Evan Percoco, co-owner of Twisted Pit BBQ of Lakewood Ranch, dishes out samples at the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch's Suncoast Food and Wine Fest, Nov. 1 at Premier Sports Campus.
Photo by Jay Heater
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Ryan Brems, the president of the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch, knows that when the mess is cleaned up from the 2,000 people attending the 23rd Suncoast Food and Wine Fest at Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch on Nov. 1, the big picture will become clear.
"This is all going back to the community," he said of the proceeds.
Brems said more than $150,000 will go to those in need in the community in the form of grants from the Rotary.
More than 50 local restaurants donated food to the cause and a host of wine vendors kept the glasses full all day.
Brems said the Rotary probably could have drawn more than 2,000 people, but he capped the tickets at that mark.
Twisted Pit owner Evan Percoco was just one of the many vendors who gave out food.
"We love giving back to the community," Percoco said. "In the two years that we have been doing business at Main Street at Lakewood Ranch, we no longer have guests. We just have friends."
Brems said that more than 200 Rotarians volunteered on Nov. 1, and the day before and the day after, to make the event go smoothly. He said another 50 members worked behind the scenes to make the event a success.
Fleming's General Manager Alyssa Hoskinson said she loves the event because it's just "people meeting people."
Lakewood Ranch sisters Gabrielle Faragure and Madison Christiano toast a full day of socializing at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 at Premier Sports Campus.
Photo by Jay Heater
Clermont Dauphin, who says he does "everything for the Riverhouse Waterfront restaurant, sears up some Ahi tuna during the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1.
Photo by Jay Heater
Evan Guido can't wait to sink his teeth into an offering from the Yard House that was handed to him by Shannon Davis.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch's Dorothy Bodenburg welcomes Sarasota's Vince Hulsman to the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest with a glass of champagne.
Photo by Jay Heater
The Grove's Michael Emerson was all smiles as he handed out samples.
Photo by Jay Heater
Kettle of Fish provided the live music for the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 at Premier.
Photo by Jay Heater
Cassariano's Shelby Hall says "How about a big piece of sausage?"
Photo by Jay Heater
MTC students Hanna Wide, Lillianne High and Carmen Rodriguez show off some of the many desserts they made for the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest. While Wide isn't sure what the future holds, High and Rodriguez say they want to own bakeries.
Photo by Jay Heater
Member Jim Wingert, shares a laugh with Ryan Brems, the Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch president, as they are surrounded by happy community members at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 in Lakewood Ranch.
Photo by Jay Heater
Capital Grill Manager Wendy Vasquez and chef Aura Escalante prepare cherrywood smoked bacon delights for the crowd at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 at Premier.
Photo by Jay Heater
Karen Medford and Scott Ginn came to Premier Sports Campus to support the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Photo by Jay Heater
Rotary Club of Lakewood Ranch's Laura Adcock keeps a close watch on the cooking demonstration at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sage Restaurant's Chase Kozlowski and Chef Chris Covelli (operating partner) join Jeffery Kin, executive director of Sarasota Rising, to offer a cooking demonstration at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Photo by Jay Heater
Ava Pandeloglou and mom Angela Pandeloglou get a healthy pour from Charles Pock, who was representing Winebow. "This is great," Pock said. "Last year it was 30 degrees warmer."
Photo by Jay Heater
Chef Chris Covelli blends up the tomato gazpacho during a cooking demonstration at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Photo by Jay Heater
Approximately 2,000 people enjoyed more than 50 food and wine vendors at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 at Premier in Lakewood Ranch.
Photo by Jay Heater
Sarasota's Alene Pettus is served by Tripletail Seafood and Spirits bartender Catie Kniceley at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Photo by Jay Heater
Linger Lodge owner Rita Lewis hands out one of her restaurant's many specialties during the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 at Premier in Lakewood Ranch.
Photo by Jay Heater
Fleming's General Manager Alyssa Hoskinson has her hands full with a plate of carpaccio at the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest Nov. 1 in Lakewood Ranch.
Photo by Jay Heater
Rosemary and Thyme server Deyvid Bounardjiev has his hands full during the Suncoast Food and Wine Fest.
Jay Heater is the managing editor of the East County Observer. Overall, he has been in the business more than 41 years, 26 spent at the Contra Costa Times in the San Francisco Bay area as a sportswriter covering college football and basketball, boxing and horse racing.
