A Taste of Caldwell event features the best of local cuisine

May 20—CALDWELL COUNTY — The 35th annual A Taste of Caldwell event was held on Friday, May 17, by Caldwell County Communities in Schools. Sponsors and community members gathered from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the J.E. Broyhill Civic Center to sample the best restaurants in the county — and some out of the county. Tickets were sold out by the time of the dinner.

At the cost of the $60 ticket, guests were given a gold token to offer to the best-tasting table. Guests then took their plates and toured tables to select from barbecue, wraps, sandwiches, dips, wines, snacks and deserts of all kinds and genres. 22 restaurants attended the venue, including JD's Smokehouse, Mi Molcajete and 1841 Cafe alongside Twisted Vine and Happy Valley Filling Station. When the dust settled, Katz Sandwich Company had won the popular vote.

The Shelby Rae Moore Band set up on a stage in the corner of the dining room to serenade the guests as they dined, while a silent auction with an estimated $13,750 worth of donated value took place in a side hallway and featured event tickets, vacations, wine boxes and more.

The event was able to attract more than 300 attendees, according to organizer and CIS Caldwell executive director Keith Hindman. And although Hindman was unable to provide a total for the funds raised at this time, he revealed that they had definitely exceeded both the fundraiser's target goal and the total of 2023's event.

CIS Caldwell will be using the funds to conduct programs that help students prepare for educational success and for life beyond education, according to Hindman. The organization also provides financial support for some students to ensure they are able to focus on their studies and cover the cost of educational opportunities, such as field trips. In this way, CIS Caldwell works with around 500 students per year.

"I think the staff and board have done a wonderful job," said Alvin Daughtridge, who sits on the CIS board of directors. "Everyone seems to enjoy themselves. There is such a great variety every year — it's appropriately named."

"This is a community," Daughtridge went on to say of CIS. "It wouldn't exist without community support. We're always looking for mentors."

Beverly Rash, who has volunteered with CIS as a tutor, said she attends the event regularly to support the organization's work.

"They need all the support that they can get," Rash said about the organization, clarifying that there is no upper limit to the assistance that students can make use of. "The girl that I had at Hudson I had for three years. I got to watcher her grow."

John Thomson of Fairfield Chair, who also regularly attends A Taste of Caldwell, said that it was "amazing that the restaurants take their time to make this. Everything is donated."

Thomson also noted the number of attendees of Friday's event, saying, "It gives me hope — in a positive way. Every one of [the students] needs our support."

Lenoir Mayor Joseph Gibbons said he attends every A Taste of Caldwell dinner.

"It's a great event," he said. "we get to showcase the restaurants in our county. Some people might not know who [the restaurants] are until they come here... It's great just to see all the people here having a good time."

From the attention paid to local cuisine, to the fun of the social dinner, to the support shown for Caldwell schools, Gibbons said "it's a good thing all the way around."

Hindman revealed that the day for 2025's fundraiser is already set for Friday, May 16, next year.