Gulfstream Park’s tasty treats at Thursday evening’s Share Our Strength food expo were a huge hit with attendees who paid up to $150 to sample cuisine from the area’s leading restaurants, caterers and hotels.

The Belle of the Ten Palms kitchen, Chef Sandra Eugene, is shown to the left proudly standing behind Gulfstream Park’s display, which, in addition to the succulent seafood on offer, also featured the works of Ten Palms Garde Manger Manny Asamda.

Manny took a pair of watermelons and painstakingly carved the Share Our Strength and Taste of the Nation logos onto each.

The event, held at the Broward County Convention Center, featured the region’s finest chefs, including Gulfstream Park Executive Chef Kas Willis (right) and Chef Alfonso Mendoza (left).

            “The Gulfstream presentation was not only outstanding, it was five lengths in front of the rest of the field!” proclaimed Gulfstream Park President and General Manager Bill Murphy. “It was a great experience to attend and it makes me proud to work with all of the people involved.”

            A relieved, and recovering Chef Kas said, “Thursday night, Gulfstream Park firmly established itself as one of South Florida’s premier venues. That’s always been my belief, and the latest vindication of that belief came last night. We went toe-to-toe with some of the best food-and-beverage facilities in Broward and Palm Beach counties and, not only was our food competitive, but our presentation, by all accounts, was unsurpassed.”

            Vouching for Chef Kas’ assessment was Nancy Darragh, of Delray Beach.

            “The food is fantastic … To tell the truth, I never would have associated quality food with a racetrack. I do now,” she said.

            Barbara Ackerman, of Boca Raton, said, “The shrimp was very good, the oysters were fine, but what made it for me were the scallops. They were incredible … Actually, what I should have said, the scallops and the presentation were both incredible. It’s obvious that a lot of care and love went into Gulfstream’s show tonight.”

            Share Our Strength invests its funds in the community’s most effective anti-hunger organizations, ensuring the greatest impact in the fight to end childhood hunger in America, and proceeds from Thursday’s event will bring food to where South Florida’s more-than 350,000 hungry children live, learn and play.

            Among the local beneficiaries are the Daily Bread Food Bank, which provides bread and other grocery products to help not-for-profit organizations feed the needy; the Million Meals Committee, which is tasked with making sure that Broward County’s food pantries are filled and maintained; and the Florence Fuller Child Development Center, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit that provides affordable childcare, quality preschool, enriched after-school programs and summer camps for low-income families