Don’t expect tents the size of a small town erected on the sand the way they do it in South Beach, but the urban equivalent is coming to New York City. The spectacular Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which attracts close to 40,000 people to its February event, is launching a big city version concentrated mostly in the Meatpacking District and Chelsea but spread out around town everywhere from Dumbo to Fifth Avenue.
There is only one person who could pull off an event that requires such vast logistical planning and who has connections to the top people in the food world: Lee Brian Schrager. He’s an executive of Southern Wines & Spirits, the distributor that dwarfs all others, but he is better known as the man who launched the South Beach festival and turned it into the biggest there is, and who pals around with just about every top chef and food writer.
"Lee takes professionals from all over the wine and food worlds and makes them feel like family," daytime host Rachael Ray told me. "He opens up this huge family dinner to the public and invites everyone to this massive table. Lee just has a way of making everyone feel like they are part of something huge and that is why he has so much success with the food and wine festivals."
Like any nonprofit event, it is driven by sponsorship, so the official name is the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival. I should add presented by Food & Wine. And mention the New York Times as the premier sponsor. And advise you to go to the website and check out all the companies making it possible, including this magazine. One hundred per cent of the money raised will go directly to the hunger relief programs, Food Bank for New York City, and Share Our Strength.
The number of events is truly dazzling and so is the star quality. Just look at this sample:
A series of “Times Talks” conversations features Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, Alice Waters, and Ferran Adria and Anthony Bourdain.
Paula Deen and Alton Brown will each do a “Kidz Kitchen,” and Rocco Dispirito, Tyler Florence, Masaharu Morimoto, and the Neely’s, will do demonstrations.
Rachel Ray hosts, along a slew of top chefs, a Burger Bash at Tobacco Warehouse.
Ferran Adria and Jose Andres bring the famed food of El Bulli to New York.
Food Network star Guy Fieri tapes his show live at Chelsea Market, and Bobby Flay hosts a tasting there.
Mohegan Sun and Chef Todd English host a party at the Roof Top of the Hotel Gansevoort.
They’ll be “Midnight Music and Munchies” at the High Line Ballroom, late night desserts at the Waterfront, cocktail clinics, a pizza seminar, and a Tom Colicchio dinner at Craftsteak.
Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure host a series of wine seminars. At the Grand Tasting, top restaurants and exhibitors from all over take you on a fabulous gastronomic adventure.
Alain Ducasse hosts a private evening at Adour Restraurant in the St. Regis.
When I asked Schrager what motivated him, he replied that it was hard to imagine that one of the greatest food cities in the world didn't already have such a festival. “Of course there are many great wine and food events here, but most of them are three to four hour walk-around tastings. I loved the challenge of creating an event that hadn't been done before that allows consumers to meet their favorite culinary and wine personalities and to sample some great food and wine responsibly. Needless to say I also wanted to be sure I wasn't viewed as a one hit wonder with South Beach!”
If New York had never seen a food and wine celebration of this magnitude, it was clearly ready. Certain events are already sold out. If you are interested, get online immediately (www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com) for tickets. Then get on the strictest diet you can handle until October 9th because there is no way not to indulge your bon vivant side once it begins.
