Kicking Off Boca Raton Bowl Season, One Bite at a Time
More than 500 guests gathered for an evening of bold bites, decadent desserts, craft brews, and signature cocktails prepared by some of South Florida’s most celebrated chefs, restaurants, and mixologists. From elevated tailgate classics to inventive culinary surprises, the tasting event offered something for every palate all while supporting Spirit of Giving’s Holiday Gift Drive.
The event featured standout tasting stations from:
- Boca West Country Club
- Barrel of Monks Brewing
- Cacti Park
- Ceasar’s Famous Ribs
- Cove Brewery
- Crazy Uncle Mike’s
- Dear Olivia
- Deep Eddy Vodka
- Drift by Sonrisa Marriott Boca Center
- Duffy’s Sports Grill
- Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
- Farmer’s Table
- Graze Craze Boca Raton
- Red Pine Restaurant & Bar
- How Ya Dough’n
- Just Baked
- Loch Bar
- Los Bocados
- Marco’s Top Burgers
- Mississippi Sweets
- Owls Catering
- Prezzo
- Prosperity Brewers
- The Melting Pot Boca Raton
- Marcel Brewer’s powered by Carmela Coffee
- Java powered by LPP Cafe
- Good Boy Vodka
- Kombucha Cocktails
- Afrohead Rum
Judges for the evening included Celebrity Chef Lindsay Autry (James Beard Foundation nominee and finalist on Bravo TV’s Top Chef, Season 9), George Petrocelli (Director of Catering, The Boca Raton), Christiana Lilly (Editor-in-Chief, Boca magazine), Reggie Laroche (Assistant Vice President, Baptist Health Orthopedic Care) and Troy McLellan (President & CEO, Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce).
Honors were awarded across several spirited categories:
- Best Beverage: Barrel of Monks Brewing
- Most Spirited: Graze Craze Boca Raton
- People’s Choice: Boca West Country Club
- Grand Culinary Champion: How Ya Dough’n
Great Chefs Tailgate Showcase serves as the unofficial kickoff to Boca Raton Bowl season, building momentum and community pride leading into the 2025 Boca Raton Bowl to be held on Tuesday, December 23 at 2 p.m. at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on the campus of FAU. Fans can also look forward to the always-popular, family-friendly Fan Fest that takes place just outside of the stadium several hours before kickoff.
