Rowers at this year's Head of the Charles Regatta were pleasantly surprised on Saturday afternoon when they found the traditional Athlete Pasta Party was catered by 10 of Greater Boston's best restaurants.

The event, organized annually by the Head of the Charles staff, took on a new flavor this year thanks to 10 local restaurants who pooled their time and their favorite dishes.

Greg Sullivan, general manager of the Rialto, located in the Charles Hotel, said the chefs wanted to give athletes "a taste of what Boston chefs could put together."

Fred Schoch, executive director of the Head of the Charles Regatta, approached Sullivan a year ago with a proposal to replace the traditional dinner with more gourmet fare.

Sullivan, along with Rialto Chef Jody Adams and Chris Langley, director of public relations for the Rialto, worked together to find restaurants and other sponsors interested in taking part.

"It's really exciting to participate in something that's right in our backyard," said Adams as she stood outside the Rialto tent, stirring a fragrant mixture of herb-roasted ricotta ravioli.

The wind whipped through Magazine Beach as a handful of red-nosed, nylon-clad crew athletes waited outside a roped-off area.

Inside, two rows of white tents connected by a string of white lights housed the representatives from some of the area's most famous restaurants, including Henrietta's Table and Upstairs at the Pudding.