By Peter Covino

Entertainment Editor

So many chefs, so little time.

Actually, there should be plenty of time to sample all of the chef’s offerings at one of the best dining events of 2010. Time is running out to buy tickets though. The lavish event is tonight at the annual United Way Chef’s Gala at the Epcot World Showcase.

Just added to the stellar line-up is Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar.

The other 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); 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 Chef’s Gala not only offers great food, but it is for a good cause. The event is a vital part of the charity’s annual funding.

The United Way of Central Florida got 120,000 phone calls last year from people in need. 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 mig-non 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); 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.

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