Toledo Zoo Fund-Raiser Features 54 Restaurants, Eclectic Menu

By Kathie Smith, The Blade, Toledo, Ohio

May 27–ZOOtoDO, the Toledo Zoo’s annual black-tie affair, has become a culinary and entertainment extravaganza. The event, to be held on June 20, begins at 6 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and beverages in the Africa exhibit from 10 vendors. Leap from there at 7:30 p.m. until midnight to the historic side of the zoo for an assortment of foods and beverages from 44 vendors. This year’s party theme is Leap Year, and frogs are the featured animals.

The eclectic dress code for men ranges from tuxedoes to dinner jackets and bow ties paired with black shorts and tennis shoes, or even cowboy boots. Ladies are dressed in sundresses, pantsuits, or formal dresses with fancy tennis shoes or sandals (remember, this is a walking event).

“It’s not suicidal to eat ribs in a tux,” says Peter Boyer, restaurant chairman. “Ribs fall off the bone from places like Texas Roadhouse.” There also will be ribs from Famous Dave’s BBQ, various barbecue items from Duncan’s Code 3 BBQ Products, and pulled pork sandwiches from CityQ Barbecue. Texas Roadhouse will also serve beef tips.

“Guests count on shrimp and oysters every year from Sylvania Country Club,” says Mr. Boyer. And the lobster bisque from Avenue Bistro is a favorite. This year Avenue Bistro’s Chef John Wesley will also serve medallions of beef tenderloin in red wine peppered espagnole.

The menu from the 54 restaurants is eclectic, from bar food to high-end choices. There are plenty of interesting ingredients, chefs and restaurants, and items to fit anyone’s taste.

Chef Marcel Hesseling, executive chef at Toledo Zoo, is preparing Pan-Asian Glazed Sustainable Organic Salmon pan-seared and served on petite watercress salad with quinoa, organic dried cherries and roasted beets finished with lemon vinaigrette.

“I try to tie food into locally produced and sustainable produce from local producers and purveyors,” says the chef who has been at the zoo more than 6 years. “The zoo is trying to be health conscious and environmentally conscious with menus and materials.”

Memorial Day weekend is the official kickoff of the zoo season. So in June, “ZOOtoDO is a great opportunity to show what we can do in our catering department.”

With two main kitchens in the Lodge and the Nairobi area that seat 160 and 1,000 respectively, the zoo offers custom menus and traditional menus. “We are doing more upscale events,” he says. “Now we do weddings, both indoor and outdoor, and have wedding and rehearsal packages.”

For the salmon dish for ZOOtoDO, he’s added quinoa, the high-protein grain from South America that is tiny and bead-shaped and cooks like rice. Its delicate flavor has been compared to couscous. The microgreens will come from the Chef’s Garden in Huron, Ohio, and so will the multi-colored mini beets, which will be roasted. The sustainable organic salmon comes from Scotland via Rohr’s Fish. Other produce comes from local vendors.

The quinoa can also be sauted with vegetables. “I use it in beggar’s purses as appetizers made with phyllo or a crepe tied with a chive,” he says. “The quinoa is mixed with goat cheese and vegetables or onions and mushrooms. Quinoa is very popular with vegetarians and vegans because of the amount of protein in it.”

Chef Hesseling is also preparing appetizers for the VIP party. These include duck, bacon, and broccoli-stuffed baby red potatoes, crudites, and small spicy gazpacho shooters as well as a sandwich station with mini carved prime rib with fresh goat cheese, mini grilled salmon prosciutto BLTs, and mini grilled portobello mushrooms with boursin cheese and watercress.

Among the upscale foods served at ZOOtoDO will be mini crab cakes with roasted spiced apples and chilled white gazpacho with toasted almonds and lobster meat from Stone Ridge Golf Club in Bowling Green.

Brandywine Country Club will be back with the sesame teriyaki salmon skewers that were so popular last year, says Mr. Boyer. The club will also serve beef satay.

There’s a Michigan contingent, too.

Ever-popular Evans Street Station of Tecumseh, Mich., will have roulade of asparagus and chanterelles with prosciutto de parma and herbed tomato butter.

The University of Michigan University Unions also has a booth. Keith Soster of UM once was employed at the Toledo Zoo. “When he left the zoo, we asked him if he wanted to help out,” says Mr. Boyer. Now Mr. Soster is on the restaurant committee.

UM’s featured food will be seared tuna crostini; chicken potsticker lollipops (chicken- and-vegetable-filled wonton on a stick served with orange sesame sauce), and mini seared tuna tostadas.

Weber’s Inn of Ann Arbor will have prime rib roast.

There’s also plenty for the global palate with sushi, Mexican, Mediterranean, Italian, Irish Shepard’s Pie from Claddagh Irish Pub, and Asian foods.

“There’s always new restaurants,” says Mr. Boyer, who notes the high-end desserts like the Katz Sisters Cheesecakes, the variety of cakes from Eston’s Gourmet Creations, and mini desserts from Timberline Bakery at the zoo.

“The quality has gone up year after year,” he says.

ZOOtoDO started in 1988 as the Savanna Soiree, a fund- raiser for the pandas; there were 300 people at a sit-down affair. In 2008, a sellout crowd of 1,800 guests is expected, with 54 restaurants participating. By July, Mr. Boyer and his committee will be planning the 2009 event. “By the end of the year, we’ll have 45 restaurants signed up,” he says. “This year we had to turn a few away.”

Each restaurant donates 800 to 1,000 sample-size servings. “They work with a grill and coolers and there’s even a few deep-fryers,” he adds. Chafing dishes are the norm and hot boxes are used to transport food.

Proceeds benefit the zoo. Tickets are $150 per person. It is a rain or shine event, and guests must be 21 or older. For information or reservations contact the zoo’s development office at 419-385-5721 ext. 2091. Tickets are limited.

Contact Kathie Smith at: food@theblade.com or 419-724-6155.

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