Premium Events for the 21st Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

Another day closer to the fall season means more news from the Epcot Food & Wine Festival camp!  There are so many events during the festival.  Some events are included with Epcot admission (for example, the Eat to the Beat concert series) and some events cost extra.  These events that cost extra range from a small seminars to "premium events".  

Today we are going to cover those "premium events" and the 21st Epcot International Food & Wine Festival's “premium events” include some you won't want to miss.

• Dining Events at Disney's Resorts: Four all-new interactive culinary adventures in the Disney resorts encourage you to ask the experts, taste and cook alongside our chefs at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney Yacht Club Resort.
• The new “Mix It, Make It Celebrate It” hands-on workshop gives you the opportunity to learn cake decorating, garnishing, cocktail mixing and other fun activities from the masters.
• Cheese Seminars will be held select Saturdays during the festival. During these popular events, attendees will learn “the wheys of the world” paired with wine, beer and other beverages. The cost is $89 per guest plus tax (gratuity is included). This years hosts include:

• Max McCalman will host Great British Cheese and Ales (September 17); Italian Cheeses and Wine (October 15th); Fabulous Old World Cheese and Wines (October 29); and Season' Best Cheeses and Wines (November 5)

• Tonda Corrente will host Mediterranean Cheeses and Wines (October 1)

• Erin Hedley will host French Cheeses and Wines (October 8)

• David Gremmels will host World-Class Cheeses and Wines of the United States (October 22) 

• The Rockin’ Burger Block Parties that were super popular last year are back for just three Fridays at World ShowPlace! Each party features a celebrity chef and all-you-can-eat specialty sliders paired with beverages. Guests can join Chef Maneet Chauhan on September 30, Chef Alex Seidel on October 14, and Chef Jehangir Mehta on November 11.  Each event has 3 different seating options that range in cost of $99 - $199 per guest plus tax and gratuity. 
• The Yelloween Masquerade Party for the Sense will be held both October 28 and 29, is an elegant, dance-the-night-away, gourmet tasting party with Champagne, wine, craft beers and specialty cocktails paired with food.
• This year’s Party for the Senses will be every weekend in October (that’s it!). During the party guests can relish the sights, sounds, scents and tastes of this event. The October 8th party will feature all the new chefs from Disney Springs and the October 15th party will feature Disney chefs from around the world.
• What’s Cookin’ With … These events allow guests to start the day with some of the country’s top celebrity chefs and a plated brunch and sparkling wine toast. The fun starts with a demo, and the chefs answer questions from the audience and share secrets of their successes. The brunch is on select Fridays and Sundays at 10 a.m. Guests include:

• • Friday, Sept. 16 – Elizabeth Falkner
  • Sunday, Sept. 18 – Bryan Voltaggio
  • Friday, Sept. 23 – Andrea Robinson
  • Sunday, Sept. 25 – Robert Irvine
  • Friday, Sept.30 – Graham Elliot
  • Sunday, Oct. 2 – Buddy Valastro
  • Friday, Oct. 7 – Jamie Deen
  • Sunday, Oct. 9 – Cat Cora
  • Friday, Oct. 14 – Emily Ellyn
  • Friday, Oct. 21 – Andrew Zimmern
  • Sunday, Oct. 23 – Rock Harper
  • Sunday, Oct. 30 – Geoffrey Zakarian
  • Friday, Nov. 4 – Alex Guarnaschelli
  • Sunday, Nov. 6 – David Guas
  • Friday, Nov. 11 – Sarah Fioroni
  • Sunday, Nov. 13 – Jehangir Mehta

Reservations for these amazing events opn at 7 a.m. next week on Thursday, July 21, 2016. But if you're a Chase cardholders, you can book with limited availability beginning 7 a.m. July 19, 2016!

If you're wanting to visit Walt Disney World during the Food & Wine Festival you've still got plenty of time to do so and at a discount!  Email me at lauren@magicaltravel.com - or fill out the easy and fast form below - and I'll be more than happy to help you plan a magical vacation! Plus not only will you get my Disney Vacation Planner services for FREE, qualified vacation packages will earn a free gift card to take on vacation with you!

Celebrity Chefs and New Experiences come to 2016 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival

A day that contains news about Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is a great day so great ready for a great day!  News about the new lineup of celebrity chefs and a series of first-time Disney resort cooking and dining experiences will add culinary appeal to the 21^st Festival when it returns to Walt Disney World® Resort September 14 - November 14, 2016.

First up: the Chefs! Culinary notables Geoffrey Zakarian, Maneet Chauhan, Duff Goldman, Elliott Farmer, Masaharu Morimoto and Graham Elliot will have their first festival appearances doing events such as seminars and culinary demonstrations.  Other chef icons like Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, Norman Van Aken, Elizabeth Falkner, Buddy Valastro and Jamie Deen will return to entertain foodies and inspire their palates at premium events that include Party for the Senses grand tastings featuring reimagined entertainment. 
Here is the full list of celebrity chefs:

• Adam Mali - Executive Chef at Bon Appetit 
• Alex Guarnaschelli -  Celebrity chef (is on a lot of Food Network shows) and is the executive chef at New York City's Butter restaurant
• Alex Seidel - Chef at Fruition
• Allen Susser
• Andrea Robinson MS - American sommelier, chef, television personality, and author.
• Andrew Yeo - Executive Chef at The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island
• Andrew Zimmern - Celebrity Chef, food writer and teacher
• Bill Brown - Executive Chef at Bel-Air Country Club
• Bob Waggoner - Celebrity Chef
• Brian & Shanna O’Hea - Chef/Owners of Academe Restaurant at the Kennebunk Inn 
• Bryan Voltaggio - Celebrity Chef, Top Chef Season 6 Finalist 
• Buddy Valastro - Celebrity Chef, Cake Boss
• Cat Cora - Celebrity Chef, Iron Chef
• Cathal Armstrong - Food & Wine Star Chef
• Chris Prosperi - Chef and co-owner of Metro Bis
• Christopher Lee
• Dana Herbert - Celebrity Pastry Chef
• Daniel Joly
• David Guas - Celebrity Chef
• Dominique Macquet
• Duff Goldman – NEW! - Celebrity Chef, Charm City Cakes
• Duskie Estes & John Stewart - Celebrity Chefs
• Elliott Farmer – NEW! - Celebrity Chef
• Elizabeth Falkner
• Emily Ellyn - Season 8 Food Network Star Finalist
• Erin Hedley
• Erin McKenna - Baker, BabyCakes
• Fabrizio Schendari
• Faithy Harris-Dowdell - Celebrity Chef, Chef behind Yak & Yeti
• Fritz Sonnenschmidt - A Certified Master Chef
• G. Garvin - Celebrity Chef, Cooking Channel
• Gale Gand - Pastry Chef
• Geoffrey Zakarian – NEW! - Celebrity Chef, Iron Chef
• Geraldine Randlesome - Pastry Chef
• Graham Elliot – NEW! - Celebrity Chef, Master Chef
• Heather McPherson - Covers food and restaurants for the Orlando Sentinel
• The Hearty Boys -  Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, Hosts of Party Line on Food Network
• James Boyce
• James O’Donnell - Exceutive Chef at STK Orlando in Disney Springs
• James Petrakis
• Jamie Deen - Celebrity Chef
• Jeff Yarmuth
• Jehangir Mehta - Iron Chef America Contestant
• Jennifer Bushman
• Jennifer Hill Booker
• Jerome Brown - Celebrity Chef
• Joe Murphy - Pastry Chef
• Joe Rodriguez
• John Colletta
• Jonathan Benno
• Jonathon Sawyer - Chef of the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland, OH
• Kathleen Blake - Chef at the Rusty Spoon in Orlando, FL
• Keegan Gerhard & Lisa Bailey - Chefs at D Bar Denver in Denver, CO
• Ken Vedrinski - Chef at Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, SC
• Kevin Dundon - Irish Celebrity Chef
• Kevin Fonzo - Chef, K Restaurant, New York City
• Kevin Johnson - Chef, The Grocery, Charleston, SC
• Kevin Sbraga - Chef-Owner, Sbraga in Jacksonville, FL
• Maneet Chauhan – NEW! - Chef, TV Personality
• Mark Boor - Chef, Trio Bistro, Cincinnati, OH
• Masaharu Morimoto – NEW! - Iron Chef Morimoto, Chef Morimoto at Morimoto Asia Restaurant in Disney Springs
• Matthew Gennuso - Chef Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal and Wurst Kitchen – Providence, RI
• Matt Lewis
• Matt McMillin - Executive Research and Development Chef at Cooper's Hawk Winery and Restaurants
• Max McCalman - Cheese Expert
• Mike Rodriguez
• Moises Flores
• Nirmala Narine
• Norman Van Aken - Owner of the award-winning Miami restaurant Norman's. Won the James Beard Award, the Robert Mondavi Award, and the Food Arts Silver Spoon for lifetime achievement
• Odell Torres - Executive Chef at Larios in Miami Beach
• Pam Smith RD - Culinary Nutritionist 
• Pam Brandon - Writer of over a dozen Disney Publishing books including Kitchen Magic with Mickey and A Taste of Epcot, Festival Food From Around the Globe 
• Paul Wahlburg – NEW! - Celebrity Chef of Wahlburgers
• Paula DaSilva - Celebrity Chef, Hells Kitchen
• Pascal Oudin - Chef-Owner of Pascal's on Ponce in Coral Gables, FL
• Peng Looi - Partner/Executive Chef. Asiatique, Augsut Moon Chinese Bistro
• Richard Capizzi - Pastry Chef
• Rock Harper - Chef, TV Personality of Hell's Kitchen
• Sara Fioroni - Executive Chef, Sommelier, and General Manager of Fattoria Poggio Alloro near San Gimignano, Tuscany (Italy
• Scott Norman
• Scott Paul - Artisinal Wine Producer
• Terry Letson - Chef-Owner of Fume Bistro in Napa
• Tonda Corrente
• Tony Mantuano - Chef at Spiaggia Restaurant and Bar Toma in Chicago
• Warren Brown
• Yuhi Fujinago - Executive Chef at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs

For those of you who enjoy watching ABC’s Emmy-Award-winning lifestyle series, “The Chew” will be pleased to know the hosts will produce a full week of programs on the show’s exclusive Epcot festival stage for the second year in a row!

And, for the first time, you can enjoy the following festival experiences at Walt Disney World Resort hotels:

• “Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa” — a sumptuous 5-star, 5-course meal prepared by the resort’s award-winning chefs
• “The Secrets of Flavor at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort” — a three-course lunch that gives you a ‘sensory-food connection’ at Yachtsman Steakhouse
• “Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — a hands-on chef’s table experience in a professional working kitchen
• “Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto” at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — an entertaining tour of the whimsical Trader Sam’s, followed by lunch and a special mixology session

More details regarding these exciting experiences and other Epcot International Food & Wine Festival details will be shared when I get them.  Stay tuned for a full list of culinary demonstrations, cheese seminars, beverage seminars, and more! 

Email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - today to book your Epcot International Food & Wine Festival vacation today!