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Our Valley Cooks | 3RD annual food expo caters to many tastes
Third annual food expo caters to many tastes
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
BOARDMAN
The smells of various foods cooking filled the air and tempted people to try the samples displayed on table after table.
Those who attended Our Valley Cooks Food Expo on Saturday had plenty of options when it came to sampling – and buying.
Restaurants, catering companies and stores filled Mr. Anthony’s Banquet Center and offered samples of pizza, pastries, chocolate, chicken and more. Many had items for sale as well.
More than 50 exhibitors from Northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania participated in the third annual event.
Heidi Kekel of Salem and Robin Heinz of New Waterford attended the event for the first time.
“It’s wonderful,” Kekel said. “I was just asking [Robin] how much money she brought because everything is good. You can try it, then you want to buy it. It’s really, really nice. Great, quality stuff.”
Heinz said there was a wide variety available.
“It’s a good program,” she said. “It goes for a good cause. I’m impressed. We’ll be back.”
Proceeds from the event benefit Meridian Community Care. The funds will be used for prevention programs for kids. Meridian is a nonprofit agency that serves individuals and families struggling with addiction. Its children’s program, Panda Leaders Club, empowers children in the community to make positive life choices by educating them on issues such as drugs, alcohol, bullying, depression, self-esteem and more.
Kekel’s daughter, 11-year-old Zeina Katabi of Salem, attended with the pair.
“I like food a lot,” Zeina said. She is a fan of the reality-TV show “Cake Boss,” which airs on TLC. Her favorite part of the event was seeing the cake display from Sugar Showcase.
“They had different kinds of cakes,” she noted.
She also enjoyed seeing the cooking demonstration by Aarti Sequeira, winner of the 2010 “The Next Food Network Star” competition, who served as the Expo’s celebrity chef.
“She’s nice,” Zeina said. “I like her.”
Kekel said both she and her daughter enjoy Indian food. On her show, “Aarti Party,” Sequeira uses cooking techniques based on her knowledge of Indian and American cuisine.
“I liked the cooking demonstration,” Kekel said. “It was really good and interesting.”
Sequeira gave two demonstrations as well as signing autographs and posing for pictures.
The event also included the Steel Valley Chef Competition, a contest between the Valley Classic chefs; an Ohio state senator pizza cook-off featuring state Sens. Joe Schiavoni of Canfield and Capri Cafaro of Liberty; a home-cook recipe challenge; and various cooking demonstrations.