CVB Designs Special Trading Card Series Featuring Local Chef Recipes
PINEHURST, NC (June 25, 2020) – In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants in the Sandhills area of North Carolina have been especially impacted economically. Some employees working in the restaurant and hospitality industry have had their hours reduced, or have been furloughed while businesses try to make ends meet. In an effort to assist workers serving in the hospitality industry, the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has launched a unique fundraiser. The Recipe for Recovery program features area chefs’ images and their recipes in format reminiscent of trading cards. The packs come in sets of 12 cards and sell for $25.00 each.
The first set of cards feature chefs and recipes from participating restaurants in Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen including: Ashten’s Restaurant (Clara Mae’s Bisquits); Chapman’s Food and Spirits (Spinach Artichoke Dip); Chef Warren’s (Tunisian Sauteed Shrimp with Sweet Potatoes, Peanuts and Cilantro); Drum and Quill (Smoky Basil Mezcal Cocktail); Dugan’s Pub (Beer Battered Fish and Chips); Elliott’s on Linden (Crab Hush Puppies); House of Fish (Crab Cakes); Lisi’s Italian (Pappardelle with Roasted Red Pepper Cream); Pinehurst Resort (Veal Oscar); Scott’s Table (Mexican Street Corn Salad); The Bell Tree Tavern (Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya) and The Market Place (Our Famous “Not Too Sweet” Spiced Iced Tea).
“We wanted to do something special to give back to these amazing local restaurants which compose a significant part of the local culinary scene, but also make a huge impact on our tourism industry,” says Phil Werz, president and CEO of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area CVB. “The survival and vitality of our local restaurants are critical to the economic rebound for our destination from COVID-19. We (the CVB) merely wanted to do our part to support these great restaurants and chefs. The cards are cool, fun and you get to try some really great recipes. Hopefully, we raise a lot of money for dedicated restaurant and hospitality workers impacted by the pandemic.”
The CVB created 500 sets of cards in series one and when those sellout, the organization will create a second series with a dozen more chefs and their recipes. The CVB plans to continue the Recipe for Recovery program as long as demand for the cards continues. The CVB merely covers the cost to produce the cards – only a few hundred dollars – and then the rest of the proceeds will go to a local restaurant workers relief fund.
Recipe cards can be purchased at the 12 restaurants currently participating in the program and can also be purchased at the CVB located at 65 Community Road in the Village of Pinehurst. Because the CVB staff is working staggered office hours and telecommuting due to COVID-19, please call the CVB at 910.692.3330 to arrange a time to purchase the recipe cards. The CVB is working on a portal for online sales and hopes to have that operational after the July 4 weekend.
The Pinehurst Southern Pines Aberdeen Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the economic development agency responsible for travel and tourism promotion, product development, and visitor services for Moore County, NC. The CVB devises strategies to enhance the County’s tourism brand value and product to accommodate the next generation of visitors, thereby stimulating the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In 2018, Moore County ranked as the eleventh largest tourism economy in North Carolina, generating $520 million annually in visitor spending, which supports the second largest employment sector in the county.
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