Tri-C Announces ‘Cleveland Eats’ Culinary Festival

Downtown event Sept. 15-16 will showcase top chefs and the region’s food culture

The region’s food culture, chef-driven restaurants, craft beer scene and farms will be celebrated in September during Cleveland Eats, a two-day culinary festival organized by the Hospitality Management Center of Excellence at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®).

The food and entertainment festival will take place Sept. 15-16, a Friday and Saturday, on the Mall B outdoor event space above the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

Organizers and some of the city’s top chefs announced plans for the inaugural Cleveland Eats during a Wednesday night gathering at Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center, located on downtown’s Public Square.

“The table is being set for an amazing experience in the heart of the city,” said Michael Huff, the College’s dean of hospitality management. “Some of the finest food in the nation comes out of Cleveland’s kitchens. We want to give people a taste of what’s here.”

Cleveland Eats will showcase the hospitality industry’s impact on the Northeast Ohio economy while highlighting Tri-C’s vital role in training the skilled workers needed to continue the region’s restaurant renaissance.

A cooperative of corporate and civic partners is staging the festival, and a Culinary Council guiding the planning process represents a “Who’s Who” from Cleveland’s food scene.

The Council includes Ben Bebenroth, Jonathan Bennett, Zack Bruell, Brandt Evans, Heather Haviland, Chris Hodgson, Christopher Kafcsak, Douglas Katz, Karen Monath, Jonathon Sawyer, Karen Small, April Thompson, Eric Wells and Zdenko Zovkic.

The family-friendly festival will include culinary competitions and classes; food from the region’s top restaurants; craft beer tastings and kiosks; and musicians, dancers, artists and other entertainers.

A gala preceding the festival will raise scholarship money for Tri-C culinary students and the city’s next generation of great chefs. The Cuyahoga Community College Foundation will host the event at Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center and Pura Vida restaurant on Public Square.

Details on schedules, participants and pricing will be released closer to the event. For more information, visit www.tri-c.edu/clevelandeats.

Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center of Excellence is recognized nationally for its high-quality programs. The College offers associate degrees or certificates in culinary, restaurant management, lodging/tourism and event planning.

March 02, 2017

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu