More than 700 people gathered at Mennonite Heritage Village (MHV) Tuesday evening as the Steinbach Chamber hosted its annual Taste of Steinbach event, showcasing local food producers, chefs and businesses. Sold-out success The sold-out event welcomed 712 guests to rows of tables lining the main street of MHV. “We think that the evening was an incredible success,” says Tessa Masi, executive director of the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce. “The weather was absolutely perfect. A lot of sun, a little bit of shade, really good food and good drinks. I couldn’t be happier.” Masi says the event has grown significantly since it first launched four years ago. “When we started, it was an experiment. We didn’t really know what to expect,” Masi says, noting the first year 360 people were in attendance. An elevated block party Masi describes Taste of Steinbach as an “elevated block party,” focused on showcasing local food and building community connections. Guests were served brisket as the featured meal, alongside offerings from a growing list of local food producers and culinary partners. “We had a chef from Steinbach Regional Secondary School, we had a chef from Von Slicks at Buffalo Point and we had Big Smoak do the beef brisket,” says Eugene Warwaruk, president of the Steinbach Chamber. Attendees also received menu booklets highlighting participating chefs, producers and event partners. Setting the scene “We’re really happy to partner with the MHV and show off their grounds. People travel a long way to come and see,” says Masi. Taste of Steinbach has been hosted in several locations over the years, but organizers said this year’s venue earned strong praise from attendees, who appreciated the event’s simple but elevated atmosphere. “A lot of people are saying, ‘we think you leveled up again this year, and we’re excited to see what you do next.’” “Being at MHV was extra special, the environment, the history that people could connect to. I think it touched a lot of people and made it that much more special,” Warwaruk says. Strengthening community Beyond the food, organizers say the event is designed to strengthen community connections and showcase Steinbach to visitors. “All we have to do is set the scene and then let people do their networking and connecting,” Masi says. “We want to really show off Steinbach to people from outside the community and celebrate it for the people who live here.” With files from Corny Rempel