Spectrum Generations Celebrity Chef Challenge Returns to Augusta

Food lovers will have a chance to sample creations from three Maine chefs while supporting an important local cause when the Spectrum Generations Celebrity Chef Challenge returns to Augusta this fall.

This year’s event, dubbed the Downtown Throwdown, is happening Monday, October 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center.

The annual fundraiser will once again feature three chefs creating specially crafted meals for guests to enjoy and vote on, with this year’s competition also putting a spotlight on the downtown communities Spectrum Generations serves.

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, organizers say they wanted this year’s event to do more than showcase great food. The Downtown Throwdown theme is designed to celebrate the restaurants, businesses and Main Streets that have long served as the heart of Maine communities, while bringing added attention and excitement to vibrant downtown districts across the region.

This year’s competing chefs are:

• Chef Elisha Irland of The Oak Table & Bar in Augusta
• Chef Stacie Blouin-Grondin of Bistro 165 in Brunswick
• Chef Sydney Garns of Salt Wharf in Camden

Guests will have the opportunity to taste what each chef creates before casting their vote for a favorite.

The evening will also include hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, live music and a silent auction, making it much more than just a dinner competition.

Most importantly, the Celebrity Chef Challenge serves as a fundraiser for Spectrum Generations. All proceeds from the event support the organization’s programs and services, including Meals on Wheels, which helps provide meals and support to older adults and others throughout Central Maine and beyond.

Tickets are $75 per person. Tables are also available for groups, with a table of four priced at $300, a table of six at $450 and a table of eight at $600.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The Spectrum Generations Celebrity Chef Challenge: Downtown Throwdown will be held Monday, October 5, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Augusta Civic Center, located at 76 Community Drive in Augusta.

Whether you come with coworkers, friends or family, it’s a chance to enjoy some incredible Maine food while helping support programs that make a difference in communities across the state.