THE TOP WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL
NORTH OF NYC IS BACK
AND BETTER THAN EVER
8TH Annual Westchester Magazine Wine & Food Festival
Brings Together Top Restaurants, Chefs, Wines and Much More
Tickets on Sale Now for Signature Events June 5th – June 10th
315,000 burgers. 25,000 glasses of wine. 360 restaurants. 50,000 guests. $200,000 for charities.
These are just some of the numbers that help to tell the success story that is Westchester Magazine’s Wine & Food Festival. In just seven years it has emerged as the signature culinary and beverage event kicking off the summer season in Westchester County and the Hudson Valley.
With the 2018 Festival slated for June 5-10, the numbers will continue to grow as new restaurants, fine wines, spirits, craft beers, specialty foods and so much more including, the best in burgers are featured.
This year’s benefiting charities are Feeding Westchester and the Westchester Parks Foundation. Visit www.
“It’s truly amazing to look back at how this event has continued to evolve and grow,” says Westchester Magazine Publisher Ralph Martinelli. “We started with a pretty basic idea: Create an event that brings together the best of the Westchester area’s restaurants, chefs, wines and foods for a week-long celebration. What none of us could have realized was how perfect our timing was. We caught the wave of interest in food, wine and so much more. And that wave has turned into a gastronomic and social tsunami that we’re happy to be a part of.”
Martinelli recalled that in the beginning there were perhaps 50 wines to taste, 15 chefs participating and a modest burger tasting event. And since then? Some 50,000 attendees have sampled more than 1,000 fine wines from around the world. In the event’s Grand Tasting Village alone 6,000 bottles of wine have been served and 360 restaurants from across Westchester have been featured. The Thursday night Burger & Beer Blast at Kensico Dam Park has become the hottest ticket in town. And he proudly points out that $200,000 has been raised for local charities.
For 2018, Westchester Magazine is gearing up to present the biggest and best Wine & Food Festival yet. Popular favorites like the Burger & Beer Blast, the Grand Tasting Village and Salute! A Wine Tasting Tour of Italywill be featured along with new events across the six-day extravaganza. Foodies, friends and families from throughout the Tri-State area come together for the unique event.
“Our small festival has grown tremendously over the past seven years,” said Peter Kelly, Chef/Owner Xaviar’s Restaurant Group and co-founder of the event. “We’re showcasing incredibly talented chefs and delicious wines. I encourage everyone to come celebrate this amazing event.”
This year, Harrison Wine Vault will be the exclusive wine retailer. A family-owned business, the Harrison Wine Vault opened in 2011 and quickly became a favorite among wine lovers and aficionados. This tri-level store in a former bank building features the old bank vault that is now a temperature-controlled fine wine room. The expansive and diverse wine selections are presented in a spacious 2,500-square-fooet retail shop. The store, conveniently located in downtown Harrison opposite the MetroNorth train station, draws customers from a wide area including nearby Rye and Mamaroneck.
“This year’s festival will be feature an outstanding, hand-selected collection of fine wines,” said the event’s wine consultant, Kevin Zraly. A recognized expert, noted author and speaker on wine, he has been a part of the event team from its inception. “Each year we make an effort to up the ante by introducing distinctive wines you don’t see every day. This year promises to be the best yet.”
Sponsors for this year’s festival include, Presenting Sponsors: Blue Moon, Harrison Wine Vault, Heineken Light, Mercedes-Benz of White Plains, Party Line Tent Rentals, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester; Platinum Sponsors: Ace Endico, Empire City Casino, NewYork-Presbyterian, Nickelodeon, Paraco, The Westchester, Westchester County Parks, Westchester Medical Center Health Network; Silver Sponsors: DeCicco & Sons, Leros, Josh Cellars, Westchester County Tourism & Film, Zwilling J.A. Henckels; Bronze Sponsors 19 Crimes, Archer Roose, Chateau Minuty, Copper & Kings, Jagermeister, Kanopi, Oasis Day Spa, Stags’ Leap, The Westchester Bank, Treasury Wine Estates, Whole Foods Market, Wyoming Whiskey; Burger & Beer Blast Partners: Cross County Shopping Center, David Lerner Associates, Inc., Doc James Cigar Lounge, The Original Great Plate, Robison; Media Sponsors: Pamal Broadcasting, Inspiria Outdoor Advertising, and Moffly Media.
Visit www.westchestermagazine.com/
The 8th Annual Westchester Magazine Food & Wine Festival Schedule of Events
Tuesday, June 5th – Salute! A Wine Tasting Tour of Italy – Westchester Italian Cultural Center, 6-8:30pm
Calling all wine connoisseurs. Salute! A Wine Tasting Tour of Italy starts off the festivities on Tuesday, June 5that the Westchester Italian Cultural Center. This walk around tasting will feature wines of Tuscany, Veneto, Piedmonte, Trentino-Alto Adige, Sicily, and Sardinia, all curated by wine expert Kevin Zraly. Participants can sample high end wines in the Gran Selezione Cellar where Zraly will speak to each wine. Expert chefs will share delicious cuisine paired perfectly with the wine selections.
