A sense of promise filled the dining room at Bent Pine Golf Club last Monday evening at Vero’s Top Chef Challenge, outshining even the tantalizing aromas and enticing flavors served up by the eight celebrity chefs who cooked up their signature dishes to raise money for the Hope for Families Center.

The sellout crowd of nearly 200 was treated to some of the area’s finest cuisine before voting on their favorite dishes to determine the four finalists who will vie for the prestigious title of Vero’s Top Chef and a People’s Choice Award at the March 19 Challenge Finale, 6 p.m. at Bent Pine Golf Club.

Guests wandered from station to station tasting such delicacies as Asian barbeque steam buns, Asian style short ribs, ginger-marinated grilled pork tenderloin, hickory smoked duck breast, Jamaican jerk seafood patty, grilled octopus, shrimp volcanos, spicy tuna tacos, and lobster ceviche coated with macadamia nuts.

Their taste buds fully sated, guests determined the top four finalists to be: Chefs Lincoln Dobson, Sea Oaks; James Foerst, Michael’s Table at Orchid Island Brewery; Bill Narhi, Vero Beach Yacht Club; and 0Anthony Polito, Regency Park.

Their talented competitors were: Chefs Jordan Beans, Cobalt; Edward Hunter, CC’s Place; Cassandra Lynne, Chef Cassandra & Co.; and Alphanso Rodway, Bent Pine Golf Club.

While the delectable food was the draw for the evening, the purpose of the event was to support the efforts of the Hope for Families Center to assist local homeless families.

“Through the generous support of our community we are able to help an average of 250 families a year get off the street and into permanent housing,” said Dr. William Cooney, HFC board president. “We teach them how to get a job, how to balance a checkbook and how to budget. Our goal is to help them help themselves. The Hope for Families Center has been helping Treasure Coast families for 27 years.”

To qualify for assistance, residents must be drug- and alcohol-free, able to work and be part of a family unit.

“The first thing we do is get the children into school or day care and make sure the parents are employed,” explained Diana Grossi, executive director. “Once they have stable employment, they are required to save 70 percent of their net income to put towards permanent housing. We work with Treasure Coast Homeless Services, through their rapid rehousing program, to get them housed and we follow their progress for about six months. The program may assist them with a down payment, or first and last month’s rent, or utilities. We are basically just giving them a boost or head start on their own self-sufficiency.”

For more information or for tickets to the Vero’s Top Chef Finale, visit hopeforfamiliescenter.com.

Article by: Kerry Firth, Correspondent