Cincinnati, OH -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/01/2006 --Dine Originals, also known as the Council of Independent Restaurants of America (CIRA) expanded its ranks recently with the addition of the Greater Cincinnati Originals. What started as a grassroots effort just a few years ago now has over 700 member restaurants---about the size of the TGI Friday restaurant chain.

“We’re very happy to have the Greater Cincinnati Originals on board,” said Don Luria, president of the organization and proprietor of noted Tucson restaurant, Terra Cotta. “Cincinnati has a vibrant restaurant scene with a large number of dedicated independent restaurateurs who are passionate about what they do and how it affects their community,” Luria said.

“In fact,” he continued, “Drew Hester, secretary of the Greater Cincinnati Originals, was instrumental in pulling the Cincinnati restaurant community together through his work on the Cincinnati 7 Days for SIDS committee---an integral part of the Cincinnati dining scene every June.”

Says Hester, “The Greater Cincinnati Area, which includes northern Kentucky, southwest Ohio, and eastern Indiana, supports a wonderfully close knit community, especially the restaurant ‘family’. I believe we’re among the top-5 locations in America with the most restaurants per capita.” Hester continued to say that unfortunately, a big portion of those are chain restaurants. “We decided this chapter was important on two fronts: raise advertising dollars as a group to promote on a national level and raise awareness locally to promote ‘community pride in their hometown restaurants’.”

Luria said that fits well with the Dine Originals mission statement: Preserving Our Communities’ Culinary Sense of Place. “One of our major goals at Dine Originals is to prevent further dumbing down of the American palate. Our nation is rich in culinary heritage and we think there is a trend towards the preference of authenticity and heritage flavor in the menu choices diners are making. We think our heritage is important enough to fight for,” said Luria emphatically.

Annette deCavel, Greater Cincinnati Originals president and wife and partner of celebrated Chef Jean-Robert deCavel, said, “When you eat at a local restaurant, you’re not only supporting the owners, but everyone from your server, to the dishwasher to local farmers and purveyors. Our region has an extraordinary restaurant family and the community supports us so wonderfully.” The chapter’s website kicks off September 15th with an on-line 40% off Dining Certificate sale at www.GreaterCincinnatiOriginals.com. $50 or $25 certificates will be available for $30 and $15 respectively.

The group’s first large-scale event, “Octoberfeast, Dinner by the Bite”, is slated for Thursday, October 26th at the Verdin Bell Center in downtown Cincinnati. All member restaurants will participate and offer food tastings with wine available, all for the price of $45 per person. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to 7 Days for SIDS. Visit www.7daysforsids.com for more details.

About Dine Originals
Dine Originals represents more than 700 Independent restaurants with chapters in nineteen cities; Albuquerque, Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Madison, Nashville, San Diego, St. Louis, Sarasota, Tucson, Twin Cities, Washington, DC and Mt. Washington Valley, NH and over 100 ‘at larges’ restaurants not affiliated with any particular chapter.

For more information, go to: www.DineOriginals.com.