When you think of past "MasterChef" contestants - amazing blind chef Christina, budding restaurateur Luca, pastry whiz Whitney - it's hard to believe they were unknown in the culinary world before starring in the FOX cooking competition.

Lewiston's Village Bake Shoppe is selling special blue cookies to raise funds for "Blue4Ben." A portion of the cookie sale proceeds will go to the Sauer family.

Mark your calendars for the sixth annual Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens, taking place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 7 and 8 at select addresses in Lewiston and Youngstown. Organizers report six entertaining and cooking spaces will be featured as well as culinary samples created by chefs from area restaurants.

Patissier and master chocolatier Julia Baker brings her unique culinary skills to Cooking Channel this summer in the six-episode series, "Sweet Julia," premiering Saturday, June 21, at 2:30 p.m.

The United Baptist-Christian Church of Lewiston is having a car wash and hot dog sale Sunday, May 25, to raise funds to send a group of adults to New Jersey in July to assist in the continued rebuilding of communities affected by "Hurricane Sandy."

Dunkin' Donuts is inviting Buffalo-area residents to get ready for summer with the return of "Iced Coffee Day." On Wednesday, May 21, $1 from every cup of iced coffee sold at participating Dunkin' Donuts restaurants throughout the greater Buffalo area will directly benefit Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

Russian producer, broadcaster and creative thinker Zamir Gotta visited Niagara Falls last weekend. Zamir, head of Gotta Media LLC, sampled local cuisine and toured world-famous attractions.

For the second year in a row, Grand Island's The Beach House has won Niagara Frontier Publication's "Best Fish Fry" contest.

Dunkin' Donuts recently announced the opening of its newest Buffalo-area restaurant at 1280 Sweet Home Road in Amherst. A grand opening celebration offering gift baskets, giveaways and prizes for guests will be held Saturday, May 17, from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Friends of the Youngstown Free Library invites the community to support its next fundraiser on Monday, May 19, at Bandana's Bar and Grill, 930 Lake Road, in Porter. The restaurant is giving 10 percent of the sales of meals eaten in the dining room and patio that day to the Friends to benefit the library. This includes breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

A Chiavetta's chicken barbecue drive-thru will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 21, at St. James United Methodist Church, 4661 Porter Road, Niagara Falls.

The Auxiliary of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will hold a dinnertime fundraising event at The Bakery Restaurant on Monday, May 19, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are now on sale for the May 21 event "Vines & Wines" to benefit the horticulture program and its participants with intellectual and other developmental disabilities through the Niagara Floral Center and Greenhouse at Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara.

The 31st annual Roger W. Andrews Senior Citizen Breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, May 10, at the Niagara-Wheatfield High School cafeteria. The free event includes a free full breakfast, prizes, a geranium to every attendee, and a tribute to all veterans. All Niagara-Wheatfield area senior citizens 50 years and older are welcome.

Firehouse Subs, a member of the Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, held a grand opening ribbon-cutting with members of the chamber, elected officials, Fashion Outlets of Niagara staff and Niagara Active House Fire Co.

Bryan Lozinsky of Lewiston and Norm Schneider of Getzville met while working together over the years as meat cutters for area grocery stores.

About five years ago, the two friends started making their own sausage out of their homes for family, friends and for sale.

The Auxiliary of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center will hold a dinnertime fundraising event at The Bakery Restaurant on Monday, May 19, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Cinco de Mayo translates to May 5. ... Unless you're in Lewiston. In the village Monday, Cinco de Mayo meant a free taco at The Spicey Pickle. Photos, video.

You'd never know it by the cloud cover, but Friday marked the start of summer in Lewiston. The annual Smelt Festival drew in crowds from across Western New York, with each person hungry for a free sample of the tiny, deep-fried fish.

The Niagara River Anglers were set to batter and fry 400 pounds of smelt, which would be distributed inside white paper boats to festivalgoers.

Bravo Media has announced, in partnership with the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Emmy and James Beard Award-winning culinary competition series "Top Chef" will travel to Boston for the series' 12th season.

Oh, you won't believe this.

The Niagara River Region Chamber of Commerce, the Village of Lewiston and The Silo Restaurant, in cooperation with the Niagara River Anglers, will celebrate one of the region's most famous natural resources when they host the Lewiston Smelt Festival.

