March 24th: Ramsey Indoor Winter Farmer’s Market

Peruse the offerings of over 25 food vendors, local musicians, artisans and rotating featured vendors each week! THIS IS THE LAST WEEK FOR THE FARMER’S MARKET!

WHERE: Eric. S. Smith Middle School (73 Monroe St., Ramsey, NJ 07446)

WHEN: March 24th, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

March 23rd: Somerset Hills Education Foundations (SHEF) 10th Annual Chili Cook-Off. Come celebrate the 10th anniversary of delicious chili tasting, great music and dancing, western entertainment and a unique silent auction! This year’s event takes place at beautiful Tranquillity Farms in Chester, NJ. Attractions include a mechanical bull, Tito’s Handmade Vodka Bar, Wild Bill’s Olde Fashioned Soda Stand, Epicure Foods cheese displays, and over twenty chefs competing for awards. The VIP Chili Pepper Lounge is hosted in the Farm’s “Champion Circle” oak bar room and has additional catering and specialty drinks.

For more information, contact Event Planner Bridget Kevorkian at bkevorkian@shefnj.org or 978-882-2879.

Tickets and event details are available at SHEF’s website.

April 2nd: Mays Landing: Gourmet dinners at Careme’s hosted by the American Vegan Society, at the Academy of Culinary Arts. Experience a meal of exceptional quality prepared and served by the culinary students under a chef educator. Call 856-694-2887 or visit www.americanvegan.org.

April 5th: Trenton: New Jersey Agricultural Society Annual Gala. The New Jersey Agricultural Society will be hosting its Annual Gala on Friday April 5th at 6:00 pm at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe, NJ. The Gala supports the Agricultural Society’s three programs: New Jersey Farmers Against Hunger, Learning Through Gardening, and the New Jersey Agricultural Leadership Development Program. The New Jersey Agricultural Society is a 501(c) 3 non-profit dedicated to preserving and enhancing agriculture, farming and related activities and businesses in New Jersey through educational, informational, and promotional programs. NJAS is the oldest agricultural organization in the nation.

The Gala, consisting of a cocktail hour, open bar, buffet stations, silent auction, palm readers, casino, raffle, and award ceremony. The event is open to the public, and the Ag Society encourages anyone interested in supporting their mission to attend. Businesses can support the Gala through donations of Silent Auction prizes and advertisements in the NJAS Gala Ad Journal. Ad journal rate range between $50 and $125 and are due by March 15th, 2013.

Tickets are $85. More information is available at www.njagsociety.org, and registrations and donations can be sent to semprebellaevents@hotmail.com.

April 5th: Jersey Shore Restaurant Week April 5-14 Spring Breaks at The Jersey Shore. Ten days, great deals, and fabulous meals!

It’s a wonderful opportunity to shake off the winter blues and re-visit your favorite restaurants or try some new ones. Enjoy 3 course dinner menus for $20.13 or $30.13 and special lunch menus at participating restaurants. See their Special Events Page for all the fun details.

April 6th: Belmar: The Great Jersey Shore Burger Contest will be held on April 6th from 1:00-4:00 PM at Bar Anticipation. The event is sponsored by Driscoll Foods and MagnaCare and DL Foodservice, and promised to be a great time for all! (Our Executive Editor, Deborah Smith, will be serving on the Judging panel.)

Come vote for the “Best Burger at the Shore,” enjoy samples of select craft beers, and taste ALL of the competitors’ burgers. Your vote will help determine the “People’s Choice Award” winner. Live classic rock will be provided by The Billy Lawlor Band, and a cash bar is also available

Where: Bar Anticipation, 703 16th Avenue, Lake Como NJ

When: April 6th, 1:00-4:00 Pm

Price: $25



Order your tickets here and don’t miss out on an awesome event!

April 8th: 2nd Annual Taste of Montclair, at The Conference Center, University Hall at Montclair State University. Enjoy the culinary delights of more than 30 chefs who will serve up tastes in an eclectic array of food to the approximately 500 people who will once again enjoy The Taste of Montclair. Freshly shucked oysters, Italian, Spanish, American, Fusion, barbecued chicken and ribs, French, Southern, and even good old fashioned American ice cream are some of the expected treats.

Tickets are $50, and can be purchased online or from any of the ticket locations listed on the Taste of Montclair website.

