For epicureans who dream of the aroma of exotic spices, the sizzle of melting butter and memorable culinary explorations, then wake up wanting more, the Palm Beach Food and Wine Festival is an ever-rising star on the South Florida culinary scene.
Bringing a cornucopia gastronomic events and talents to the elegant setting of Palm Beach--with its glittering avenues, white sandy beaches and balmy late December weather--the festival offers something for the food lover in everyone and is a delight for all the senses. And every year it offers more.
Now in its 17th iteration, the Festival has grown dramatically from its roots in 2007 as a local tasting event on Worth Avenue. Today, it draws star-studded chefs and food personalities from across the country to collaborate with Palm Beach’s top talent and invites attendees into some of the area’s most glamorous and iconic venues.
Last year, the festival’s partnership with Wine Spectator magazine elevated vintner participation to a new level with more than 100 exceptional wine offerings rated 90 points or higher in blind tastings. The event has become a magnet for foodies well beyond South Florida who come to savor the spectacular gastronomic offerings, sunshine and unsurpassed setting.
Launching this year’s event with an impressive start were five memorable seated dinners at celebrated area restaurants that showcased the quality and diversity of Palm Beach dining.
Four days and countless gourmet experiences later, capping off the festival was the ever-popular Grand Tasting, drawing a crowd of 2,500 and truly living up to its name. It featured walk-around samplings from more than 60 participating restaurants paired with 115 wines and an enthusiastic crowd who seemed unable to get enough of the half-day extravaganza.
In between were live cooking demonstrations, themed wine tastings, chef-led interactive workshops, numerous additional dining experiences at highly sought-after venues throughout Palm Beach County, additional tastings and more. Yes, more.
Highlights of the seated dinners—which rapidly sold out--included Dinner at Florie’s, a lavish five-course event at the fabled Four Seasons restaurant hosted by chef and partner Mauro Colagreco and newly appointed Chef de Cuisine Diego Soriano. The menu showcased Colagreco’s distinctive Mediterranean live fire cooking techniques, enlivening fresh meats and vegetables for appreciative guests. The cooking style has earned him recognition through multiple Michelin stars and inclusion in The World's 50 Best Restaurant list.
The First Bite at favorite Palm Beach eaterie Buccan presented a tempting four-course menu featured fresh, simple ingredients served family-style with scrupulously chosen pairings of Terlato wines. Notable chefs included Clay Conley and a host of new Festival participants.
Returning to the Okeechobee Prime Event Hall this year was the always popular Beef N Bourbon Experience. Presided over by celebrity chef Robert Irvine, the tangy seared steak and short ribs menu was accompanied by free-flowing spirits.
Another standout in an iconic Palm Beach setting was An Evening at the Breakers, staged poolside on the exclusive Beach Club terrace. It showcased classic menu items from the venue’s multiple popular restaurants with wines from its celebrated Wine Spectator Grand Award collection.
Festival-goers who favored variety over a culinary commitment found numerous opportunities to indulge in an appetite for adventure.
New this year was A Night at the Ben staged in the West Palm Beach hotel’s magnificent waterfront setting. The memorable evening invited epicurean exploration from appetizers through dessert, with tastings of widely varying specialties chosen to please every palate. Guests also enjoyed fine wines, champagnes and creative cocktails.
Returning this year, Chillin N’ Grillin brought together renowned grill masters at the luxurious Eau Palm Beach Resort & Spa to prepare a complete spread of crowd-pleasing, serve-yourself BBQ favorites. Individual food stations also featured delightful pairings of wine and cocktails for a festive and fun mid-day event.
Crafting Cocktails put participants front and center at the bar to whip up two winter holiday-themed drinks to delight family and friends, while Sunset & Swirls provided guests with an expertly guided journey through Spanish wines and a hands-on experience with pairing.
For a fun and friendly introduction to cooking, Kids Kitchen ushered families into the Four Seasons hotel restaurant kitchen where little chefs took home aprons and hats, along with their culinary creations.
The always-popular half-day Grand Tasting certainly did not disappoint. Guests were greeted with Brut Champagne in glasses that could be kept brimming throughout the event.
Restaurants delivered their star menu offerings, which represented every manner of cuisine--from light cheese-filled puff pastries to crunchy vegan delights and spicy meat-lover’s specialties that really packed a punch—taking inspiration from around the globe.
Festival-goers savored sea scallops, steak tartare, brie grilled cheese, braised lamb stuffed with ricotta cheese and pear pasta. Not overlooked were sweet endings that included delicious rum cakes and crème brulee.
As an added bonus, with some chefs and vintners onsite, festival goers could mix and mingle with the talents behind the event and learn as they enjoyed.
Taking center stage, the Grand Tasting Chef Throwdown pitted the talents of three local chefs against one another to claim a $10,000 check for a favorite local charity. Celebrity chef judges Maneet Chauhan and Robert Irvin proclaimed chef Michael Chavez of Buccan as the winner. He earned the prize for Buccan Provisions, a not-for-profit providing nutritious meals for people in need.
Keeping the event’s charitable mission close to home, a portion of the overall ticket sales also benefitted the Els for Autism Foundation, which operates a 26-acre campus a learning center in Jupiter, FL.