Tasty 20 foodie events bring the bucks, fill the bellies with dishes made for occasion
At Orlando foodie favorite, Taste of Chengdu, a single entrée might easily run north of $20 — let alone three courses. You wouldn’t dare dream of it …
But Maria Mancia-Vayo did. And then she made the dream come true.
A passionate gourmand with a background in marketing, Mancia-Vayo sought to marry her food-forward interests with her event-planning prowess and create exciting events that would benefit both local, independent restaurants and customers interested in trying new dishes and venues.
The result: Tasty 20. “I launched the first to coincide with the Chinese New Year at what is arguably the best Sichuan restaurant in town,” Mancia-Vayo says of Taste of Chengdu. “About 45 people showed up to enjoy an epic meal prepared by celebrated chef Tiger Tang. It was a cultural feast for the senses.”
And a total success that was poised to bring the spoils of this new venture to other boîtes around town.
Alas, the chilly clasp of COVID-19 forced a pumping of the brakes — and a pivot. Retooled for takeout, Tasty 20 resurfaced again months later with an event at Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa, a testing ground for both Mancia-Vayo and the eatery. At the time, new rules about lines, social distancing and
the like were still a question mark, but again, Tasty 20 proved a hit.
Eventually, as comfort levels grew and restrictions relaxed, the program morphed into its present form, a hybrid allowing dine-in guests to stick around while others take their deals to go. A recent collaboration with Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria sold 111 orders. It was a mind-blower.
“At the outset, I wanted to highlight and showcase the restaurant,” she says, “but now these events have taken on a new level of importance. They’re really helping!”
Ryan Manning, chef-owner of MX Taco, hosted a recent event and agrees wholeheartedly.
“One of the few positives of 2020 is that it is really bringing our Main Street together in unique ways,” Manning says. “The innovation of Tasty 20 is a great way to help neighborhood restaurants. It brought new first-time guests to MX Taco and made them want to come back to try our regular menu, as well.”
Indeed, a unique facet of the program is that most restaurants will put together event-specific dishes, specials that not only woo new customers but also entice regulars who know they’ll only have a day or two to try something unique.
Deals, too, can be pretty tasty. Take the menu for the George’s Café edition of Tasty 20 (Sept. 10-12). It features the eatery’s popular French dip, in which medium-rare, house-roasted prime rib joins forces with French onion jus and homemade steak sauce inside a crusty baguette for a sandwich that regularly goes for $18.95.
“Guests can come in and get that, plus salad and dessert for $20,” she notes, adding that the specialty plate, bacon-wrapped shrimp over cheesy polenta, is a new one that she’s tried. “It’s delicious!”
Tasty 20 proceeds go directly to the restaurant. Mancia-Vayo helps with planning — menus, promotional photos and videos — but has no connection to transactions.
She hopes the organization’s new nonprofit status will allow the program to expand.
“I’ve been getting requests by potential sponsors to participate and put their support behind it, past participants in particular,” Mancia-Vayo says. It’s really neat in that regard, and I think the nonprofit will be the next step to allow people to help me help others.”
Upcoming T20s, after George’s, include Hunger Street Tacos (Sept. 19), Taglish (Sept. 25) and a multi-vendor soiree at Mount Dora Marketplace (Sept. 26).
“And for December, a Magical
Dining-like event: 20 Days of Tasty 20, featuring 20 different restaurants,” she says.
COVID-19 has been a nightmare for the industry she loves, but Mancia-Vayo admits the timing for her passion project seems serendipitous.
“Restaurants continue to suffer, and there isn’t much being done for them,” says Mancia-Vayo, who moderates on the Tasty Chomps Foodie Forum while growing her Once Upon Orlando page (facebook.com/OnceUponOrlando), a new home for Tasty 20. Follow her there for information on upcoming events. “I think this project is lifting them up, helping them out.”
Tasty 20 is time-consuming. There are costs involved. But along with the help of her “awesome,” supportive husband/lighting and camera guy, Ben Vayo, it’s the conversations and messages from restaurateurs of the program’s impact that keeps her focused. That could mean new customers for the publicity or tales of happy staffers, grateful for a busy night or two.
“And the excitement it creates among the foodies is wonderful,” she says. “It has become a special night, a little escape for $20. And they know how much they are helping.”
Word is getting out. Restaurants are on a waitlist. ManciaVayo plans on getting to every, single one while continuing to develop the concept and keeping the primary message in the forefront.
“This isn’t just about food,” she says. “It’s about community.”