CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Cheers to 40 years!

I’m excited and honored to chair the festival that became my favorite to attend every summer. I’d be remiss to go any further, before thanking Jerry Sweitzer for hosting my first ever Taste of Buffalo outing. You introduced me to this event that my mother proudly volunteered at herself, and ignited a passion for all things Taste! Thank you!

The Taste is a summertime staple for our community, and this year we’re throwing a party to celebrate our birthday! Join us as we make memories within the heart of our city of good neighbors. Welcome everyone!

From the classic Buffalonian fan favorites that we know and love oh so well, to the diverse global cuisine which honors our region’s spectacular culinary culture, there’s something for everyone to taste and enjoy!

So many of my favorite Taste memories come from moments shared with guests tasting a new dish for the very first time. I love watching their reactions of delight as well as the reactions of our proud, hard-working restaurateurs and staff as they witness those same moments in the crowd. That’s exactly why we host our festival each year! We cherish the opportunity to showcase our restaurants, and we celebrate them! Thank you, dear restaurants and wineries.

As a travel professional, I’ve been afforded many opportunities to travel across the globe, while learning and exploring many destinations. When making new friends along my travels, I’ve come to realize that no matter how different our lives are from each other’s, there’s always one common denominator (and the very best of conversation starters), the love of your favorite food! The love of food is a universal language, and our event speaks it fluently.

We would not be able to throw such a great party without the extraordinary support of our 20-year presenting sponsor, Tops Friendly Markets. We are deeply grateful for all that you do to help us and appreciate that you share our passion for the festival and our community.

Thank you to all of our sponsors mentioned throughout this guide. Please be sure to visit their Taste locations for samples, experiences, information and much more fun!

Thank you to our friend and supporter, Mayor Byron Brown and the City of Buffalo for hosting our festival. A festival that was voted on and named #1 USA TODAY’S Best City Food Festival just this year!

We are especially grateful to those who keep our event safe. Thank you so much to our Buffalo Police Department, Buffalo Fire Department and each and every one of our local and federal law enforcement partners.

We’re thrilled to celebrate alongside our truly dedicated volunteers. Thank you to all 1,000+ of you who come out and generously donate your time and efforts each year. We couldn’t do it without you.

To the greatest Board of Directors family that a girl could ask for - thank you for the countless hours of planning with the utmost devotion and the best of intentions for our beloved festival. I am truly humbled and honored to be your Chair. To Ann Hackett who inspired me to pursue this path of leadership the minute she welcomed me to the Board in 2013. Thank you!

To Connie Wendling, president of our promotions agency, Sell-utions, Inc. - thank you from the bottom of my heart for your tireless guidance and direction. Your ingenuity challenges us. Your creativity amazes us. Your passion inspires us.

To my wonderful friends, thank you for your excitement and encouragement always. A big thanks to Nicholas Cirbus, who put himself and his awesome personality in front of our cameras anytime we needed him. To my loving family, especially my children Jared and Keira, thank you for your years of love, support and for sharing my love of the Taste. My future stepsons, Aidan, Ethan and Nathan, thank you for your pride in me and for joining in on all the fun! To my parents, Donald and Linda Oakes who took in their Father Baker orphan and raised her to understand the importance of giving her time, and pouring her heart into all that she does- THANK YOU. I still feel your love all around me now, more than ever.

To my future husband, Benjamin Cohen, you understood the importance of my role and gave me the time to do it. Thank you for your love, friendship and insight as only you could provide. I can’t wait to marry you this fall!

Let’s celebrate together!

Elizabeth Mamot, 2023 Taste of Buffalo Chair