The Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announces their 5th annual Toast of the Town: A symphony of flavors to be held on Friday, March 14, 2014, 7:00 p.m., at RiverMill Event Centre. Toast of the Town will include tastings of a variety of fine wines, hand-crafted beers, Southern spirits and foods ranging from gourmet signature dishes to decadent chocolates, all to benefit the Columbus Symphony Orchestra.

For the second consecutive year, Garden & Gun magazine returns to Toast of the Town to host the Chef’s Tent. This year’s event features James Beard Award-winning cookbook authors and culinary personalities Matt Lee and Ted Lee (The Lee Bros.) out of Charleston, S.C. Guests will enjoy dishes straight from the pages of their cookbooks, including their latest cookbook The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, along with live music and a signature cocktail featuring Cathead Vodka. A limited number of tickets are available for this pre-Grand Tasting event.

Toast of the Town will feature vintners from around the world as well as regional chefs, restaurants and suppliers.  Guest will taste samplings from Columbus restaurants: Meritage, EPIC, Bitter Brick, Bombay Bay, Buckhead Steak and Wine, Divine Dinners, Henry’s A Taste of Louisiana, Fountain City Coffee, It’s Your Day Catering, Midtown Cakes, The Intense Fork, Trevioli Artisan Pasta Company; and local clubs: The Chattahoochee River Club, Country Club of Columbus and Green Island Country Club. Regional restaurants participating this year are: Acre (Auburn), Maestro 2300 (Auburn), Jim ‘n Nicks BBQ (Montgomery), Jimmy’s (Opelika), Kowaliga Restaurant (Alex City) and The Gardens Restaurant at Callaway Gardens.

Featured wine makers this year include Ana Lopez Lindon from Bodegas Gramona (Penedes, Spain); Patrick Krutz with Krutz Family Cellars (California) and Susie Selby from Selby Winery (California). Toast of the Town will also highlight Kaleb Cribb, mixologist from National Distributing Company, Erik Vonk with Richland Rum Distillery and Carrie King, with Vixen Vodka. Guests will also be offered tastings from craft breweries: Monday Night Brewing, Jailhouse Brewing, Lazy Magnolia, RJ Rockers, Sweetwater and Terrapin.

Tickets are $85 per person for the Grand Tasting and $150 per person for the Garden & Gun Chef’s Tent featuring The Lee Bros. Tickets may be purchased by visiting www.ToastColumbus.com or by calling 706.256.3640.