Wine & Food Week 2017 Schedule and Ticket Giveaway

Wine & Food Week 2017 is an all-inclusive, multi-day, multi-faceted, culinary and wine extravaganza perfect for the beginner to the serious wine collector, drawing avid foodies and wine and craft beer enthusiasts from across the region to The Woodlands this June. Now in its 13th year, Wine & Food Week, under the direction of Food & Vine Time Productions, will host 75 chefs, hundreds of talented winery representatives, scores of featured restaurants and thousands of patrons who eat, drink, taste, mingle, learn, indulge and give back, all while enjoying some of the best food and more than 500 wines from across the globe.

Since its inception in 2004 as the first established wine and food festival in The Woodlands, and the largest from New Orleans to Aspen, Wine & Food Week has become the premier event of the summer with a multitude of events from Tuesday to Saturday designed to uncork guests’ love for, and interest in, all things food and wine. Wine & Food Week sells regular and VIP tickets a la carte, allowing attendees to pick and choose the experiences best tailored to their specific interests.

This year, Wine & Food Week welcomes Emmy award-winning TV chef, restauranteur and author, Lidia Bastianich, as its Wizard Gourmet Master of Ceremonies. This year’s theme, “Inspired! Flavors,” celebrates food from all over the globe and the city. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase on Saturday, June 10, features food from 75 world-renowned chefs and restaurants such as Edwin Chanas of Hearsay on the Green, David Cordúa of Cordúa Restaurants and Samantha Mendoza of Killen’s Steakhouse. Of these participating chefs, sixty will be vying for the coveted $5,000 cash prize and Waterford Crystal Chef of Chefs award, while inspired renowned pastry chefs simultaneously compete for the Just Desserts trophy. Past participating chefs and restaurants include: 2016 winner, Carlos Ramos of Latin Bites; David Denis, Executive Chef/Owner of Le Mistral; Santiago de la Cruz, of The Woodland’s Country Club; Hassan Obaye, of La Table; and Tristen Epps of Red Rooster in New York.

“We are extremely proud to bring Wine & Food Week back to The Woodlands this year for another exciting week of festivities,” said Constance McDerby, founder of Food & Vine Time Productions. “The people of the greater Houston area, and especially The Woodlands, have been such wonderful supporters of Wine & Food Week since we began back in 2004 and we couldn’t be more grateful for their genuine enthusiasm over the years.” Constance goes on to say, “Our partners – the very generous people at H-E-B, along with our sponsors, volunteers, vendors, chefs, restaurants, wineries, distributors, venues and charities – are the reason why we do what we do, and we can’t wait to show the people of our great city this year’s lineup of extraordinary food and sips! Whether you’re an all-out oenophile or are just getting your wine legs, there’s an event (along with wine and food!) for everyone at Wine & Food Week.”

Wine & Food Week has raised over $900,000 for local charities over the years through their silent auctions at the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street, the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase and via other various happenings throughout the year. The 2017 beneficiaries are The John Cooper School’s Signature Author Series, a highly anticipated annual event featuring keynote speakers like Barbara Bush, Anthony Bourdain, Nicholas Sparks, Gillian Flynn and more; as well as New Danville, an integrated community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities can live, learn, work and grow with their peers, in an effort to improve the lives of their neighbors. Because of Wine & Food Week’s robust schedule, organizers are offering special hotel deals at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center and other hotels throughout the area. If patrons do choose to drive themselves, ample parking is available, but a sober driver should be designated ahead of time.

To purchase tickets, book a hotel room, sign up to volunteer and for more general information, please visit www.wineandfoodweek.com.

2017 SCHEDULE

Tuesday, June 6 – It’s a Guy Thing

• Location: Mercedes – Benz of the Woodlands
• Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
• Cost: $25.00
• Event description: It’s what a man’s man wants. Big bold wines and craft beer to satisfy every taste to wash down the delicious fare from featured restaurants. Sit down for a shoe shine while puffing on a cigar selected at the Olivia Cigar Lounge, while soaking in the live music and you’ve got the perfect “man’s man” experience. Attendees can try their hand at poker and take their chances at winning fabulous door prizes. Guests should bring or wear their finest shoes or favorite boots and have them polished and shined while sitting back and relaxing. There are more surprises in store with door prizes and fun takeaways!

