USA TODAY's Wine + Food Experience debuts in Asheville Oct. 8: What you need to know
Asheville’s reputation as a foodie destination may be behind a national touring festival adding the city to its 2022 calendar.
“I am fully on the bandwagon of Asheville — this hidden gem of a culinary mecca,” Jared Bobkin, culinary director of the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience said. “As a chef myself, I’ve been hearing about Asheville for at least eight years, and we want to showcase what you guys have to offer there.”
The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience was designed to spotlight and celebrate the culinary scene and beverage businesses of each city it visits. This year, the event stops in Asheville for the first time.
The Asheville Wine & Food Experience will be 1-4 p.m. Oct. 8 at Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Drive.
It’s part of an eight-city tour that includes stops in Indianapolis, Louisville (Kentucky), Tampa (Florida) and Palm Springs (California).
The Grand Tasting invites guests to stroll, sip and sample gourmet food and beverages and engage in special programming.
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The USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience changes city to city with the venue and the chefs, restaurants, wineries and breweries. The event presents a platform that builds camaraderie within the community and perhaps connects participating guests to those they haven’t worked with before, Bobkin said.
“It’s bringing top-notch food and wine to one area for everyone to experience. In terms of restaurants, we try to look for uniqueness whether it’s a top chef in the area or a highly regarded restaurant, we look for the upper echelon,” Bobkin said. “Then, we look for the everyday person who’s running businesses because we want to get them a platform to show what they do, as well. We bring them all together so you can get a full spectrum of what’s in the area — of places you may have never been to or you may not have ever heard of.”
Local wineries and distributors will present diverse wine collections. Not a fan of wine? Beer and spirits will be pouring, too.
The local libations lineup features Chemist Spirits, Cultivated Cocktails Distillery, Melting Pot Social, The Barrelhouse and Ginger’s Revenge. And Garrison Brothers Distillery and 818 Tequila cocktails will be served.
Asheville’s chef and restaurant lineup include Collyn McDonald of Bear’s Smokehouse, Clarence Robinson of Cooking with Comedy, Peter Crockett of Isa’s French Bistro and Santiago Vargas of Mikasa.
Okan Kizilbayir, executive chef at Salt at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, will be in attendance, as well.
The chefs and restaurants were invited to share some of their bestselling dishes or try new, off-menu recipes.
Vargas’ team will present a tried-and-true fan favorite — an unbaked Chicha Morada Cheesecake with cinnamon and sugar wonton. The purple corn reduction consists of apple, pineapple, cinnamon and cloves.
The Experience Stage will feature programmings such as chef cooking demonstrations and wine pairings and education.
Cooking with Comedy catering’s Clarence Robinson is slated to lead one of the cooking sessions.
Grand Tasting tickets are $65 per person, which includes unlimited food samplings and wine and craft beer tastings and access to demonstrations on The Experience Stage.
The VIP experience tickets are $100 per person and include unlimited samplings and tastings, plus permits ticket holders to enter one hour early to beat the crowds and to access a lounge area with exclusive offerings of high-end dishes.
“You are the only ones that get to experience that. It’s that level of exclusivity with comfort,” Bobkin said.
USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience in Asheville
Where: Salvage Station, 468 Riverside Dr. Drive.
When: 1-4 p.m. Oct. 8
Info: For details and to purchase tickets, visit wineandfood.usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: USA TODAY's Wine + Food Experience debuts in Asheville in October
