Celebrity chef to headline new food and wine fundraising events in Wilmington

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay will make his first appearance in Wilmington in March for culinary events that will support the Girls Leadership Academy of Wilmington and Spark Academy. It will be the ninth year of fundraisers hosted by what is now the Beacon Education nonprofit organization.

In addition to Flay’s appearances, next year will also be the launch for the new Cape Fear Wine & Food Experience.

Like in previous years, Flay will headline a private event on March 7, and then two ticketed breakfast and lunch events on March 8 at the Country Club of Landfall. The new festival will add more community dinners with local chef and restaurant partners, as well as a Grand Tasting & Auction on March 9, said Jen Wilson-Mathis, advancement director for Beacon Education.

Flay is an award-winning chef who has starred in dozens of Food Network programs, including “Bobby’s Triple Threat” and “Beat Bobby Flay.” He’s also a restaurateur and the author of 17 best-selling cookbooks.

“He was definitely one of the top chefs on our list,” Wilson-Mathis. “We are really excited to bring him here.”

GLOW founder Judy Girard was president of the Food Network from 1994 to 2004 and has helped bring high-profile culinary stars like Rachael Ray, Robert Irvine and Emeril Lagasse to the area. As a result, GLOW (a tuition-free, single-gender middle and high school) has a strong culinary program for students. In recent years, Beacon has expanded its mission and is adding Spark Academy, a co-ed and mixed-income early childhood preschool opening in October.

Beacon Education has also developed a name for curating wine and food experiences, which continues with their Rare supper club. The Cape Fear Wine & Food Experience is a way to expand their audience and offer more opportunities for memorable meals, Wilson-Mathis said.

For those planning ahead, here’s a look at the tentative timeline for the Cape Fear Wine & Food Experience. More details and ticket information are set to be released in the coming weeks.

March 7: Flay will be the celebrity chef at a private event. The Cape Fear Wine & Food Experience is also planning to add 10-12 dinners with local chefs and restaurants that will be a combination of ticketed and sponsored events.

March 8: Flay will headline two ticketed events, one for breakfast and one for lunch, at Landfall. That evening, organizers are planning a Winemakers Social.

March 9: The Grand Tasting & Auction will likely have two parts, a wine tasting with small bites and then a seated dinner.

More: Take it outside: 20 restaurants to dine al fresco in and around Wilmington

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Allison Ballard is the food and dining reporter at the StarNews. You can reach her at aballard@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Chef Bobby Flay to help launch food & wine festival in Wilmington