Wednesday, June 7 – Women, Wine and All Things Fashionable Girls Night Out

• Location: The Woodlands Country Club, Palmer Course at 100 Grand Fairway
• Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
• Cost: $25.00
• Event description: Ladies, women, belles, mujeres, chics, females all step into their feminine side and enjoy a night out with your friends at Women, Wine & All Things Fashionable. Women, Wine & All Things Fashionable is a girls’ night out event including fashions, pop-up vendor displays, food, wine tasting, music and other engaging and interactive displays. Jewelry, unique finds, girly girl wines – not to mention a few surprise elements you surely won’t expect. A glorious girls evening, sip through wine tasting selections and nibble on delicious selections and get lost in the fabulous summer fashions.

Thursday, June 8 – H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street; Parrothead Parrot Cage Experience

• H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street
  • Location: Market Street in The Woodlands
  • Time: 5:30 – 8:30 PM
  • Cost: $20.00 – $35.00
  • Event description: There will be lots of “Inspired Flavors!” at this year’s H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street, as island sounds from Kelly McGuire will have the crowds swinging and swaying while sipping on their favorite beverage. Attendees can grab a keepsake glass and enjoy an evening out with friends as Market Street is transformed into a wine walkabout with wine industry experts sharing their fruit of the vine. Guests will find tented tasting stations in the main area surrounding the live music stage with performances throughout the evening. Upgraded tickets offer the finest wines on Market Street before anyone else. The 34-acre Market Street becomes a festival-like atmosphere with guests enjoying wines from around the world, food sampling and demonstrations and an offering of Chef selections. A portion of the proceeds from this highly-anticipated annual event goes to The John Cooper School’s Signature Author Series where award-winning novelists and best-selling authors like Barbara Bush, Cheryl Strayed, Dave Berry, Mitch Albom, Anthony Bourdain, John Grogan, Nicholas Sparks, Candace Bushnell, Kathryn Stockett, Jodi Picoult and Tyler Florence speak about their backgrounds and overall experience as writers.
• Wine Walk VIP presented by La Vaquita   5:00 – 8:30 PM   Cost $40.00 – $75.00: Beat the crowds and enhance your H-E-B Wine Walk experience. Get into the action 30 minutes earlier and receive a premium keepsake wine glass. Be one of the few who have access to Wine Walk premium wine selections in air-conditioned comfort, where you’ll be able to nibble on food offerings while being greeted by industry experts who gladly share their fruits of the vine. As a VIP, you’ll also receive an H-E-B Wine Walk VIP gift bag filled with great swag. Always, a sell-out. Don’t wait to get your tickets.

• Parrothead Parrot Cage Experience   5:30 PM – 8:30 PM   Calling all Parrotheads! Begin your Jimmy Buffett concert experience by tailgating at the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street. Located across the street from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, goers will enjoy access to the Wine Walk Parrot Cage, which features wine-based margarita, sangria and wine, themed décor, a home base for party central. A great one-time addition to the H-E-B Wine Walk at Market Street to Celebrate Jimmy Buffett Fans! Wear your best Parrothead attire. The people watching will be as fun as all the amenities. Time to wine up and party down.

Friday, June 9 – Ladies of the Vine Tasting, Panel & Luncheon; Sips, Suds & Tacos

