The cancellation of Taste of Bethesda left some local restaurant owners holding a significant amount of food that they ordered to serve at the event.
The Bethesda Urban Partnership (BUP) canceled the annual food festival for the first time in its 26-year history Thursday afternoon. The organizers said the threat of heavy downpours and possible winds Saturday caused them to call off the event, which is advertised as taking place “rain or shine.”
On Friday, Bethesda restaurant owners who were scheduled to participate in the event said they understood the decision, but now have to decide what to do with the extra food.
Roberto Pietrobono, a co-owner of Olazzo and Gringos & Mariachis, said they’ll have to find other uses for the ingredients they planned to use to make meatballs, tacos and cannoli. This weekend, he says the restaurants plan to offer specials using the extra ingredients.
“It’s not too big of a deal,” Pietrobono said, “everyone saw this coming.” He was referring to forecasts of multiple inches of rain that have been broadcasted through the region since Monday.
Specials are one solution, said Ashish Alfred, who owns 4935 Bar and Kitchen. But he said with a rainy weekend expected, it probably won’t matter because there may not be customers coming into the restaurant to buy it.
Alfred said he had food ordered to serve hamburger sliders, pork wings and tandoori chicken tacos. He said he may be able to store some ingredients, but it’s not an ideal situation.
“It’s just money sitting on the shelves,” Alfred said. “Obviously it’s not [Bethesda Urban Partnership’s] fault, they can’t control the weather.”
Tony Marciante, the owner of Chef Tony’s, said the event was canceled right before he was about to order the food he planned to serve.
“I’m glad they made the decision yesterday so weren’t preparing the food,” Marciante said. “We didn’t want to prep it and not need it.”
However, he said he now owns a $300 griddle he planned to use at the street festival, which he says he probably won’t use until next year’s event.
“I think it’s a great event for Bethesda and a great marketing event, so it’s a shame we can’t have it,” Marciante said. “But I won’t mind having Saturday morning off.”
BUP charges a registration fee of $250 or $500, based on the size of the tent, to participate in the event. Stephanie Coppula, a spokeswoman for BUP, said in an email Friday that the fee will be refunded. She said Wednesday that the organization typically breaks even hosting the event, so the organization’s finances wouldn’t be significantly affected by the cancellation.
