Taste of Gahanna draws businesses, residents

A Halloween creature in an open casket greeted partygoers at the Gahanna Area Chamber of Commerce’s 14th annual Taste of Gahanna on Oct. 13.

The display was furnished by the Pine Box Agency, but the funeral and cremation consulting business also showed a real casket and other products it offers as an alternative to funeral homes.

“This is our first year here,” said Rebekah Manofsky, co-owner of Pine Box Agency. “We’ve been in business for four years and opened our Gahanna location last year. We’re an alternative to a funeral home. We wholesale our items to the public.”

Beth Buxton, vice president of marketing for Pine Box, was one of several event attendees to dress up. She was Glinda the Good Witch from “The Wizard of Oz.”

“We decided to be in theme costumes for our company,” she said. “We have 10 people. I thought ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was the way to go. We wanted to do something fun. We have a funny (male) Dorothy and a real Dorothy.”

Wesley Ridge Retirement Community went with a Headless Horseman theme and provided guests with Pearberry eyes as refreshments.

“This is a fun event,” retirement community employee Amanda Sidwell said. “Our chef has won the chef challenge three times. I like that there’s one fee and you can eat all you want.” Wesley Ridge Retirement Community’s Ann Wenell said everyone gets into the spirit for the event.

“Even the vendors dress in costumes,” she said. “It’s fun.”

Alex Wiard, 25, competed in Giant Eagle’s chef challenge for the first time, creating a pork dish. He’s a sous chef for Catering by Design.

“I’m the youngest,” he said. “I just graduated from Bradford Culinary School.”

Wiard spent more than four hours cutting intricate designs into three pumpkins for the Catering by Designs display.

“You have to have artistic ability,” he said. “It takes a pattern, time and the right tools.”

Gahanna resident Daz Vernon said she had learned of the event through the Gahanna Parks and Recreation Department’s magazine.

“I’ve never done this and thought it would be fun,” she said.

Her friend, Mary Baldwin, said the event became a girls’ night out.

“This is close for all of us, and it’s good food, music and fun,” said Baldwin, a Sunbury resident.

Gahanna resident Lynne Trejo also came to Taste of Gahanna with her three girlfriends, including Eleanor Binns.

“I’ve never been here before, and I wanted to try something new and fun,” Trejo said.

“I’ve been here before,” Binns said. “It’s good. I just tried some clam chowder.”

Chamber president Leslee Blake said attendance was up from the past, with seating for 750 people.

“We got more involvement with the sponsors,” she said. “Everyone chipped in and came together.”

Taste of Gahanna is the chamber’s signature event to help showcase local restaurants before the holidays.

“It’s a huge opportunity for people to taste their food,” Blake said. “It’s great exposure for the businesses. It’s a Halloween party and a way to have fun. We have a good time.

“It’s also a fundraiser for the chamber of commerce as a way to put dollars back into the membership to look at future programming.” she said.

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