Chef Victor Parra has something special planned for the moms who eat at Jaguar at the Bistro this Mother's Day.

The Grand Island Lions Club's 45th annual spaghetti dinner will be held Monday, April 28, at the Byblos Niagara Resort and Spa from 5 to 8 p.m. The Lions will not only offer sumptuous piles of plated pasta, a basket raffle, and a presentation of Lions' Peace Poster contest entrants, it will also offer the community access to representatives from area service agencies who will be able to provide information on their services (some free or at low cost) and even volunteer and employment opportunities.

Food Network's long-running competition series "Food Network Star" is back for a 10th season in June, with culinary icons Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentiis and Bobby Flay leading the charge to discover the next promising face in food television.

"The Chew" kicks off "Chewer vs. Viewer" week when audience members have the chance to battle it out in the kitchen with their favorite co-hosts. Celebrity guests include Wendy Williams ("The Wendy Williams Show"); country music star Josh Turner, actress Mary Lynn Rajskub ("24") and Patti Moreno (HGTV's "Garden Girl").

The eighth season of the University Community Farmers Market will open Saturday, May 17, on the University at Buffalo South (Main Street) Campus. It will feature a variety of new and old vendors selling fresh food and local products.

The Niagara Wine Trail is celebrating its 12th anniversary with the annual Wine Trail Blossoms event Mother's Day weekend. Taking place May 9-11, Wine Trail Blossoms will showcase the wineries' spring preparations. Pre-sale event tickets are now on sale and can be purchased online through May 8.

Brian and Cathy Martin, new owners of The Natural Link, pose with a selection of hams they're selling just in time for Easter. Stop in and see them at their store, located at the corner of Center Street and Portage Road, just around the corner from Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard.

Speaking of his new restaurant, chef Michael Clark promises, "We're not going to be your everyday pizzeria."

Business partners Clark, of Niagara Falls, and Lewiston's Tony Vescio plan to open Big Guys Pizzeria and More early next month in the addition next to Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard on Portage Road. The eatery's name comes from its signature pie, a 28-inch pizza affectionately called "The Big Guy."

Looking for the freshest candies this Easter and upcoming Mother's Day? Steer clear of the drug store and hop on the Greater Niagara Region's delicious "Chocolate Trail," which features outstanding confections made the old-fashioned way by local chocolatiers and sweet shops.

Canalside will host a meeting for food vendors interested in participating in 2014 Canalside events. The event is slated for Thursday, April 17, at 3 p.m., at 95 Perry St., Buffalo. The meeting will be held inside the fifth floor conference room.

On Wednesday, April 16, St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Lewiston will distribute homemade hot cross buns.

Kiss winter goodbye: Hibbard's is open.

Hibbard's Original Frozen Custard officially began its summer season Friday in the Village of Lewiston. On a warm spring evening - after a long, cold winter - children and families lined up to grab the first ice cream treats of the season.

This year, on Tax Day, Hard Rock Café is cutting Americans a break by asking them to lay down their wallets and pick up the mic. On Tuesday, April 15, Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls, USA, opens up its stage to give fans a chance to "Sing for Your Supper."

With the weather finally becoming more springlike, residents and visitors in the Town of Niagara as usual will start seeing more and more construction vehicles at work. But this year, more commercial construction than ever is expected, especially along Military Road.

Town of Niagara building inspector Chuck Haseley has been hard at work with building permits and plans to be presented to the town's Planning Board. It's not unusual for the town to have 600 to 800 building permits per year, but there has been nothing of this commercial magnitude within the last five years, he said.

The Hard Rock Café, Niagara Falls USA, officially unveiled its new menu Wednesday. The global restaurant chain is promoting its new fare with the slogan "It Tastes As Good As It Sounds," which emphasizes the eatery's unique connection to the music industry.

HARBORCENTER President John Koelmel and Tim Hortons President and CEO Marc Caira have announced a one-of-a-kind Tim Hortons Cafe & Bake Shop will open at HARBORCENTER this fall.

Mark your calendars: It's time to celebrate the "Ben and Jerriest day of the year! That's right: The iconic Vermont ice cream company is holding its annual "Free Cone Day" as a way to thank ice cream-loving fans everywhere for their support.

Cambria Volunteer Fire Co. will hold a ham party and raffle Saturday, April 5, at its firehall, 4631 Cambria Wilson Road, Lockport.