Star-powered food and wine fest

July 20, 2015, TORONTO – The first ever Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival, taking place September 18 to 20, 2015 at Evergreen Brick Works in downtown Toronto, is brimming with epicurean delights from start to finish.

Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival will put the expertise and creativity of the best culinary talents from across the continent in the spotlight with new and exciting features. Over the course of three delectable days, guests will experience the best in food and wine, beer, spirits and other beverages; from sipping and savouring 130 vendors in the Grand Tasting Pavilion presented by PC Black Label, to taking in live demonstrations by celebrity chefs on the Miele Celebrity Stage, to cooking alongside top chefs in the Exclusive Chef Series presented by Cuisinart.
 
Here are the not-to-miss features coming to Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival from September 18 to 20, 2015:

The Grand Tasting Pavilion, presented by PC Black Label
Guests will spend the day exploring an incredible selection of local food, restaurants, wines, beers and spirits in the Grand Tasting Pavilion (view floorplan). The open-air pavilion will showcase Ontario’s and the world’s finest selection of wine and spirits, and feature 130 stations to sample, sip and savour all the flavours of Toronto, Ontario, and beyond.
 
Miele Celebrity Stage
The Celebrity Stage is where guests will find the hottest food celebrities and lifestyle experts from Canada and around the globe. Live cooking demonstrations will feature celebrity culinary heavyweights behind some of the top restaurants in North America and some of the most popular television shows, such as Curtis Stone, Tyler Florence, Gail Simmons, Chuck Hughes, Roger Mooking, Mark McEwan, Antonio Park, and many more. The Miele Celebrity Stage is a beautifully designed, fully functional kitchen outfitted with Miele appliances. It’s any chef’s dream!

Exclusive Chef Series presented by Cuisinart
A once-in-a-lifetime experience that will give guests the chance to get up close and personal with some very special celebrity chefs and culinary stars. This unique culinary experience will offer guests the opportunity to prepare a dish alongside a celebrity chef in a state-of-the-art kitchen equipped with top-of-the-line countertop appliances from Cuisinart. Chefs like Curtis Stone, Chuck Hughes and Tyler Florence will share their tips and tricks in the kitchen, while participants are encouraged to ask questions and interact with the epicurean wunderkind. A limited number of tickets will be available for this exclusive culinary adventure!

Ontario Taste Discovery at The Grand Tasting Pavilion
Find the perfect ingredients for an Ontario fall weekend. Within the Grand Tasting Pavilion, the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, in partnership with Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance and Feast ON, invite guests on an Ontario Taste Discovery of wine, beer and cider made with Ontario grown ingredients and each paired with a regional food sample from three locations across Ontario

Terroir at Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival
For one day only, Terroir, the exclusive not-for-profit committee of industry professionals, innovators and influencers, will be making a special appearance at Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival. Running expert-level educational workshops on Friday morning, this exclusive series welcomes legendary masters Kevin Kent (Knifewear), Tetsuya “Ted” Iizuka (Soba Canada), and Antonio Park (Park Restaurant) to share their knowledge regarding time-held traditions, like knife skills and soba noodle making.

Chef’s Talks Series
In this intimate experience, some of the top chefs at Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival – such as: Daniel Boulud, Rob Gentile, and FOOD & WINE Editor-in-Chief Dana Cowin – will sit down and share their culinary journey with the audience. Overlooking the stunning view of Evergreen Brick Works, guests will relax on the terrace with a drink and watch as their favourite chefs discuss how they got started in the business, who inspired them to become a chef, and their personal palatable stories.

Cochon 555 North American Tour
For the first time ever, Cochon 555 is bringing its flavour-packed marquee events series to Canada during the first two days of the Festival. Canadians will get the chance to sink their teeth into both the EPIC Cochon and Heritage BBQ events. Cochon 555 is dedicated to celebrating the relationship between farmer, forager and chef, resulting in a collective romance of flavour that extends culinary boundaries – all while being paired with amazing wines and premium spirits. Cochon 555 will be made even more delicious thanks to artisanal bread sponsor ACE Bakery.

Taste Canada Cooks The Books Competition
Canada’s Best New Student Chef will be crowned after this exciting and unique cooking competition. Some of the brightest up-and-coming culinary talents from schools across Canada –including George Brown College, Stratford Chefs School, Pius Culinary Institute, and more – will gather in front of a live audience in the Miele Kitchen to make a dish from a well-known Canadian cookbook, with the author on stage. The goal is to impress the panel of esteemed judges, including Mairlyn Smith, Annabelle Waugh, and Joshna Maharaj.

Cookbook Store + All The Best
Alison Fryer of The Cookbook Store has joined forces with All The Best Fine Foods to create a special cookbook department in All The Best’s retail location in midtown Toronto, which will be recreated for guests at Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival. All The Best co-owner Sue Merry and Alison Fryer are delighted to present the one-stop-shop of all the hottest cookbooks by fan favourite chefs and food experts in this culinary collaboration. Guests can anticipate visiting authors to make appearances to sign books throughout the weekend.

Cafe Belong
Nestled in the heart of Evergreen Brick Works, Cafe Belong will be a resplendent stop for guests and staff alike. The patio will serve outrageously delicious BBQ and beers daily throughout the festival, while Chef Brad Long’s signature sandwich will send taste-buds soaring in the Grand Tasting Pavilion. On Sunday morning, be sure to book a spot for the sensory Gospel Brunch. Cafe Belong will also be a delicious destination during the media preview on the festival’s opening day. Be sure to check Toronto FOOD & WINE’s website daily for tutored tastings as well.

Tutored Tastings
The world’s leading wine authorities, Anthony Giglio (better known as the Wine Wise Guy) and Mark Oldman (author of Oldman’s Brave New World of Wine) will help guests amplify their senses during a convivial collection of expertly tutored wine tastings throughout Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival. These oenophiles will guide guests through the exploration, expression, and realization of vivacious vinos.

Other Features
The delectable experiences at Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival continue with a special edition of Evergreen Brick Works’ weekly farmers’ market, displaying the best in locally farmed produce, meats, and more; an exciting on-site screening as part of TIFF’s delectable Food on Film series; and a visually vivacious art exhibit that will round out the sensorial offerings of the inaugural festival.

About Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival
Over the course of three delectable days, the 2015 Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival will showcase the expertise and creativity of the best culinary talents in Toronto, Ontario, and Canada. Toronto comes to life in the Grand Tasting Pavilion presented by PC Black Label, highlighting local restaurants, wineries, and breweries, as well as international flavours. Guests will delight in programming that features fan-favourite local and international celebrity chefs performing on the Miele Celebrity Stage, cooking classes in the Exclusive Chef Series presented by Cuisinart, tutored tastings, and special events that bring the world of food, wine, and spirits to local palates. Join us at Evergreen Brick Works from September 18 to 20, 2015 to celebrate our diverse city, our multicultural epicurean scene, and enjoy the ultimate culinary weekend in Toronto.

Find the Toronto FOOD & WINE Festival online:
Twitter: @TOfoodandwine
Instagram: @TOfoodandwine
Facebook: /TOfoodandwine
Pinterest: /TOfoodandwine
Website: torontofoodandwine.com