About 400 people attend annual charity event at Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center

he owner of the Alor Cafe, the Taste of Staten Island celebration isn't just a chance to shine competitively, it's a way to keep up with the borough's culinary trends.

"The secret is staying fresh, creative – and unique presentation," said Alexsandr Orman, who's both owner and executive chef of the Grant City restaurant. "The food industry is like the fashion industry."

Sage words, it turns out: Alor won big at the annual charity competition, and took home Best in Show for the second straight year.

The celebration, held under a massive tent on the grounds of the Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in Egbertville, drew about 400 people to sample from some 26 restaurants, 16 bakeries and 10 pizza cafes, said Vienna Profeta, Eger's senior vice president for development. Proceeds go to resident programs at the center, she said.

"What can I tell you, it becomes overwhelming. The best part of it all is the competition. We love honoring people," Ms. Profeta said. "The serious restaurant owner, the serious pastry chefs and the serious pizza cafes, they take it seriously."

And the attendees had an array of pasta, dishes, deserts, wines and exotic tastes to choose from.

"There was so much. It was all good," said Louis Leonini, of Annadale. "The deserts were outrageous."

Sweet, Sweet Sue's, an Annadale bakery and newcomer to the event, picked up best in show for bakeries and best special occasion cake, for a towering sugar-coated celebration of the borough's 350th birthday.

"It's gotta be, I would say, definitely over three feet tall," said Sue Ognibene of Rossville, who co-owns the store with her husband, Dominic.

The store specializes in theme cakes – purses and shoes for Sweet 16 parties, cars, and in one instance, a life-sized replica of Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter from the "Alice in Wonderland" movie, from the chest up.

The event also honored Borough President James P. Molinaro, Assemblyman Vincent Ignizio (R-South Shore), Assemblyman Matthew Titone (D-North Shore), and Carol Dunn, executive director of the Staten Island Inter-Agency Council for Aging since 1997.

Molinaro said he sampled "a little of everything, most desserts."

"It's a huge success for a very good cause," Molinaro said. "The success today goes back to the community."