The 2012 Festival dates are one week earlier than in
previous years. The dates and hours are Thursday, Nov. 8 (5-10pm), Friday, Nov.
9 (4pm-10pm), and Saturday, Nov. 10 (Noon-10pm). It is held in the 40,000 sq-ft
Steelcase Ballroom inside DeVos Place, downtown Grand Rapids. It is the largest
culinary event in the state and one of the premiere festivals of its kind in
the Midwest.
Over one hundred wineries from around the world provide
samples of as many as 1200 assorted wines – including some hard to find, top
shelf vintages. Brewmasters and distillers are also on hand, providing tastes
of their hand-crafted beverages. Headline speakers include Ellen Flora from Napa,
California.
Chefs from the area’s top restaurants prepare and serve
small plates of their culinary specialties. Select restaurants partner with
distinguished wineries and breweries for special Pairings – gourmet
multi-course meals served on-site in a casual yet intimate “bar top” setting. These
tickets are $30-$40 each and may be purchased in advance online or at the
Festival on a first-come, first-served basis.
Esteemed individuals
from the culinary world host seminars, demonstrations and workshops on the
Meijer Food Stage. Free beverage seminars, held classroom style in the breakout
rooms off the Grand Gallery, give festival-goers a more in-depth look into the
world of wine, beer and spirits.Special features include Champagne Flights, Cordial & Chocolate Tastings, the Michigan Craft Beer Hall and the Riverfront Marketplace, offering gourmet specialty items and high-end accessories.
Culinary and hospitality students from Secchia Institute of Culinary Education at Grand Rapids Community College, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University and Baker College – Culinary Institute of Michigan work side-by-side with industry leaders for an unparalleled educational experience.
Click here to read about Michigan products that I sampled from
a visit to a previous festival.
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