Wednesday, June 6th – Taste & Style at Savor Westchester – The Westchester – 6-9pm
It’s time to grab a friend for Taste & Style at Savor Westchester at The Westchester. The evening is back with shopping, delicious bites and giveaways. ALL NEW this year is the Bartender Shake-off, featuring Emilio Ugarte of RiverMarket Bar & Kitchen, Serena Costello of NoMa Social, Juan Ordonez of Mima Vinoteca and Sarah Pyles of Rye House. Bartenders will create tasty pisco cocktails with a prize for the best.
Thursday, June 7th – Burger & Beer Blast – Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla – 6-10pm
Westchester’s Biggest Block Party returns Thursday, June 7th with Burger & Beer Blast at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. With 24 restaurants (and counting!), plus 7 food trucks on site, music, wine & beer, you don’t want to miss these top local chefs competing for the coveted Heineken Light Best Burger Award.
Friday, June 8th – An Evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers – The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester – 6-10pm
An Evening with Westchester’s Tastemakers will wow even the most discerning of palates. The evening, which takes place at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester, is an incomparable six-course feast unlike any other. It features the area’s top-chefs and the world’s top wines.
2018 Chefs & Courses:
- Hors D’oeuvres – Jim Dangler, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Westchester
- 1st Course – Glenn Vogt, RiverMarket Bar & Kitchen – Local Spring Asparagus and Burrata with Mint and Lemon Gremolata
- 2nd Course – Ron Gallo, Inn at Pound Ridge – Tuna Spring Roll with Soybean Coulis
- 3rd Course – Dave Dibari, The Cookery – Offal Lasagna with Ricotta, Provolone and Blistered Italian Hot Peppers (Vegetarian Lasagna Available Upon Request)
- 4th Course – Peter Kelly, X20 – Braised Short Rib of Beef, Chili & Onion Crust, Mousseline Potatoes & Glazed Cauliflower, Red Wine Reduction
- Dessert Course – Heather Frantangelo, L’inizio – Strawberry Rhubarb Brown Butter Cake with Sweet Pea Panna Cotta
Saturday, June 9th – Grand Tasting Village, Kensico Dam Plaza, Valhalla, 12-5pm
The signature event of the Wine & Food Festival, the Grand Tasting Village, takes place Saturday, June 9th, at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. It features tastings from 50 + local restaurants and more than 200 wines & spirits. Chef demonstrations with Peter Kelly, a knife demonstration with Bernard Janssen of Zwilling J.A. Henckels, and a variety of food trucks make it a true foodie celebration. More chefs and demos to be announced soon!
Sunday, June 10th – Jr. Chef Experience, PLAY at The Westchester, Level 4 – 10am – 12 noon
Food, fun and family! The Jr. Chef Experience is back at PLAY at The Westchester on Sunday, June 10th. Spend the morning with the kiddos as they learn the basics of cooking, meet Chopped Junior Champion, Elizabeth Oakes and experience a full morning of fun.
Sunday, June 10th – ALL NEW- Brunch at Kanopi
Enjoy brunch in style at Kanopi, the beautiful penthouse atop the Ritz-Carlton New York, White Plains. You’ll be swept away by the views and the delicious cuisine. More details to be announced!
The 2018 Wine & Food Festival, which draws more than 6,500 people from across the New York Metro area including New York City, Westchester County, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut, will feature 100+ top restaurants and a selection of world-class wines. Visit www.westchestermagazine.com/
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Westchester Magazine’s 8th Annual Wine & Food Festival brings together the top chefs and wine experts in Westchester County with more than 100 top restaurants and world-class wines from June 5-10, 2018. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Feeding Westchester and the Westchester Parks Foundation.
About Feeding Westchester
For 30 years, Feeding Westchester, formerly known as Food Bank for Westchester, has been the heart of a network of more than 300 partners that provide food directly to the 200,000 county residents who are struggling with hunger. The county’s leading nonprofit hunger-relief organization sources and distributes 95 percent of nutritious food, and other resources, to towns throughout Westchester through soup kitchens, shelters and daycare and residential programs, delivering over 8.4 million pounds of food and 7.5 million meals to people. Westchester’s collaboration with major retailers and corporations, and its expertise in food procurement, storage, and distribution, turns every monetary donation into fresh food provided for our community. For more information, visit feedingwestchester.org.
About Westchester Parks Foundation
Westchester Parks Foundation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, philanthropic organization which provides private support to preserve the County’s park system and improve the quality of life in our communities. Westchester Parks Foundation’s mission is to engage the public to advocate for and invest in the preservation, conservation, use, and enjoyment of the 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open spaces within the Westchester County Parks system. For more information, visit thewpf.org.
