We’re only still in June but things are really moving along in the plans for the 2016 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. Just yesterday Disney had a special tasting dinner with a preview to the Food and Wine Festival and they announced some awesome new stuff coming our way this year…
Food and Wine Festival Chefs:
There’s going to be a bunch of celebrity chefs at Food and Wine this year doing things like hosting cooking courses, seminars, and special parties. The Food and Wine Festival chefs this year include newcomers:
- Geoffrey Zakarian
- Maneet Chauhan
- Duff Goldman
- Elliott Farmer
- Masaharu Morimoto
- Graham Elliot
They are joined by returning chefs:
- Robert Irvine
- Cat Cora
- Norman Van Aken
- Elizabeth Falkner
- Buddy Valastro
- Jamie Deen
That’s a great list!! I also wrote the other day that for the second consecutive year the popular co-hosts of ABC’s “The Chew” are returning to Epcot International Food & Wine Festival as well. It’s going to be the most star-packed year at Food and Wine ever!
New Food and Wine Resort Experiences:
For the first time in the history of the International Food and Wine Festival, the fun is going beyond Epcot, and landing at the Disney World Resorts as well.
- “Brunch with a Twist at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa” — a sumptuous 5-star, 5-course meal prepared by the resort’s award-winning chefs
- “The Secrets of Flavor at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort” — a three-course lunch that gives guests a ‘sensory-food connection’ at Yachtsman Steakhouse
- “Culinary Adventures with a Master Chef” at Disney’s Contemporary Resort — a hands-on chef’s table experience in a professional working kitchen
- “Behind the Scenes at Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto” at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort — an entertaining tour of the whimsical Trader Sam’s, followed by lunch and a special mixology session
These new culinary experiences are not included in the normal Epcot admission, and range in price from $49 to $259 per person
Keep checking the official Epcot Food and Wine website for more information about when you can begin making reservations for these festival experiences and more.
The Food and Wine…
Obviously the best part about the whole festival is actually eating and drinking the food and wine. This year there will be 39 new or re-imagined dishes in the different marketplaces, and 47 new cocktails, beers, wines and ciders. That’s a lot of stuff to choose from.
Some of the new dishes include: elegant Seared Scallop with truffled celery root puree, Brussels sprouts and mushrooms at Wine & Dine Studio; the Mojo Pork with black beans and rice at Islands of the Caribbean (and the divine quesitos are there too!); loaded Greek “nachos” at the Greece Marketplace, and this yummy dessert: peanut butter and white chocolate mousse from The Chew Collective.
Check out my post from a few weeks ago about other new dishes and unique experiences for this year..
Let me know what you think of this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival so far in the comments section below. Which experiences and dishes are you salivating to try? As always I really appreciate it if you help spread the word, so if you liked this post and my site then please share it with others! Thanks! 🙂
Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog
My name is Ziggy and I love Disney, everything Disney! I grew up on Disney and it has and continues to be a huge part of my life. I started young when my parents took me to Disney World when I was 18 months old. Little did they know that would be the first of an uncountable number of trips we would take. I have so many amazing memories going to Disney with my family and friends and it has been interwoven into my DNA.