- December 4, 2025
Ormond Beach MainStreet hosted the 11th annual Taste of Ormond at Rockefeller Gardens on Sunday, May 19. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach residents Sharon and Jack Sharkey relax with their drinks on the mixology stage at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
31 Supper Club mixologist Chris Silvasman (left) and Realty Pros Assured realtor Caryn Baker share a smile while they volunteer at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
31 Supper Club mixologists Chris Silvasman (left) and David Greenwood prepare drinks for the guests at the 11th annual Tast of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Musician James Taylor took the stage at the Rockefeller Gardens and played tunes for the guests at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Seabreeze Culinary Academy students (left to right) - Diya Patel, Isabel Mazelow, Daytona Allen and Austin Nickell - volunteer at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Guests experience the new 31 Supper Club Mixology Experience at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
31 Supper Club mixologist David Greenwood prepares a drink at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Phtoo by Michele Meyers
31 Supper Club bartender Chris Silvasman and manager David Greenwood are part of the new mixology experience offered to the patrons of the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Taylor Janse (left) and Casey Williams offer beer and seltzer tastings from S.R. Perrott to attendees of the 11th annual Taste of Ormond at Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Michele Meyers
S.R. Perrott hosted various beer and seltzer tasting tents at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Carmen Servin and Amanda Jackman offer guests S.R. Perrott beer and seltzer tastings at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond held at the Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Michele Meyers
Carmen Servin and Amanda Jackman serve S.R. Perrott beer and seltzer tastings at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond held at the Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Michele Meyers
Taylor Lahna serves Grind Gastropub meatballs to guests attending the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Phyllis Stauffenberg (center) and Jeanne Emmett (right) stop by the Grind Gastropub tent to get some meatballs from Taylor Lahna at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond as Dolores Hartshorn (left) makes her way there to do the same. Photo by Michele Meyers
Riptides Raw Bar and Grill kitchen manager Michael Garner (right) and his crabcake-making 'rock star' Madison Jones serve seafood at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Swillerbees Craft Donuts baked 700 doughnuts for guests at the 11th annual Taste of rmond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Swillerbees Craft Donuts will be opening a third location in Ormond Beach this summer at the former Donnie's Donuts location. Photo by Michele Meyers
Three-year-old Gabriel Wehde enjoys an acai bowl at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Hi family owns Swillerbees Craft Donuts. Photo by Michele Meyers
The Fletcher clan, sans parents, Logan Fletcher (second from left), Connor Fletcher and Bill Fletcher Jr. man the tent with new addition Kaleb Zahn (left) at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Musician Austin Huett perfomrs undeer the big tent at the Rockerfeller Gardens for guests attending the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Daytona Beach Shores residents Leslie Wackerman (left) and Laura East check out the silent auction goodies at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond at the Rockefeller Gardens. Photo by Michele Meyers
Zach Crain, Anja Erwin and Lisa Taylor peruse the silent auction items at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Artist Kirsten Lahmann creates a live painting for the silent auction at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach MainStreet Executive Director Becky Parker and Tom Caffrey announce the winners of the silent auction and the 50-50 raffle at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Volunteer coordinator Nancy 'Vanna White' Cortez (right) congratulates one of the raffle winners at the 11th annual Taste of Ormond. Photo by Michele Meyers
Ormond Beach MainStreet hosted the 11th annual Taste of Ormond at the Rockefeller Gardens on Sunday, May 19. The food and beverage tasting event is the entities only fundraiser.
Becky Parker, Ormond Beach MainStreet Executive Director, said this is the only event they do to increase their budget which they utilize for the community and its projects.
“This event is our only fundraiser so every other event we do is for the community and to bring people into the heart of our town,” she said. “We put them on to give the community something to do, to make it more vibrant here and to bring people into the district from out of town. For example, they may not know that Wild Rabbit Bistro is here and that we have these beautiful four parks in the center of town.”
She said this event shines the light on local restaurants and puts them on the map.
“They need it for sure, right now,” Parker said. “The economy is a little wonky and so any recognition and promotion that they can get is good.”
New this year was the 31 Supper Club Mixology Experience where bartenders David Greenwood and Chris Silvasman crafted three signature drinks for the guests along with drink making demonstrations and pointers. Greenwood, a manager at 31 Supper Club, presented the idea to staff at Realty Pros Assured who liked the idea and hosted the experience.
“I think this is a record year because we added the mixology which was an additional ticket cost so that was helpful for our bottom line,” Parker said. “People really seemed to enjoy it. We thank 31 very, very much for donating their time and liquor. The community all comes together for this.”
We try to go the extra mile. We want the 'wow factor'. We want the food to stand out. We want to represent. I was taught a long time ago, you go all out or you don't do it at all. - MICHAEL GARNER, Riptides Raw Bar and Grill kitchen manager
S.R. Perrott donated two bottles of wine per table and provided additional wine, beer and seltzer free to event guests. Parker said they are the events biggest sponsors.
Riptides Raw Bar and Grill served their specialty crab cakes along with a variety of seafood. Kitchen manager Michael Garner said it was his first year at the event and he wanted to represent for the restaurant.
“We try to go the extra mile,” he said. “We want the 'wow factor'. We want the food to stand out. We want to represent. I was taught a long time ago, you go all out or you don't do it at all.”
Daytona State College student Madison Jones prepared the crab cakes. She recently graduated with an Associate of Science degree and received a scholarship to get her bachelors in hospitality management.
“I've got my little rock star here,” Garner said. “She (Jones) did all the crab cakes and does catering events for us.”
Swillerbees Craft Donuts sold out of the fan favorite strawberry cheesecake doughnut by 6:00 p.m. Their bakery manager baked 700 doughnuts for the occasion but they flew off the racks the entire event. Owner Dakota Wehde said it is important to make his employees and customers feel loved, valued and known. He believes what sets them apart are the people.
“Anyone can make a doughnut but it really takes understanding how to bake and how to fry a doughnut and all that goes into it,” he said. “We've narrowed it down to a science and made tons of mistakes and learned what worked for us. Realistically, what makes our doughnuts different would be the people behind them—the people making them.”
Jessica Miller, Chamber of Commerce Events and Communications Director, offered to help clean after the silent auction winners were announced and the event wrapped up. Parker said they work together to support the community.
“In our town, the Chamber and MainStreet are best friends,” Parker said. “We work together on a lot of things because I think we have similar goals which is all Ormond related—to support Ormond Beach's local commerce and local economic health. It's all about the people.”