• Ladies of the Vine Tasting, Panel & Luncheon
  • Location: The Club at Carlton Woods Main Club House
  • Time: 12:00 – 3:00 PM
  • Cost: $85.00
  • Event description: In the elegant setting of an Italian-style villa, amidst the marble, winding staircases and opulent décor, guests can join a panel of women winemakers, owners and experts as they guide the audience behind the bottle… what it takes to get it to your taste buds. Always a sell-out, this lively event allows intimate, first-hand experience with some of the most knowledgeable and fun ladies in the industry. Start with a reception tasting of featured selections by each panelist, then get whisked down to the main dining room, overlooking the golf course, and enjoy a multi-course luncheon perfectly paired with the panelist’s selections.
• Sips, Suds & Tacos
  • Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
  • Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM
  • Cost: $20.00
  • Event description: The doors open at 6:00 pm for wine and craft beer sampling and the aromatic tacos will rev up any appetite. At 6:30 pm, the tacos are served and then it’s “game on” for the Taco Take-Down. Guests will choose their favorite taco while the judges choose theirs and restaurants and chefs compete for the coveted Taco Takedown Trophy. Attendees can enjoy ice cold craft brews or a choice from scores of wines; plus there’s live music so the party doesn’t stop when bellies are full. Dance the night away to the sounds of an energetic mariachi band through 9:00 pm. Each guest ticket includes entrance into the event, high energy music, tacos from competing chefs, interactive activities and one drink card good for five tastings or one full beverage of your choice and more! Additional tasting tickets will be available on site at $1 per drink sample ticket.

Saturday, June 10 – Platinum Wine Vault Ultra Premium Tasting; Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase

• Platinum Wine Vault Ultra Premium Tasting
  • Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
  • Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
  • Cost: $250.00
  • Event description: An exclusive tasting where participants mix and mingle with experts well-versed in the finest of wines. A luxurious affair with highly acclaimed wines for discriminating collectors and enthusiasts. Each participant receives a premium keepsake wine glass and rubs elbows with visiting special guests and experts. $250 per person entry fee includes access into the Platinum Wine Vault, the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting, the “Mercedes-Benz of The Woodlands Luxury VIP Lounge” and the opportunity to mix and mingle with special guests. The Platinum Wine Vault closes promptly at 6:30 pm. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase begins at 7:00 pm.
• Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase
  • Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
  • Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Cost: $125.00
  • Event description: Tabbed as one of the most spectacular wine and culinary events in the country, the “Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase,” presents guests with the opportunity to slip into their finest threads and be in the company of serious wine enthusiasts and outstanding culinary talent. It all takes place within the glistening atmosphere of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center which provides the ultimate experience of elegance and charm. The Chef Battle is for the $5,000 cash prize and the coveted Waterford Crystal Chef of Chefs award trophy. Sixty accomplished Chefs from near and far are personally invited to showcase their talents for the attending guests and esteemed judges as they bring their best and take out all the stops. Guests can enjoy chef demonstrations, over 500 wines and food from 60 restaurants. The Champagne Cove will greet patrons upon arrival and offer an array of sparkling selections to start their experience. Finish a fabulous evening on a sweet note with desserts by renowned pastry chefs vying for the “Just Desserts” Award. Enjoy selections of confectionery perfection as the night’s dessert extraordinaire is crowned. A limited number of upgrades are available into the Mercedes-Benz VIP Experience, stocked full of premium wine selections not available on the general tasting floor. Guests of the Mercedes-Benz Lounge will rub elbows with the Wine & Food Week’s special guests, winemakers, culinary judges and authors while enjoying créme de la créme wine selections in their upgraded keepsake glass.
• VIP Experience – Mercedes-Benz VIP Lounge and Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting Combo
  • Location: The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center
  • Time: 7:00 – 10:00 PM
  • Cost: $175.00
  • Event description: The Mercedes-Benz VIP Premium Lounge rolls out the red carpet to greet guests in swanky style. Wine & Food Week celebrities, wine experts, leading area chefs, authors and food judges flow in and out of the area while all sipping the premium wine selections. All upgraded VIP guests will be greeted with a large keepsake wine glass and top-of-the-line wine selections that aren’t on the general tasting floor – all in posh comfort and lounge seating. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase has gained a national reputation as being on the “grandest” wine and food events in the country. Attire ranges from business chic to sequins.

TICKET GIVEAWAY

Hello Woodlands is giving away 2 Tickets to the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase, one of the many excellent events during Wine and Food Week! Enter to WIN by Sunday, May 28th at 11:59pm. Must be age 21 and up to enter and win. The event will be at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott on Saturday, June 10th from 7 – 10pm.

TICKET GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED. Thank you to all participants! We look forward to seeing you at Wine and Food Week!

Learn more about the Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting & Chef Showcase at www.wineandfoodweek.com.

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