By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

Make a date for what just might be the best dining event of 2010 — the annual United Way Chef’s Gala at the Epcot World Showcase, Saturday May 25.

Some of the best chefs from Central Florida’s best restaurants participate in the charity event. This year’s restaurants include Artist Point (Disney’s Wilderness Lodge); The Capital Grille; Cirtricos (Disney’s Grand Floridian); Coral Reef Restaurant (Epcot); Eleven (Reunion Resort); Funky Monkey Wine Company; Harmony Golf Preserve; Kouzzina by Cat Cora (Disney’s Boardwalk); La Luce by Donna Scala (Hilton Bonnet Creek); Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano (Disney’s Hollywood Studios); Norman’s (Ritz-Carlton Orlando); Primo by Melissa Kelly (Grande Lakes Orlando); Raglan Road Irish Pub; Sanaa (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge); Todd English’s bluezoo; Tony’s Town Square Restaurant (Magic Kingdom); The Turf Club Bar and Grille (Disney’s Saratoga Springs); Tusker House (Disney’s Animal Kingdom); Urban Flats Flatbread and Wine Co.; The Wave (Disney’s Contemporary Resort); American Brownie Co; The Dessert Lady; Disney’s Contemporary Resort Bakery; Epcot Bakery; Coffee Roasters Alliance; and Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company.

The economy is beginning to show signs of recovery, but there are still thousands of people struggling in Central Florida.

“I don’t think there is anyone in this room who doesn’t know someone who is unemployed,” Peter Kacheris, co-chair of this year’s Chef’s Gala said. Co-chairs Kacheris and Sandy Hostetter were at a media preview at Primo Grande Lakes Orlando last week.

The United Way of Central Florida got 120,000 phone calls last year from people in need, United Way officials said. And the Chef’s Gala, is a vital part of the charity’s annual funding. This year, officials hope to raise $200,000 from the dining event.

All of the participating chefs and restaurants volunteer their services, so almost all of the ticket money goes directly to the United Way.

And if the United Way can’t win your heart, they just might win over your stomach.

The event menu for this year includes:

Porcini-rubbed filet mignon with Sam’s mashed potatoes (The Capital Grille); seared tuna loin over asparagus risotto with warm vine ripened tomatoes and olive-caper butter (Mama Melrose’s); Cuba Libre pork belly with house-brewed cola, oven-dried tomato (Norman’s); Basque-rubbed veal loin with feta-herb salsa (Kouzzina); peanut lamb satay with mint pesto couscous (Harmony Golf Preserve); 48-hour braised Kobe short rib (Eleven); Berbere-rubbed ostrich over corn mealie pap and vegetable wats (Tusker House); Florida Rock Shrimp and lump crab cakes with cucumber-tomato salsa and spicy remoulade (The Wave); lobster bruschetta with lobster, tomato, avocado and fresh herbs (The Turf Club); Chicken pot pie with a puff pastry topping of Kevin’s ham, Irish mist-glazed loin of bacon on mustard mashed potatoes (Raglan Road Pub); spiced shrimp with pan-seared zucchini cake, curried carrot puree and cucumber raita (Sanaa).

Desserts include quadruple chocolate bread pudding; chocolate-habanero brownies (American Brownie Co.); carrot cake, lemon-rum cake, chocolate cake, Oreo cheesecake minis (The Dessert Lady); Key Lie crème brulee with Macadamia nut crunch, strawberry coulis and coconut ice cream (Disney’s Contemporary Bakery; and chocolate-hazelnut candy bar, fresh berry vacherin with ice wine sabayon (Epcot Bakery).

All menu items are paired with wines. The event also features live music and the silent auction.

Individual tickets are $200. Corporate packages of 10 tickets are $1,850.

To purchase tickets call 407-429-2129 or visit www.chefsgala.org.