EDISON, NJ — QuickChek is once again teaming up with fire departments from around the state to raise money for burn victims and further fire prevention education at the 10th annual Cooked & Uncorked food and wine festival at the Pines Manor in Edison on February 24, 2020.
Sponsored by the New Jersey State Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association, the fundraiser benefits the Saint Barnabas Burn Foundation at Saint Barnabas Medical Center, the only certified burn treatment facility in the state; and the NJFMBA Foundation, whose goal is to provide financial assistance to children who are enrolled at the Connecticut Burn Camp and who have been treated at the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas with fire-related injuries.
More than 1,000 people will have the opportunity to sample offerings from some 30 restaurants, caterers, dessert shops and food service providers at Cooked & Uncorked this year. The event raises approximately $50,000 each year.
This is the fifth year in a row that QuickChek will be participating in the event in which two dozen fire departments will compete in an Ultimate Cook-Off with categories for “firehouse cooking,” “gourmet cooking,” and “dessert.” They will be judged on taste, presentation, display and cuisine.
The Whitehouse Station-based fresh convenience market chain, which has won numerous awards for foodservice innovation, will preview its new line of handcrafted Real Fruit Smoothies, which are dairy-free and made without preservatives or additives. QuickChek will introduce a dozen varieties of its new Real Fruit Smoothies in its 160 stores throughout New Jersey, the Hudson Valley and Long Island this spring.
Judges include local radio personalities, professional athletes, and a variety of chefs and culinary professionals including QuickChek Senior Foodservice Category Manager Amanda Shymanski.
“We’re proud to once again be part of Cooked & Uncorked and continue our mission of supporting our first responders and our local communities,” said Shymanski, who also judged last year’s competition.
The family-owned company supports local fire department fundraising drives across the state throughout the year as well as in time of urgency, donating QuickChek food, coffee and bottled water to firefighters as they work to extinguish multi-alarm fires.
Fire departments scheduled to compete include units from Belleville, Bayonne, Carteret, Clifton, Cranford, Elizabeth, Hamilton, Harrison, Hillside, Linden, Long Branch, Maplewood, Montclair, Morris Township, New Brunswick, Nutley, Paterson, Plainfield, Rahway, Roselle, South Orange, Trenton, Union and Westfield.
Tickets are $60 in advance and $65 at the door. To learn more or to purchase tickets online visit www.cookedanduncorked.com.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Russ Mensch
Mensch & Company, Inc.
Public Relations & Event Marketing
phone: 201-797-2448
email: [email protected]
