Pensacola Celebrity Chefs Host Five Chefs, Five Flags Event at Jackson's (sold out)

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Pensacola Celebrity Chefs Host Five Chefs, Five Flags Event

Residents May Submit Recipes To Win Apprenticeship

Pensacola, Fla. – August 1, 2008 – Pensacola’s Celebrity Chefs are creating a memorable meal in honor of Pensacola’s 450th anniversary. At the Five Chefs, Five Flags dinner on Sept. 28, guests will be treated to five courses reflecting the five flags that have flown over Pensacola. Chefs Irv Miller of Jackson’s, Jim Shirley of the Fish House, Gus Silivos of Skopelos on the Bay, Frank Taylor of Global Grill and Dan Dunn of H2O at the Hilton Pensacola Beach Gulf Front each will be tasked with preparing one signature dish influenced by Spain, France, Britain, the Confederacy and the United States.

The Pensacola Celebrity Chefs will be hosting a recipe contest to collect historic, family recipes indigenous to Pensacola. Local residents with the most unique recipes and family history will be honored with an apprenticeship the evening of the event. In addition, the winners will be asked to participate in a special 450th anniversary event in 2009.

"We have so many wonderful traditions in Pensacola with our 450-year history, international influence and Southern way of life," said Shirley. "We want to preserve Pensacola’s family recipes, celebrate our culture and showcase the talents of our community’s everyday chefs."

On Friday, Sept. 26 at the Pensacola Seafood Festival, the Pensacola Celebrity Chefs will be on stage from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. to answer questions and share tips with the crowd, and Saturday, they will be giving cooking demonstrations of popular menu items throughout the day.

The Five Chefs, Five Flags dinner will conclude the festival weekend on Sunday. In honor of the 450th anniversary, a champagne reception will start at 4:50 p.m. on the patio of Jackson’s. The first course will be served at 5:30 p.m. Each of the courses will feature paired wines.

The Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau recently launched the celebrity chefs program to draw attention to its unique culinary offerings. Recent studies have shown that nearly one in five travelers plan their vacations around food and wine experiences.

"Our goal is to make recipes, secrets and tricks of the trade all accessible to our visitors so they become intimate with our traditions and get to know our chefs on a personal level," said Ed Schroeder, director of the Pensacola Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We want to create a dining experience that residents and visitors can’t find anywhere else. Dining with five of the best chefs in the region is just the beginning."

Tickets to Five Chefs, Five Flags are $100, including gratuity, and can be purchased by calling (850) 469-9898. For details on the recipe contest or the Five Chefs, Five Flags event, please visit www.PensacolaCelebrityChefs.com or www.VisitPensacola.com.

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