ORLANDO (March 1, 2010) – This year, the Central Florida Home & Garden Show will not only showcase ideas for home improvements, but will also feature some of Central Florida’s finest culinary talents, all to benefit the needy and homeless in Haiti.
On Saturday, March 20 from 6-9 p.m. in the Garden Stage area of the home show, Rosen Hotels & Resorts will host a special after-hours fundraising event called “Rosen Hotels’ Homeowners for Haiti.” For just $25, which includes free admission to the show, guests can enjoy the latest “foodie scoop” from event host, renowned Central Florida food critic and writer, Scott Joseph, as well as cooking demonstrations from the award-winning chefs at Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek.
The Rosen chefs who will be “cooking for a cause” include Executive Chef Michael Rumplik from Everglades at Rosen Centre, a multiple award winner of the prestigious Meetings & Conventions magazine’s Gold Platter Award for culinary excellence; Executive Chef Jorge Oliviera from A Land Remembered and Cala Bella Italian bistro at Rosen Shingle Creek, which has also been a Gold Platter Award recipient and was awarded a AAA Four Diamond Award in 2009; and Executive Chef Michael McMullen from Jack’s Place at Rosen Plaza, which has been named one of Orlando’s best hotel restaurants. Rosen Shingle Creek’s Executive Pastry Chef David Ramirez, the 2009 USA Team Captain for the International Coupe du Monde World Pastry Cup, will provide samplings of award-winning desserts.
As well as enjoying a smorgasbord of sweet and savory flavors from the Rosen chefs, diners at this special, limited-attendance event may also enjoy complimentary wine courtesy of Southern Wine & Spirits and Opici Wine Company, as well as non-alcoholic beverages. Scott Joseph, renowned Central Florida food writer, former Orlando Sentinel food critic and creator of the online Orlando Restaurant Guide, www.scottjosephorlando.com, will mingle with guests, answer questions and chat about the latest buzz in the ever-dynamic Orlando dining scene.
This first-of-its-kind event was created specifically to benefit the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund, which is supported by the Harris Rosen Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization. Tickets to this special event are limited and must be purchased in advance online. To purchase, go to www.centralfloridahomeandgardenswho.com and click on the link for “Homeowners for Haiti” for tickets.
Throughout the March 19 – 21 weekend, guests attending the Central Florida Home & Garden Show will have the opportunity to see the Little Haiti House—a low-cost, eco-friendly, earthquake- and hurricane-resistant home developed for use in Haiti by Orlando hotelier and philanthropist Harris Rosen. Attendees may walk through the 36’ x 12’ model home and see how renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, as well as plant-based fuels, make this a smart and affordable solution to Haiti’s rebuilding effort. Donations will also be accepted, with 100 percent of contributions going directly to the Rosen Haiti Relief Fund. Central Florida’s premier home improvement show is located at Hall North B in the Orange County Convention Center’s North/South complex off Universal Boulevard.
Due to its competitive wages and outstanding associate benefit program, including the onsite Rosen Medical Center, wellness programs, continuing education and language development programs, Rosen Hotels & Resorts has one of the lowest associate turnover rates in the hotel industry. Funding from the Harris Rosen Foundation has allowed for the creation of the Tangelo Park Project, which provides free preschool, college and vocational education to disadvantaged youth; the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management; and the Jack and Lee Rosen Southwest Orlando Jewish Community Center. The Foundation also contributes to numerous charitable organizations throughout Central Florida and beyond each year.
The Rosen Hotels & Resorts family includes three award-winning convention properties, Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek, and four leisure properties in the Orlando tourist corridor, including the Quality Inn International, Quality Inn Plaza and Rodeway Inn International and Comfort Inn Lake Buena Vista.
For more information, visit www.rosenhotels.com or call 866-33-ROSEN.