Spotlight On GoodTaste! Pittsburgh

By Erin Marton

Attention 'Burgh foodies: Mark Saturday, November 5th, 2011 on your calendar. No seriously, go do it now. We'll wait…

Now that you're back we'll share why we are so excited. It's GoodTaste! Pittsburgh, an event that any fan of the gastronomic arts worth his salt will be attending. The day is chock-full of exciting contests, events, and of course drool-worthy cuisine that will send you home with your belt let out a notch or two. Come to think of it, forget the belt. This may just be the one time where we'll let our "no sweatpants in public" rule slide.

The excitement starts when the doors open at the Monroeville Convention Center at 9am. Celebrity chefs will take the stage to share their secrets. Past presenters have included such high-profile industry experts as Rocco DiSpirito and Chef Paul Prudhomme. Foodie on a budget? "Extreme Couponers" Nathan Engels and Amanda Ostrowksi will be on hand to share tips, tactics and techniques to save you loads of cash on your grocery bill. There will be local experts on hand to provide workshops geared toward helping you improve your own skills, including a class from one of Pittsburgh's newest residents, Crate and Barrel, where they will school you in the fine art of Table Decoration. Also, author of "The Indian Slow Cooker" Anupy Singla will teach you how to roast and blend your own Indian spices, and you'll get to take home your own special blend! Local fare will also be in the spotlight, with local restaurants offering samplings from their menus, and regionally grown food will be featured throughout the day. Get out those sweatpants! Of course, the holidays are right around the corner, and there will be loads of gift ideas so you can start checking off your list a little earlier this year.

As a special "treat", Good Taste!Pittsburgh has announced their first "Food Star" contest. Four semi-finalists selected from submitted videos showed off their skills in the kitchen at the Carnegie Science Center on September 17th. The GoodTaste! judges narrowed it down to two finalists, who will take center stage during the event to compete for the title of "GoodTaste!Pittsburgh Food Star 2011". The winner will receive $1000, a professional video, and other prizes.

You can visit the event's website to get complete details on the day's happenings, and lots of extras, including recipes from past celebrity chefs, and video from the 2010 event. Tickets are also available online for $10, or at the door for $15. Parking is free!! You can get up to the minute event updates by following GoodTaste!Pittsburgh on Twitter or Facebook.

GoodTaste!Pittsburgh

Monroeville Convention Center
209 Mall Blvd
Monroeville, PA 15146
(412) 421-9859
November 5, 2011
Tickets: $10-15 for admission
Website: www.goodtastepittsburgh.com

Erin Marton is a REALTOR® and the Social Media and Marketing Director for PPM Realty in Pittsburgh, PA. She is also the author of the 'Burgh Living Blog, and you can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.