New Yorkers  celebrated the hottest season in the Park with a taste of the most succulent treats from New York’s favorite restaurants at the Central Park Conservancy’s Taste of Summer benefit from 7 pm to 11 pm at the Naumburg Bandshell (located mid-Park at 72nd Street).  Sponsored by Miraval Living Condominium, Taste of Summer featured a night of sampling the City’s best dining and wines; dancing under the stars; and a silent auction showcased beauty and vacation packages, jewelry and accessories.

Now in its 13^th year, guests at this evening’s event tempted their palates with tasting plates from over 35 of New York’s top restaurants including BLT Market, Brasserie Cognac, Fred's at Barney's, Gordon Ramsey at the London, Orsay, and Telepan Restaurant.

VIP guests were treated to the mega-watt cuisine and style of critically acclaimed chef and restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten.  The exclusive VIP Café offered tastings from all six of his New York restaurants – Jean Georges, JoJo, Vong, Perry St, Spice Market and Mercer Kitchen.  "At Jean Georges restaurant, I can always count on the stunning view of Central Park to make the experience of dining at Jean-Georges so uniquely beautiful," says Jean-Georges Vongerichten.  "The Central Park Conservancy works hard every day to preserve the Park, and to give New Yorkers an escape into nature ¾ away from the bustle and stress of the City.  Without their hard work, we would not have the beauty and nature of the Park that we have come to rely on today."

Douglas Blonsky, President of the Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator commented, “Our annual Taste of Summer benefit attracts over 1,000 charitable New Yorkers from the celebrity, social, and philanthropic circuits.  As a result of their generosity, we raised close to $750,000 to support the Conservancy’s restoration and ongoing care of this beloved landscape.”

A notable group of charitable New Yorkers united to organize this annual event.  I. Dolly Lenz representing  Miraval Living Condominium is co-chair, and Jay Mandelbaum, Norman Selby and B. Smith are the trustee chairs for the event.

The host committee members were Elizabeth Meigher, Frank J. Lourenso, Gillian Miniter, Kristy & Jonathan Korngold, Liz Gateley, Patrick McMullan, Sade Baderinwa, Samantha S. Topping, Sandra Lee, and Susan Shin.

A highlight of this year’s Taste of Summer benefit was an online cocktail contest.  Visitors to the Central Park Conservancy’s website at www.centralparknyc.org/taste viewed three delicious Jose Cuervo-based, Sandra Lee cocktail recipes to try, and then voted for their favorite.  The winning drink was the featured beverage at Taste of Summer.

DJ Tom Finn of TOPSPIN Entertainment  kept the crowd dancing into the night.  Special thanks to Miraval Living Condominium, Ed Libby & Company, Inc., GuS – Grown-up Soda, Jose Cuervo, Rosemount Estate, and VOSS Artesian Water from Norway.

This ticketed, culinary event wass open to the public.   

For more information, visit www.centralparknyc.org/taste.

ABOUT THE CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY

The Central Park Conservancy’s mission is to restore, manage, and preserve Central Park, in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations.

The Central Park Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park under a contract with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation.  Thanks to the generosity of many individuals, corporations, foundations, and the City of New York, the Conservancy has invested more than $450 million to date into the Park, making it a model for urban parks worldwide.  The Conservancy provides more than 85 percent of Central Park's annual $27 million operating budget and is responsible for all basic care
of the Park.