SILOAM SPRINGS — The Siloam Springs Herald-Leader and Arkansas Democrat-Gazette will present a Taste of Home cooking school in Siloam Springs on Nov. 14. The event is co-sponsored by Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital.
The announcement marks the return of Taste of Home to Siloam Springs after an absence of seven years. The last Taste of Home Cooking School in Siloam Springs took place in 2002.
"We're really happy to be bringing this event back to Siloam Springs," Herald-Leader publisher John Dilmore said. "It was popular in the past, and moving forward, we think it can become a signature event for our community, as well as other communities in western Benton County and eastern Oklahoma.
"Taste of Home puts on cooking schools elsewhere in the region, but now our area once again has a show of its own."
The goal is to make the Siloam Springs Taste of Home Cooking School an annual event, Dilmore said. Tickets will be $10, and will go on sale in mid-October. They will be available exclusively at the Herald-Leader office at 101 N. Mt. Olive in Siloam Springs.
The event will be held at the Burton Elliott Fine Arts Center at Siloam Springs High School. A vendor area will open at 5 p.m., with the cooking beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Taste of Home's JamieDunn will serve as home economist for the show. Chef and author Katie Lee will also be on hand.
Kevin Clement, CEO of Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital, was enthusiastic about the hospital's cosponsorship of the show.
"Siloam Springs Memorial Hospital is excited to be a part of this upcoming special event," Clement said, "and will continue to be involved in this and other community events that are held in our area."
Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce President Wayne Mays and KFSM anchor Ashley Beck will emcee the show. Mays, a veteran emcee of numerous Taste of Home Cooking Schools, has had plenty of opportunity to hone his craft.
"Just as Bear Bryant played in the first football game he ever saw, I emceed the first cooking school I ever attended," Mays said. "I'd like to think that I've improved some since that first weak effort. I try to have fun and engage in some light banter with the cooking professional."
The Chamber of Commerce is also a sponsor of the event.
"Our chamber support for this event is easily understood. We see the opportunity to bring over 600 enthusiastic participants into town from the market area we serve and beyond," Mays said. "We want them to enjoy themselves and think of Siloam Springs as a place where they were welcomed and would want to return to - for shopping, high school and college sports events, picnics in our parks, maybe even skydiving.
"I am sure they will be amazed by the number ofnice door prizes donated by sponsors and local merchants."
During the show, Herald-Leader staff will present a check for $1,000 to the Siloam Springs High School Marching Band.
In addition to learning several new recipes, every attendee will receive a gift bag filled with freeproducts, coupons, and magazines. Door prizes are awarded throughout the show.
News, Pages 11 on 09/26/2009