April 11th: Oyster Point Hotel’s “All Hands On Deck” Re-Opening in Red Bank, New Jersey from 6:00-9:00 PM. The opening will support The Boondock’s Fishery in Red Bank. The Navesink Business Group and Red Bank Flavour Restaurants have joined forces with The Oyster Point to help Boondocks’ owner Kelly Ryan rebuild her business.

The popular lobster shack was washed away on October 29, 2012, when Sandy slammed the area. The Boondock’s Fishery, Molly Pitcher Inn, and The Oyster Point Hotel are all located on the banks on the Navesink River, which was heavily affected. The Oyster Point has been closed since Sandy hit and only recently reopened operations on February 15, 2013.

Many of the Red Bank Flavour Restaurants will be offering a palatable array of menu samplings, complemented by entertainment from Gary Philips and his Steele Drum Band.

Tickets for the event are$50.00 in advance or $60.00 at the door. Tickets are available by visiting www.allhandsondecknj. eventbrite.com . For more information, go to www.theoysterpointhotel.com or call The Oyster Point Hotel at 732-530-8200, extension 155.

Sponsorship opportunities are available by calling or emailing Ken Scaggs at 732-610-4587 or rlowenj@comcast.net . Parties interested in supporting Kelly Ryan of The Boondock’s should visit www.indiegogo.com/boondocks

April 14th-20th: Atlantic City: Tropicana Seafood Week will debut for the first time April! Celebrate everything under the sea with property wide seafood specials, drink specials and discounted retail shopping. Enjoy fresh seafood at FIN, shop nautical fashions and accessories in The Quarter, or even unwind with a sea salt scrub at bluemercury spa. Tropicana is serving up seafood every which way, and there are plenty of ways to get your fix with various specials throughout the week. Atlantic City:will debut for the first time April! Celebrate everything under the sea with property wide seafood specials, drink specials and discounted retail shopping. Enjoy fresh seafood at FIN, shop nautical fashions and accessories in The Quarter, or even unwind with a sea salt scrub at bluemercury spa. Tropicana is serving up seafood every which way, and there are plenty of ways to get your fix with various specials throughout the week.

The official Seafood Week Kickoff will take place Monday, April 15th at 12:30pm in Palm Walk where guests can sample Fin’s famous lobster bisque, share the wonder of the Atlantic City Aquarium’s touch tank, and catch a special “Under the Sea” themed Zumba demo by Tilton Fitness. For more info, see Seafood Week at the Tropicana online! April 18th: Atlantic City: Chef Jose Garces Hosts “THE LATIN ROAD HOME” Multi-Course Meal At 7:00 p.m., join Chef Jose Garces at his gorgeous tapas bar and restaurant, Amada (609-225-9900) at Revel (500 Boardwalk, 855-348-0500) for a decadent, multi-course meal celebrating the publication of his second cookbook, The Latin Road Home. The show-stopping menu will include: Tiradito de Lubina, black bass ceviche with yuzu (Peru); Pan de Yuca, yuca bread with queso fresco, served with guava-chile butter (Ecuador); Crema de Quinoa de Zuleta, quinoa chowder with sweet corn (Ecuador); Enchilado de Langosta, lobster in spicy tomato sauce (Cuba); Carne Asada a la Tampiqueña con Arroz Rojo y Refritos, grilled marinated skirt steak with red rice and refried beans (Mexico); and Crema Catalana, chocolate custard with vanilla berries (Spain). For $85 per person, excluding beverages, tax and gratuity, guests will enjoy dishes from each of the book’s five chapters: Ecuador; Spain; Cuba; Mexico; and Peru. An optional wine pairing will also be available for $40. Reservations required, please call 609.225.9900 for more information.

May 8th: Atlantic City: The 16th Annual Atlantic City Host Awards will take place on May 8th in the Adrian Phillips Ballroom of Boardwalk Hall. Presented by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) and the ACCVA Foundation, the program salutes and encourages excellent customer service industry-wide.

In addition to honoring award winners in 26 categories ranging from various food service, bar and hotel personnel to retail, visitor information, spa and casino positions, the prestigious Spirit of Hospitality Award will be presented to the Dougherty family, which has owned and operated some of the city’s most famous restaurants for generations. The Doughertys currently own and operate Dock’s Oyster House, Knife and Fork Inn, and Harry’s Oyster Bar. Dock’s has been in the family’s control since it opened in 1897.

Scholarships for students attending hospitality programs at area colleges will also be presented during the banquet. The scholarships are awarded by the Greater Atlantic City Concierge Association and the ACCVA Foundation.