It’s a beautiful afternoon in New York City-the type of afternoon where any photo taken immediately looks like it has been photoshopped. The sky is bright blue, the sidewalks blanketed with yellow and brown leaves, the skyscrapers of midtown glittering in the autumn sun as cars rush down the main avenues. I am making my way to the Hudson Hotel on West 58th to pick up my media credentials for this year’s NYC Wine & Food Festival. I am attending Saturday’s Grand Tasting where I will quite literally drink and eat my way through a 130,000 square foot venue containing the best of the best in today’s culinary world.
The NYCWFF, presented by FOOD & WINE Magazine, is in its 7th year of bringing together foodies, chefs and TV personalities who unite over a love of all things food over the course of three days. The NYCWFF sends all proceeds to benefit the Food Bank of New York and the No Kid Hungry® Campaign to help bring money and support to food insecure citizens in the United States where a surprising 50 million people go hungry. It is my second time attending this tasting and I am positively brimming with anticipation of all the delectable bites I’m bound to have. My last time at the NYC Wine & Food festival was a delicious blur of wine, desserts, savory dishes and run-ins with chefs like Richard Blais; so suffice it to say the bar has been set and my expectations are soaring as I make my way over to Pier 94 for the tasting.
What to expect at the NYCWFF Grand Tasting.
Taking place from 12-6pm, the Grand Tasting is like a giant convention of foodies and chefs all under one roof. It’s a bit overwhelming at first as crowds swell and push their way through the venue while balancing plates of food and glasses of wine. Upon arrival, you’re given a wine glass (which will be fused to your hand for the rest of the afternoon) and a large tote bag filled with goodies of everything from UBER discount cards to olive oil packets to more chocolate than is necessary (but really, who is complaining?). The venue seems to extend into two different wings with tables of liquor, wine and food lining the walls; and sponsorships blaring from every corner including Delta, Jim Beam and Blue Moon. The Grand Tasting is a lot like entering a shopping mall the week before the holidays; if you don’t have a game plan and basic idea of what you want, you’ll end up wandering aimlessly and pushed by the hungry crowds.
Best tips?
- Wear comfortable shoes as you’ll be on your feet the whole time.
- Pace yourself! It is too easy to walk into the Grand Tasting and realize you’ve “sampled” 3 different wines, a bourbon and a cocktail in under 10 minutes. Pace yourself, stay hydrated and of course eat!
- Go to the bathroom beforehand because the lines to the ladies’ restroom is gargantuan.
- Have an idea of the chefs/food tables you want to hit or else prepare to be overwhelmed.
Let’s get to the good stuff: the food.
Food is a conversation starter at the NYCWFF as everyone is playing out their fantasy of being a food critic with chefs offering up their best dishes. Baby octopus in a succulent sauce slathered on a polenta, a rich chicken liver mouse with a hibiscus jelly, a parmesan crisp with a dab of red wine jelly, a simple brownie dusted with powdered sugar and packed with flavor-the Grand Tasting is like a parade of flavors for your palette. You’ll swoon at how much joy can come from a small plate or cup. Some dishes you’ll swear allegiance to (don’t even get me started on my love affair with parmesan crisps and red wine jelly now!) and others you might wrinkle your nose in confusion (burnt brisket borscht, I’m looking at you).
Walking through the Grand Tasting is a culinary odyssey where-if you let yourself-you’ll discover new flavors, incredible combinations and even happily fall victim to the siren’s call of a particular dish. Ask each person what their favorite bite was and you’ll have a different response as eating is of course a subjective experience. My favorite plate of the day came from Sirio Ristorante whose knack for putting contemporary spins on classic Italian fare is nothing short of extraordinary. Sirio served their baby octopus polenta topped with capers and Gaeta olives, with flavors that proved complex and delicate, robust and savory (can you tell I’m playing food critic for the day?).
Eating with the stars.
One of the main draws of the Grand Tasting (besides floating away on a cloud of wine and food) is the option to attend culinary demonstrations from celebrity chefs and actors who are self-proclaimed foodies. This year, Katherine Heigl took the stage, Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods spoke and even Haylie Duff had a session on healthy eating. More than just eating, festival attendees can brush elbows with their chef favorites and pick up coveted tips to bring home to their own kitchen. In full transparency, unless it is Anthony Bourdain hosting a demo (in which case I’d be front row, center) I tend to focus on the eating vs. cooking as my small kitchen serves more as a storage place for my bike!
The NYCWFF festival extends into Sunday with more chef-hosted events around the city-from a Delta-hosted mixology class to a roasting class with Jonathan Waxman—yet my magic carpet ride ends Saturday: with a full belly, a now empty glass of wine and the solace of knowing that all the food I swooned over is only a train ride away, tucked away on side streets in this fair city.
The New York City Wine & Food Festival will take place again October 2016. In the meantime, check out more FOOD & DRINK stories on The Pin the Map Project and share your favorite restaurants below!
