Montville, NJ – The Montville Inn is proud to have been a participant in the annual "Taste of the NFL" event that occurred during Super Bowl XLIII weekend on January 31, 2009, in Tampa. The Montville Inn, along with Perona Farms located in Andover, NJ, were the first two restaurants from New Jersey to have ever been invited to participate in the event since its inception in Minneapolis in 1992.

"Taste of the NFL" was born at Super Bowl XXVI. The Party with a Purpose^® was launched through the hard work and dedication of hundreds of volunteers. Twenty eight of the finest chefs from around the country (one from each NFL city) served up their personal specialties alongside an alumni player from each of the NFL teams.

The event from that initial year sold out and raised $90,000, with all of the proceeds going to local and national hunger organizations. It was the highest net fundraiser of Super Bowl XXVI. For each of the last 16 years "Taste of the NFL" has been presented on the eve of the Super Bowl in each of the Super Bowl cities. Since the event's inception, more than $6.8 million has been raised and distributed to hunger-relief groups.

The Giants and Jets have always been represented by restaurants based in New York, but the league finally recognized that their home base is in New Jersey and, as a result, the state should be represented as well.

A cooperative effort between many "New Jersey" companies sponsored a "Jersey Fresh" theme featuring Jersey Seafood. The Montville Inn Executive Chef John Livera and Perona Farms Executive Chef Brian Bagley featured: "Viking Fresh" Jersey Sea Scallops seared and served with a black pepper sherry vinegar gastrique. "Viking Fresh" scallops are a product of Barnegate Light-based Viking Village which supplies some of the country's finest and freshest seafood to restaurants and upscale supermarkets nationwide. Also featured was "Baymen's Pride" — clams that open on their own as a result of a processing technique called high hydrostatic pressure processing at Rutgers University's Center for Applied Food Sciences. They are certified bacteria-free and as a result produce a great-tasting clam. "Baymen's Pride" features third-generation baymen in Atlantic County who are also second-generation aquaculturists.

Some other notable chefs who participated in the event include Jean-Robert de Cavel – Pigall's (Cincinnati Bengals), Susan Spicer – Bayona (New Orleans Saints), Allen Susser – Chef Allen's (Miami Dolphins) and Kent Rathbun – Abacus (Dallas Cowboys).

The three-hour reception was headlined by a special performance from Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg Band. The Taste of the NFL website states that "As the long-time drummer for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Weinberg has entertained millions of fans all over the world including the 1993 and 1997 Presidential Inauguration Galas, the 1995 Grammy Awards, and the 1995 Gala Concert for the dedication of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1993, Weinberg joined forces with Conan O'Brien to become the musical director for a new talk show — Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Today, The Max Weinberg 7 is widely regarded as the 'best band in late night TV.'"

The event took place this year the evening before Super Bowl XLIII at Tropicana Field, home of the American League Champion Tampa Bay Rays. "We are very honored and excited to be the first restaurant from New Jersey to be invited to participate in this prestigious event, and to have it hosted at Tropicana Field makes it even more special after the Rays' historic run to the World Series last fall," said Randy Frankel, General Partner of the Tampa Bay Rays and co-owner of The Montville Inn along with T.J. Nelligan and John Hanlon.

The Montville Inn sits in a bucolic corner of Morris County, NJ, on the pre-Revolutionary War site of the original Mandeville Inn. Since its re-opening in July 2007, after a three-year rebuild, it has been recognized with outstanding reviews by both media critics and customers alike who continue to be pleased with its comprehensive wine list, unique food offerings and excellent service. As reviewed by the New York Times, "Comfort-food dishes...are the foundation of The Montville Inn's menu...Seafood entrees are well handled here...The kitchen has an inordinate amount of fun with dessert...The real sweetness, though, is in the staff, which is exceptionally warm and attentive."

Executive chef John Livera of The Montville Inn, a native of Morris County, is a graduate of Johnson & Wales. His resume includes time with well-known names within the business such as Danny Meyer, for whom he worked as executive sous chef at Blue Smoke in New York, and Wolfgang Puck at Postrio in San Francisco.

Pictured from left to right: T.J. Nelligan, co-owner of The Montville Inn; Joe Madden, "American League Manager of the Year," Tampa Bay Rays; John Livera, executive chef of The Montville Inn; Randy Frankel, co-owner of The Montville Inn and general partner of the Tampa Bay Rays; Matt Silverman, president of the Tampa Bay Rays; and Andrew Friedman, general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays