SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast held its Cooking for Kids fundraiser at the Tringali Center in Englewood Saturday night. Here, David Clutter, 12, a sixth-grader at Sky Academy in Venice, stands beside his mentor and big brother, Don Mahon, during the culinary extravaganza.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Ann Stout, right, retired chef instructor at Charlotte Technical Center, was one of the celebrity judges during the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Cooking for Kids. Here, Stout stands in front of participating celebrity chef Doris LaRussa, and Jean LaRussa, on the committee for the event, who served rainbow cookies and rugalach. Dan’s Clan won Judge’s Choice/Best Presentation and Judge’s Choice/Top Celebrity Chef. Other celebrity judges included Margie Edwards, executive director of the Englewood Area Board of Realtors; Chris Constance, chairman of the Charlotte County Board of Commissioners; Ted Kern, financial adviser with Edward Jones Financial Services; and Richie Edwards, vice president of Key Agency.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Monique Allred, chef at Zydeco Grille, prepares to serve Don Ham of Port Charlotte Creole-style jambalaya, while Joan Sumbucci, owner, looks on. Other participating restaurants included Beyond the Sea, Cake Concepts, Carrabba’s, Charlotte County Technical Institute, Chowder House, Compadre’s, Farlow’s on the Water, Food is Love Eatery, Hooters of Port Charlotte, LaStanza, Leverocks Restaurant, Lock & Key Restaurant, Luigi’s, Rum Bay, Sandra’s Restaurant and Villa Capri.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Participating community chefs Natalie Anderson, left, mentor manager of the Englewood Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Melissa Nelson, center, mentor manager of Port Charlotte Big Brothers Big Sisters, stand with little brother Jarrett Kennedy, 14, an eighth-grader at Sky Academy in Venice, serving Italian desserts. Anderson and Nelson won the People’s Choice Top Celebrity Choice category. Other participating celebrity chefs included Lisa Cusumano, Dan’s Clan and the Rotonda West Buckeye Club.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Mary Abate of Port Charlotte, right, receives seafood lasagna from Steve Cazares, chef, while banquet manager Melinda McDonald, center, observes.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
LaStanza chef Dave DeCaro displays a Parmesan-crusted chicken dish. LaStanza won the People’s Choice Top Master Chef Entree category.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Bill and Lynn Rhein, owners of Cake Concepts, participated in the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Cooking for Kids event at Tringali Center in Englewood, where they were awarded the Judge’s Choice Master Chef Best Overall award.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Lisa Cusumano, left, big sister, stands alongside her little sister, Caitlin Powers, 17, a senior at Edison Collegiate High School, center, with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast volunteer Shannon Kennedy. Cusumano was one of four participating celebrity chefs during Cooking for Kids, serving Uncle Sal’s Marine Nine Firehouse potato chili.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Ed Benson, a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters, separates tickets for a raffle drawing to win a wheelbarrow filled with wine and spirits, during Cooking for Kids.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Friends and Neighbors of Rotonda West members, from left, Pat Foster, Rosemary Tracy, Mary Ellen Jablonski, Marianna Czismadia, Brigitte Hary and Mona McIntosh, attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast Cooking for Kids program at Tringali Center in Englewood. More than 160 were in attendance, where money raised will help benefit one-to-one mentoring programs.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Bob Doyle, corporate board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, prepares to hand Richie Edwards of Key Agency - one of many celebrity judges for Cooking for Kids - left, a cutting board plaque in appreciation for being a sponsor for Cooking for Kids, while Joy Mahler, president/CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, thanks Edwards.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Patsy Fyfe of Rotonda West peruses the many items available to bid on during a silent auction at Cooking for Kids.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Lynn Rhein of Cake Concepts proudly holds up her award for Judge’s Choice Master Chef Overall cutting board plaque, after being announced by Bob Doyle, corporate board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Jane Moyer of Rotonda Lakes receives a sample of clam sandwich from Jeff Tishner, head chef of Chowder House. Chowder House was awarded the Judge’s Choice Top Master Chef Dessert for its grape nut pudding.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Gisela Laurent of Rotonda receives a sample of Banshee shrimp from Ron McGuire, owner of Beyond the Sea, while his wife, Susan, looks on. Beyond the Sea won the People’s Choice Top Master Chef Appetizer award.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Participating community and professional chefs who won in several different categories during Cooking for Kids, hosted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, proudly display their awards after being announced. They are from left/front row: Joan Sumbucci, owner of Zydeco Grill - Judge’s Choice/Top Master Chef Entree winner; Jeff Tishner, head chef of Chowder House - Judge’s Choice/Top Master Chef Dessert winner; Lynn Rhein, owner of Cake Concepts - Judge’s Choice/Master Chef Best Overall winner; Doris LaRusso of Dan’s Clan - Judge’s Choice Best Presentation and Judge’s Choice Top Celebrity Chef winner; Melissa Nelson, mentor manager of Port Charlotte Big Brothers Big Sisters - People’s Choice Top Celebrity Choice winner; and from left/back row: Ron McGuire, owner of Beyond the Sea - People’s Choice/Top Master Chef Appetizer winner; Dave DeCaro, chef of LaStanza - People’s Choice Top Master Chef Entree winner; Natalie Anderson, left, mentor manager of the Englewood Big Bros Big Sisters - People’s Choice/Top Celebrity Choice winner and Kim Westrom, chef instructor for Charlotte County Technical Institute - Judge’s Choice/Top Master Chef Appetizer winner.

SUN PHOTO BY TAMI GARCIA, tgarcia@sun-herald.com
Josh Kennedy, far right, 16, a sophomore at Lemon Bay High School, and little brother through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, assists Antonio Scotto, co-owner of Villa Capri, in serving Mary Nuzzi of Rotonda West tortellini Alfredo and Penne alla Ametriciana.