CHOCOLATE SEDUCTIONS— A HOLIDAY TOUR OF HISTORIC CHARLESTON’S SWEETER SIDE

Carolina FoodPros™ introduces a New Kind of Walking Tour this Holiday Season

Charleston, S.C.
July 30, 2005

This holiday season, chocolate lovers will be seduced in Charleston, one of the country’s hottest culinary destinations. Chocolate aficionados will savor its dark and sweeter side on a new culinary tour, Chocolate Seductions, sponsored by Carolina FoodPros™. The tours start December 2, 2005 and will run every Friday through December from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

The tours showcase pastry chefs, bakers and chocolatiers as they share their passion for this splendid sweet. Led by culinary expert, Amanda Dew Manning, guests will go behind the scenes to learn all about chocolate, and, of course, delight their palates with decadent chocolate desserts at some of Charleston’s best restaurants, bakeries and specialty shops.

Guests will enjoy spending time with some of the city’s most celebrated chefs at the finest downtown restaurants including Charleston Grill, located inside the luxurious Charleston Place Hotel, Cypress, Fish, McCrady’s and Tristan.

Each of the featured chefs introduces their own chocolate specialties. Vinzenz Aschbacher, the master pastry chef of the award-winning Charleston Grill, is recognized for the quality and complexity of his old world style creations. Charleston’s Post and Courier named him "the resident genius pastry chef”; he has also been featured several times in the nationally circulated Pastry Arts Magazine.

Michelle Rupe, executive pastry chef of McCrady’s, will introduce guests to some of her favorite chocolate indulgences and offer her own insight on this seductive food. A graduate Johnson & Wales University, Rupe trained with award-winning pastry chef, Esthi Steffanelli at Peninsula Grill. In 2004, she joined McCrady’s.

Tristan’s Jered Young, recognized for his artistic ability to create delectable masterpieces with chocolate, will offer guests a few chocolate lessons and introduce them to Tristan’s warm chocolate cake accompanied by black cherry ice cream and profiteroles with sweet almond chantilly & warm chocolate fondue.

Originally a bakery, Fish Restaurant resides in an 1837 Charleston single house. Guests will meet Ryan Herrmann, executive chef, and enjoy delectable selections from the restaurant’s dessert menu. Fish adds to the historic district’s Uptown, which is recognized as a Mecca for its eclectic array of shops, fine restaurants and design studios.

Chocolate Seductions begin at the Charleston Place Hotel, located at the corner of Meeting and Market Streets in downtown Charleston and accommodate up to 20 people per tour. Tickets are $60 per person and are available by calling toll free 877-728-2783, or online at www.carolinafoodpros.com. Reservations required.

Located in historic downtown Charleston, Carolina FoodProsTM was founded in 2001 by 10th generation South Carolinian Amanda Dew Manning and Robert Manning as a division of the highly successful nutrition and food consulting business Amanda Dew Manning & Associates, Inc. A nationally known nutritionist and speaker, Amanda Dew Manning, M.S., M.P.A., served two terms on the National Board of Directors of the American Institute of Wine and Food and is a member of the prestigious Les Dames d’Escoffier. She is active in the Southern Foodways Alliance and is president of the SC Specialty Food Association. Robert Manning, M.B.A., business administrator and marketing specialist, works to ensure that Carolina FoodPros™ utilizes best business practices and provides outstanding customer service.
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