BACC Holds The Taste 2019
The BACC held its largest event, The Taste, presented by Boston Marriott Burlington on Monday, October 28th. This annual gathering is much more than a restaurant expo where dozens of area restaurants, caterers, and bakeries showcased their most delicious culinary offerings; it’s a time for the restaurant industry to connect with the Burlington area business and residential communities all in one room. Despite its suburban nature, Burlington’s restaurant and hospitality industry is on par with those in much larger, urban areas. Because of this, year after year The Taste draws more than 400 guests, eager to experience all that the event has to offer.
General Admission guests enjoyed a cocktail hour with complimentary signature cocktails courtesy of Total Wine & More and entertainment before they were ushered into the Main Ballroom. VIP guests were escorted into the VIP Lounge, sponsored by The Reserve at Burlington for an exclusive experience. This private room was complete with gift bags, complimentary signature cocktails and wine tasting courtesy of Total Wine, and passed hors d’oeuvres courtesy of Marriott before being granted advanced entrance into the restaurant showcase. VIP guests were also automatically entered into a raffle for the chance to win a gorgeous David Yurman necklace, generously donated by Long’s Jewelers.
The Ballroom doors opened to reveal a bustling room that quickly filled with guests who were equally as eager to try the delicious samplings as the restaurants were to show them off. Shannon St. Pierre of L’Andana, an upscale Tuscan restaurant that has contributed to The Taste for many years, claims “every year it gets better than the last!” Restaurant displays lined the walls of the Ballroom, and were festively adorned with flowers, gourds, and other fall-themed décor. Guests enjoyed everything from sushi rolls and mini tenderloin sliders, to an on-site demonstration of risotto finished in a parmesan wheel.
The purpose of this annual event put on by the Burlington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) is two-fold by nature. The Taste provides BACC members in the restaurant industry the chance to engage their communities by showcasing their unique foods. The Taste is also the BACC’s largest fundraiser. When asked to elaborate on this, BACC Executive Committee Co-Chair Sonia Rollins said, “As a non-profit we absolutely have a need to raise funds in order to keep the Chamber going and to be able to deliver services to our members. These services include government relations initiatives, charitable organization support, state-wide transportation issues, small business advocacy, and much more.” Referring partners, making reciprocal connections, and providing networking opportunities only scratches the surface of services provided by the Chamber. The BACC works extremely hard, both internally and in collaboration with other business and community organizations, to create an environment that fosters relationships among its members as well as the communities and municipalities they represent. The primary goal of this Chamber is to serve as a one-stop resource for its members.
The BACC would like to thank the generous sponsors of The Taste, without whom the event would not have been possible: Boston Marriott Burlington, The Reserve at Burlington, Riemer & Braunstein, The District Burlington, 3rd Ave Burlington, The Graphic Group, Cambridge Savings Bank, EXIT Premier Real Estate - Sonia Rollins, A47Create, DaMore Law, Foster Sullivan Insurance Group, Tender Learning Centre, Webster Bank, Xtend Barre, Dental Bright, Long’s Jewelers, Rev’d Indoor Cycling, North Shore Bank, Total HR Solutions, Derek Song DMD, Enterprise Bank & Trust, Marshall’s Auto Body Experts Kirkland & Shaw, RE/MAX Realty Experts - Beverlee Vidoli.
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