At present, the 2012 Celebrity Tasting Panel includes Audrey Claire Taichman of Twenty Manning, Audrey Claire, and Cook, Chef Joey Chmiko of Resurrection Ale House and Rob Wasserman of Rouge. Members of the Celebrity Tasting Panel are responsible, along with event attendees, for selecting the respective winners of the Chili Challenge and the Golden Meatball Competition.

Audrey Claire Taichman is one of Philadelphia's leading restaurateurs and the only woman to own two restaurants in the City. Both of Audrey's restaurants, Twenty Manning and Audrey Claire, are located in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. Audrey Claire is a Mediterranean B.Y.O.B located at 20th and Spruce. Located across 20th, Twenty Manning is a SOHO-styled neighborhood bistro and lounge. In addition to her restaurants, Ms. Taichman also owns Cook, a state-of-the-art, fully-equipped, sixteen-seat kitchen-classroom to discover, prepare and enjoy meals made from local and seasonal ingredients

Joey Chmiko is the Chef at Resurrection Ale House, a purveyor of fine beers and nationally-acclaimed fried chicken, located at the corner of Catharine Street and Grays Ferry Avenue directly across from the ginormous Naval Square condo complex. In addition to being regularly considered one of Philadelphia best bars, Chef Chmiko has won acclaim for his menu that focuses of a rotating selection of seasonal specialties. In 2011, Philadelphia Magazine awarded his pork sandwich “Best in Philly,” not a small feat considering the plethora of amazing pork sandwiches that can be found in our city. In 2010, Bon Appétit included Chef Chmiko’s fried chicken as among the 10 best in the entire country.

Rob Wasserman is the owner of Rouge, a fine-dining (and unsurpassed people watching) institution that has graced Rittenhouse Square since 1998. Fresh produce is key to all dishes, but the standout draw remains the famous Rouge Burger, that was named in 2005 the “Best Cheeseburger in America” by Gentleman’s Quarterly and awarded in 2007 “Best in Philly” by Philadelphia Magazine.