SANTA CLARA — More than 100 people gathered Saturday for Harmons “Party on the Patio.” Guests were able to sample a wide variety of signature foods all the while participating in a silent auction to raise money for the new Kayenta Center for the Arts.
The first event of its kind, the Party on the Patio was held in the upstairs mezzanine of the Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara. Guests enjoyed samples of Harmons gourmet food, visited in the beer and wine area and enjoyed live music provided by DJ Lex.
The event was designed to bring people into the store and introduce them to the wide variety of dishes created by the chefs in the cooking school just off the mezzanine on the second floor, Chef Jackie Dodart, a culinary school instructor at Harmons, said.
“This is something new and fun for people in St. George to do,” she said.
Guests were invited to sample many of Harmons’ culinary creations from several stations located throughout the venue, including fondue and samples provided by Utah’s own Beehive Cheese, a Ghiradelli chocolate smores bar, and nonalcoholic drinks made to order at the ‘Mocktail’ bar.
The beer and wine area was staffed with wine experts from IG Winery from Cedar City, as well as a ‘brew crew’ from Red Rock Brewery out of Salt Lake, providing a selection of wine and craft beers for the festivities.
Chefs Robillard and Dodart are a team, and an integral part of the cooking school’s success, Dodart said, adding that everything they do is a joint operation.
Many of the cooking school’s regular customers participated in the event, as well as new faces that are being introduced to the store, Chef Shane Robillard, said.
Robillard graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1999, and enjoys creating delicious dishes and helping those in the community. He said at Harmons, he can do both with an event that invites people to enjoy the new store while sampling delicious signature items, while raising money for the new art center.
Along these lines, a silent auction was also held during the party to raise money for the new Center for the Arts being built in Ivins through the Kayenta Arts Foundation. The state of the art facility will present plays, musicals, dance programs, lectures, concerts and exhibitions, as well as visual art.
“It has surpassed everything that we had expected,” Robillard said, adding, “It’s been a beautiful success.”
Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara opened in February, and the 67,500 foot store employs 240 people and is the 16th store in the family owned grocery chain.
Cooking classes, food demonstrations, community education and kids activities are available through the cooking school, and for more information click here.
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A view from the upstairs mezzanine in the wine and beer sampling room at the "Party on the Patio" held Saturday at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George New L-R: Harmons Chef Jackie Dodart and Chef Shane Robillard at the "Party on the Patio" event held Saturday at Harmons in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News Harmons Neighborhood Grocer hosts the "Party on the Patio" event Saturday, Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News A view from the upstairs mezzanine at the "Party on the Patio" held Saturday at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George New A view from the upstairs mezzanine at the "Party on the Patio" Saturday at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George New The walkway between two dining areas from the upstairs mezzanine at the "Party on the Patio"event held Saturday at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George New Harmons Cooking School located in the upstairs mezzanine near the "Party on the Patio" event held Saturday at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer in Santa Clara, Utah, Nov. 12, 2016 | Photo by Cody Blowers, St. George News
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