Chefs Lisa and Anthony Damiano with Brandon Walker. PHOTO BY JOSHUA KODIS

In a celebration of gastronomic proportions, the fourth annual Golden Fork Awards showcased the culinary talents of Treasure Coast restaurants and benefited the Treasure Coast Food Bank.

Thomas Miller, a professional food blogger known as the Treasure Coast Foodie, invited restaurants to participate based on his 2023 dining experiences and the dishes he reviewed, and the impressive array of chefs vied for culinary supremacy in a friendly yet fiercely competitive atmosphere.

“People use restaurants for entertainment because it’s one of the most affordable means of entertainment, and we need to support them,” said Miller, admitting that he’s a foodie at heart.

The recently opened Celebration Grove, with its sprawling lawns and serene ambiance, was the perfect setting for this culinary extravaganza, its idyllic backdrop enabling guests to immerse themselves in an evening of delectable delights and charitable giving.

Twelve restaurants created a tantalizing array of foods, an assortment that included burgers, donuts, meatloaf, crepes and more, each with its own special flare.

Participants were American Icon Brewery, Cooper’s Chop House & Seafood, Counter Culture, CW Willis Family Farms, Dixie Dream Donuts, Chicken & Waffles at Kinfolk, Maison Martinique, Pepper & Salt BBQ, Riverwalk Cafe, Sacred Grounds Corner Cafe, That Crepe Place and the Italian Cousin.

At its conclusion, Chefs Lisa and Anthony Damiano of Counter Culture were named Chefs of the Year for their plant-based French dip with portobello mushrooms, onions, garlic confit, melted gouda and basil aioli on grilled ciabatta.

Pepper & Salt BBQ won the Restaurant of the Year award for its house pastrami on toasted rye with Swiss cheese, Sunshine Co. pickle and stone-ground mustard.

Attendees voted for their favorite dish by bequeathing a miniature golden fork toward their People’s Choice selection, with Riverwalk Cafe & Oyster Bar taking the prize for their coconut-crusted grouper over cashew curry, jasmine rice and micro cilantro.

The Golden Fork Awards also addressed food insecurity, with proceeds benefiting the Treasure Coast Food Bank.

“Every dollar somebody donates to the organization equates to eight meals,” said Jessica Gosa, TCFB chief development officer.

“The Treasure Coast Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization and the only food bank serving Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties. And we serve more than 250,000 people every week.”

She added that one in four individuals living on the Treasure Coast, including children, do not have enough food to be healthy and thrive.

“Events like this, where the community comes together to provide support, go a long way at the organization,” said Gosa.

“The organization has done quite a bit of work to wrap around those unique needs of the community. We have multiple direct service programs including case management, nutrition education and benefits assistance to help move people from crisis to stability,” she added.

While the restaurants walked away with accolades, the true victors were the individuals and families whose lives would be positively impacted by raising funds and awareness about this critical issue.

For more information, visit StopHunger.org or TreasureCoastFoodie.com.

Photos by Joshua Kodis