This Week’s Events: Cajun Cookin’ Challenge, Chopped Champions, Valentine’s Day, Cloak & Dagger, Brush with Love, Flavors of Freeport

Tuesday — Rob Evans (there’s an interview with Evans in today’s Press Herald) will be competing in the finals for Chopped Champions on the Food Network, the WMPG 18th Annual Fat Tuesday Cajun Cookin’ Challenge is taking place.

Wednesday —Bunker Brewing is celebrating their 1-year anniversary at Local 188, and Cloak & Dagger is holding their Killing Me Sweetly dinner.

Valentine’s Day — nearly every restaurant in town will be open for Valentine’s Day. Here are the one’s planning Valentine’s Day menus or events:

• Anthony’s, 5-course dinner and Rat Pack Valentine’s Day show, $39.95
• Bar Lola, 5-course prix fixe, $55 per person.
• El Rayo Cantina, 3-course dinner, $35 per person.
• Five Fifty-Five, 5-course tasting menu, $88 per person with optional wine pairing for $35 or $50.
• Hugo’s, 7-course dinner, $80 per person with optional wine pairing at $55. The dinner is also available on Friday and Saturday.
• Gelato Fiasco will be serving 30+ red, white, pink and chocolate gelati.
• Inn on Peaks Island, 4-course, $65 per person.
• Maria’s, 3-course dinner, $38 per person.
• Nosh is celebrating a Love Affair with Bacon.
• Novare Res is collaborating with Sweet Marguerite’s to serves a set of beer and chocolate pairings.
• Petite Jacqueline, 3-course dinner, $55 per person with optional menu supplements, wine pairing and champagne flights.
• Roost and Modern Vegan are collaborating to offer 5-course series of chocolate and wine pairings, $25 per couple.
• Spread, 4-course dinner, $50 per person.
• The Holy Donut is making a strawberry glazed donut drizzled with 60% dark chocolate.
• The Salt Exchange, 6-course Midnight in Paris menu, $65 per person.
• Twenty Milk Street, 3-course menu.
• Wine Wise has a few spots left for their 2nd annual wine and chocolate pairing class.
• Zapoteca, 4-course dinner “Celebrating the Love of Asian Influenced Mexican Cuisine”, $50 per person.
• Maine Restaurant Week has posted their recommendations for Valentine’s Day parsed by relationship status.
• Looking to do something a little different? Try the vegan soul food cooking demo taking place at USM

Friday —it’s the first day of the Flavors of Freeport.

Saturday — there will be a wine tasting at Browne Trading, it’s the last day of the Flavors of Freeport, and the Winter Farmers Market is taking place.

Sunday — Chefs Nikos Regas from Emilitsa, Pete Sultenfuss from Grace and Mitchell Gerow from East Ender will be competing in Boston at the Lamb Jam, Two Fat Cats is holding a wedding cake tasting, and Petite Jacqueline is screening Ratatouille.

For more information on these and other upcoming food happenings in the area, visit the event calendar.

If you are holding a food event this week that’s not listed above, publicize it by adding it as a comment to this post.