Story By John Mann
There was a little bit of everything on the menu for the 14th annual Corks and Chefs event in Albertville Monday evening, with restaurants from across Marshall county coming together to help raise money for both the Child Advocacy Center and Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound.
“It’s our fourteenth year and we knew it was going to be a great one,” CASA Executive Director Shirly Holland, joined by CAC Director Courtney Thompson, said. “We had the same sponsors that are there for us all the time and are so consistent with supporting us and as far as restaurants it was the most we’ve ever had before and we are so excited for that, they are our heroes they always bring their best displays and food and compete not to win a plaque but to support something important.”
There were fourteen local restaurants on display for the event with samples of their best entrée, appetizers and desserts for patrons to try out. The dishes ranged from Southern fare like chicken livers and cobbler courtesy of Char Burger, oysters on the half shell from Old Town Stock House, ice cream from La Michoacan and chicken salad and pimento cheese from Bakehouse Eatery.
Each restaurant for the past three weeks has been in the running for the People’s Choice Award, with customers able to vote for one dollar each. In the end it would be Char Burger who took the prize in their first year back to the event since moving to their new location at the Marshall County Courthouse.
“It was a huge turnout but this event always brings in a big crowd,” Char Burger owner Christi Harrison said. “Our cobbler, mac and cheese and chicken livers are all things we serve every day but it’s still a little intimidating because everyone is so fancy and we’re just a soul food meat and three but it was a great night all around.”
There were multiple awards handed out alongside the People’s Choice award judging the restaurants on various categories. Old Town Stock House would take the title of Best Appetizer, while La Michoacan landed Best Dessert and La Esquina Cocina had Best Entrée. Outside of just the food though Homecoming and Company had the Best Display and Small Batch Bakery was the Best Debut.
For the overall winners though newcomer Bakehouse Eatery Co from Guntersville, who are currently operating out of the former Char Burger location, grabbed the runner-up spot and 3 Acre at the Lumpkin House was named Judge’s Choice winner. Other restaurants present for the event included Giovanni’s, Kilwin’s, Local Joe’s, Tanner Farms Bakery and Deli, Granny’s Corner Restaurant and Nash’s.
“It’s been great,” Cody Jantz, owner of bakehouse Eatery, said. “I was a little nervous at first but it’s been good to be here, I didn’t really know what to expect but we were just ourselves with no frills. There were a lot more people than I expected and we had so many come by and tell us they want to come try us out. It’s our first year in business and the community has really taken us on board.”
The Corks and Chefs event fundraises two very important charity organizations in Marshall County. The Child Advocacy Center provides community based, comprehensive services to victims of child abuse, stating that they want “to give children a voice, to instill confidence in them, and to provide them with a space for hope, healing and love. Meanwhile CASA works to help aging and homebound members of the community live safely and independently while providing services such as transportation, air conditioners and heaters, safety equipment to prevent falls and emergency food vouchers.
More information about the CAC can be found on their website at marshallcac.org while CASA can be found at unitedwaymarshall.org/casa-marshall-county or on their Facebook page under “CASA of Marshall County.”
