A Taste That Matters presented by Jewel-Osco benefits Northern Illinois Food Bank

Mouth-watering flavors, hundreds of silent auction packages and a touch of celebrity are all part of the recipe for excitement surrounding A Taste That Matters: A Culinary Event presented by Jewel-Osco.

The fourth-annual event benefitting Northern Illinois Food Bank begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21 at Drury Lane Theatre & Conference Center in Oakbrook Terrace and features tastings from some of Chicagoland’s finest restaurants.

Special guests this year include celebrity winemakers Charles Bieler, Joel Gott and Roger Scommegna, otherwise known as The Three Thieves, who will mix and mingle with attendees while pouring samples of their premium California wines.

Among the restaurants and vendors providing tastings are Antico Posto, Bacardi USA, Bucca di Beppo, Cabot Creamery, Carlucci Restaurant, Cooper’s Hawk, Devon Seafood & Steak, Eli’s Cheesecake, Goya, Greek Island, Hanson-Faso, Heaven on Seven, Lynfred Winery, Meson Sabika, Miss Dottie’s Pound Cake, Nobel House, Season 52, Suzett’s Creperie, Turano Baking Company, Two Brothers Brewery and Wildfire.

Marcus Johnson, an internationally renowned Billboard Top 10 Jazz Artist, will provide entertainment. A silent auction is also part of the fun as guests can bid on attractive auction items such as travel and leisure packages, tickets to professional sporting events and concerts, electronic goods, gift baskets, gift certificates and more.

Single tickets are available for $200 each. Hunger Helper Sponsors can reserve a table of 10 seats for $2,000. All proceeds benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank’s mission of solving hunger in northern Illinois. Tickets are available at www.SolveHungerToday.org/ATasteThatMatters or by calling 630-443-6910 ext. 136.

More than 71,000 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. To learn more, visit www.SolveHungerToday.org.