Cherry Hill Tavern Up For 2 Garden State Culinary Awards

CHERRY HILL, NJ — The Farm & Fisherman Tavern in Cherry Hill is up for two 2018 Garden State Culinary Arts Awards. It had finalists named in two categories on Tuesday.

Jess Gaspero, a chef at the tavern, is a finalist for the Outstanding Pastry Chef / Baker award. She is up against Jennifer Colello Carson, a chef at Lillipies, and Elizabeth Degener, of The Bread Lady at Enfin Farms in Cape May.

The award goes to a pastry chef or baker working in a professional capacity in New Jersey for at least three years in a restaurant, café, bakery or other public outlet who has displayed overall excellence in pastries, desserts and/or bread-making.

Danny Childs is a finalist for the Outstanding Spirits Professional Award. He is joined in the voting for this award by Mark Pascal and Francis Schott, of Stage Left Steak in New Brunswick, and James Yoakum, of Cooper Rivers Distillers in Camden.

The top three vote-getters in each category were named finalists. Following a second round of voting, the winners will be selected and announced during a ceremony and reception by The Garden State Culinary Arts Foundation on Sunday, April 29 at Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road in Holmdel, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Winners will be announced at 6 p.m.

A gala reception, with dishes that focus on New Jersey ingredients, will follow from 7:15 p.m. to 9 p.m. under the direction of 2017 Outstanding Chef winner Drew Araneo, of Drew's Bayshore Bistro in Keyport, and 2017 Rising Star honoree AJ Capella, formerly of the Ryland Inn, Whitehouse Station.

Students from New Jersey culinary schools will assist the chefs and their culinary captains with prep work, cooking, plating and serving the dishes.

A limited number of tickets to the ceremony and reception are on sale at Brown Paper Tickets. If purchased by Friday, April 20, tickets are $75 per person; if any tickets remain available after that date, they will be sold for $100 per person. To purchase tickets, visit www.brownpapertickets.comcom/event/3395757.

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