers consulting services in the industry, and provides training and classes at L’uva, the new wine bar in Starkville. She travels, hosting wine dinners and leads agri-tourism trips to wine regions. A long-time resident of Starkville, MS, and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Mississippi State University, she loves traveling, gardening, cooking, entertaining, water, the outdoors and sports. For more information, www.WineTheExperience.me. |
ENTERTAINMENT
Wyly has performed at venues across the country. From dive bars and blues joints to festivals and halftime shows, he has brought his music to countless stages and has no intentions of stopping now.
2023 PHOTOS
FAQs
- I bought an Individual Ticket: am I guaranteed a seat?
- YES! Individual tickets are for open seating. We will have seats for every ticket sold. Reserved Tables are tables located in the middle of the event, directly in front of the judges.
- Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?
- No, but it does help, just in case there's a glitch in downloading ticket information.
- How many tickets do I get when I purchase a table?
- Each table seats 8. No need to purchase Individual Tickets. Your table is reserved and located in the middle of the ballroom.
- If you do not know the names of your guests at the time of purchase, please contact SAAC.
- Is it ok if the name on my ticket or registration doesn't match the person who attends?
- Please contact SAAC in advance to provide us with this information: arts@starkvillearts.org.
- If you purchase a table, please be sure to let us know all the names of your guests.
- What are my parking options for getting for the event?
- The parking garage behind The Mill provides easy access to the event.
- If I cannot attend, can I still donate?
- We'll miss you, but you can still support arts and arts education programming in Oktibbeha County with a donation.
Funds raised from this event support the arts in Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
Hearty THANK YOU to our 2023 Sponsors
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