First Southern National Bank was proud to host the 23rd Annual Taste of Jessamine on August 6 at Servant Heart Farm in Wilmore.
This annual fundraiser event features professional chefs and home cooks representing local restaurants, businesses and organizations. They prepare appetizers, entrees and desserts for attendees to sample, and all proceeds benefit community organizations.
“It’s been a great event! The community really gets involved, and we don’t have to pay anyone to cook because they want to cook and be a part of the event,” says Sam Lee, a Community President at First Southern’s Nicholasville branch.
This year’s menu featured dishes prepared by 55 chefs ranging from burgers and soups to coffee and cookie bars. There were over 400 attendees, and they voted on their favorite dishes. Nova Insurance took home the first-place award with their shrimp and grits.
“We always loved coming to the Taste of Jessamine County growing up,” said Landry Fields from Nova Insurance. “We knew we wanted to do this event when we found out it was happening again! We hope to be a part of it for many years to come.”
The event also included a silent auction with over 200 items.
Proceeds from this year’s event benefited the Jessamine County Food Pantry, AdventureServe Ministries and Simply Serving. The Jessamine County Food Pantry is based in Nicholasville and provides food assistance to eliminate hunger in the community. AdventureServe Ministries in Wilmore leads mission trips throughout Kentucky and Tennessee. Simply Serving is a local organization that provides deep freezers full of healthy meals for households impacted by cancer.
“Over the last 23 years, we’ve given over $500,000 to around 85 different organizations from Jessamine County,” Sam said.
We look forward to seeing everyone again next year for the 24th Annual Taste of Jessamine!
