Service Sunday for restaurant owner Matt Haley
An outdoor service honoring Sussex County restaurateur Matt Haley will be held Sunday at the Freeman Stage at Bayside, at 31750 Lake View Drive near Selbyville, beginning at 2 p.m.
Doors open at 1:15 p.m. Seating is on a first-come basis. Up to 2,000 people are expected at the tribute, which is slated to have live entertainment and food trucks.
Haley, who owned eight restaurants in Sussex County, died Aug. 19 of injuries from a motorcycle accident in India.
Haley was traveling through Northern India and Nepal on a six-week humanitarian trip when the motorcycle he was driving collided with a truck. He had planned to deliver stoves to a Nepal village.
The 53-year-old was having one of the best years of his professional life. A longtime philanthropist, Haley received theJames Beard Foundation's 2014 Humanitarian of the Year Award for his work in Nepal, and Delaware.
Earlier this year, he also received the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation's Cornerstone Humanitarian Award and the International Association of Culinary Professionals' National Humanitarian Award.
"It is my hope, my prayer that all of us whose lives have been touched by Matt and by his unique and infectious humor and spirit will continue his remarkable lifetime of work," U.S. Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) said in a speech on the Senate floor last week.
Guests attending the tribute, free and open to the public, are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food donation to benefit the Food Bank of Delaware, one of the many local causes Haley supported.
The service will be streamed live on www.freemanstage.org. The rain date is Monday at 11 a.m.
The Matt Haley Companies' restaurants, operating under the SoDel Concepts umbrella, include Fish On in Lewes; Lupo di Mare and Papa Grande's Coastal Taqueria in Rehoboth; Matt's Fish Camp and Bluecoast Seafood Grill in Bethany Beach; Northeast Seafood Kitchen in Ocean View; and Catch 54 and the flagship Papa Grande's in Fenwick Island.
More deals on meals this week
Delaware Dines Out, The News Journal-sponsored restaurant week, continues this week through Sunday.
News Journal staffers are visiting some of the 27 participating restaurants and writing about their experiences.
Participating restaurants are offering $30 three-course meals, and some also are serving $15 two-course lunches.
Reviews are being posted on our Second Helpings blog, www.delaware online.com/blog/secondhelpings. We'll have a round-up of reviews in Friday's 55 Hours.
To see the Delaware Dines Out
restaurants and their menus, visit www.delawaredinesout.com.
Some of the participating restaurants also are offering other specials at their establishments.
On Thursday night, Caffé Gelato in Newark, in conjunction with Frank's Wines of Wilmington, is holding a tasting of "fall" wines from 6:30-8 p.m. at the 90 E. Main St. restaurant. The cost, $35 per person, includes tastes of "spicy" Cotes du Rhones, "brambly" Zinfandels, "monster" Cabernets and "big" whites.
Johnny Cash fans should check out David Stone, who performs "Live with the Johnny Cash Experience," on Sunday, beginning at 6 p.m. at Caffé Gelato. The entertainment, and six-course wine dinner, is $79 per person. Dishes are inspired by Cash songs.
And coming on Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. is a "White Whale Beer Dinner" with Dogfish Head Brewery founder Sam Calagione. The featured beers at the $79 dinner include Choc Lobster, Positive Contact, 2011 120-minute IPA, 2011 Red & White and Vintage Fort.
For menus and more information, visit Caffé Gelato at caffegelato.net or call (302) 738-5811.
Domaine Hudson has new sous chef
The Wilmington restaurant Domaine Hudson – which also is participating in Delaware Dines Out this week – has a new man in the kitchen joining Chef d'Cuisine Dwain Kalup.
New sous chef Brent Chellew is a graduate of the culinary program at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. Previously, he worked at the Admiral's Cove Club in Jupiter, Florida, where he was executive chef at the Marina Café.
The New Castle native and Kalup had once worked together at Harry's Hospitality Group.
A review of Domaine Hudson's Delaware Dines Out menu is posted on our Second Helpings blog. For reservations, call the 1314 N. Washington St. at (302) 655-9463.
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delaware online.com. Read her culinary blog Second Helpings at www.delaware online.com/blog/secondhelpings and follow her on Twitter @pattytalorico.
