Tag Archive for: chefs

PEACHFEST ANNOUNCES CHEFS & CONTEST TO CELEBRATE PEACHES JULY 21ST

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 7/1/24

Festival organizers announce chefs and a chance to win over $3,000 in prizes from sponsors

July 21 3pm

Tickets here.

This summer, Atlanta’s Peachtree Center will transform into a vibrant showcase of culinary excellence with Peachfest on Sunday, July 21, 2024, from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This standout event promises a gathering of over 65 esteemed food artisans, pastry chefs, wineries, and notable bartenders, making it a pivotal celebration of Georgia’s peach season and a must-attend for the national and local culinary scene.

Peach enthusiasts have a chance to win over $3,000 in prizes, including overnight accommodations at a luxury hotel, dinners, a Kamado Joe Grill, and VIP tickets to the peach-filled extravaganza. To enter the contest, visit the website, purchase tickets, or find information on where to pick up Pearson Farm peaches at your favorite farmers markets.

Taste Network’s coveted chef-driven Peachfest will welcome over 1,200 attendees. The event offers a delectable array of peach-centric creations ranging from savory to sweet dishes and drinks, meticulously crafted by some of Atlanta’s most celebrated chefs and beverage experts. Now in its tenth year, Peachfest is recognized not only as a premier culinary festival in the South but also as a vital contributor to sustainable agriculture initiatives.

This year’s culinary lineup will feature some of the South’s best chefs and beverage artisans dedicated to supporting local farmers, including Chef Eric Gephart of Kamado Joe, Chef Lamar Moore of Bronzeville Winery (CHI), John Short of Pearson Farm, Fishmonger Shaun Brian Sells of CudaCo. (CHS), Chef Nolan Wynn of Banshee, Chef Matt Crutchfield of Wrecking Bar Brewpub, Chef Demetrius Brown of Bread & Butterfly, Chef Greg Lipman of Piastra, Chef Casey Burchfield of The Burch, Chef Hector Santiago of La Metro, Barkeep James Wampler of Yakitori Kona, Chef Robert Butts of Black Smoke, Chef Karl Gorline of Avize, Chef Matt Marcus of The Woodall Westside, Richard Tang of Bar Diver & Girl Diver, Chef Hudson Rouse of Whoopsies, Chef Chad Clevenger of Two Urban Licks, Chef Shay Lavi of Third Space Atlanta, Melanie Wade of Golda Kombucha, Chef Walter Cortado of Estrellita, Chef Derek Dollar of The Mill Kitchen & Bar, Shirley Hughes of Sweet Cheats, Ali Washington of Soul Food Holistic Healing, Alma Cocina, Marcus Bar & Grill, and many more.

Sponsors of the festival include Kamado Joe Grills, Peachtree Center, Georgia Power, Wrecking Bar Brewpub, Georgia Proud Provisions, Pearson Farm, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Tip Top Cocktails, San Pellegrino, Crown Royal Peach Whisky, Smirnoff Lemonade, Candler Hotel, Wine Group, Fraiche Wine Group, Brother’s Bond Bourbon, Georgia Bulldog Bar, and the Vinoteca Wine Lounge featuring Ribera del Duero and Rueda, Spain’s most prestigious regions for red and white wines.

During Peachfest, guests will be able to enjoy peach-centric dishes, endless beer, premium wines, peach-infused cocktails, and more, curated by leading influencers in Atlanta’s food and beverage industry. Tickets for Peachfest are available starting at $95 for general admission, with VIP access priced at $130, offering early entry and additional exclusive tastings in a private lounge.

Tickets: VIP Access, $130; General Admission, $95. RSVP online at www.peachfest.org
Official Host: Peachtree Center, 225 Peachtree Street NE
Time: 3 p.m. for VIP entry, 4 p.m. for General Admission; ends at 7:30 p.m.
When: Sunday, July 21, 2024

General Admission includes entry to the all-inclusive afternoon affair, featuring peach-centric dishes of all varieties, beer, wine, and cocktails. The VIP ticket offers guests an extra hour of the festival, limited to 300 guests, which includes more time for food, drink, and mingling with the chefs, distillers, and farmers.

With an extraordinary list of participating chefs and sponsors, the festival will also raise funds for Piggy Bank, a non-profit whose mission is to preserve and protect endangered breeds of heritage pigs and support family farmers by creating and sharing business plans that can help form sustainable processes. In times of need, Piggy Bank provides relief to heritage breed pig farmers struck by eco-disasters in an effort to avoid failure.

ATLANTA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES STELLAR LINEUP OF CHEFS, MIXOLOGISTS FOR THE EVENT’S HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED RETURN SEPTEMBER 9-12

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 8/15/21

Tasting Tents to Feature New Live Culinary Demos, Barbecue Competition & 

Ultimate Sunday Tailgate

Festival Discounts Tasting Tent Tickets For First Responders

Celebrating the rich culinary traditions of the South, the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival (AFWF) is thrilled to announce its stellar lineup of chefs and mixologists, along with new programming this year. Tickets are on sale now for both tasting tents and the intimate dinner series, taking place between Thursday, September 9 and Sunday, September 12. 

The festival’s highly anticipated Tasting Tents will return to Historic Fourth Ward Park on Saturday, September 11 and Sunday, September 12, and feature wine pop-up stations, a cocktail garden, live music and an interactive food and beverage pairing area. For the first time in the event’s decade-long history, revelers can experience the soon-to-be announced live learning experiences presented by Publix in the form as culinary demos as part of the signature Tasting Tents. Culinary Demos will feature a mix of visiting Southern and local Atlanta culinary personalities who will be educating and entertaining guests during the two days. 

To kick off festival weekend, AFWF will be hosting its first-ever barbecue battle competition, where some of the top Georgia hotspots will compete for the title of “best barbecue bite” on Saturday. On Sunday, guests can enjoy the ultimate tailgate party surrounding the big game pitting Atlanta versus Philadelphia. Guests can enjoy a bevy of offerings including elevated football bites prepared by the likes of Top Chef alum John Tesar (Knife), Bruce Kalman (SoulBelly BBQ), Alex Seidel (Mercantile), Giorgio Rapicavoli (Luca Osteria) alongside pit master all-stars Leonard Botello (Truth BBQ), Burt Bakman (Slab BBQ) and more! Throughout the weekend, the Tasting Tents will host a curated Yelp Atlanta spotlight section featuring a variety of their favorite local spots.

AFWF takes pride on its extensive weekend of programming and events where guests can eat, drink and explore the South’s best talent. Intimate live and in-person culinary experiences include a festival collaboration dinner with Lazy Betty’s Ron Hsu and Aaron Phillips, A Taste of España dinner at John Castellucci’s Cooks & Soldiers, Sunday Supper at Deborah VanTrece’s Twisted Soul Cookhouse & Pours, Southern Revival Brunch at The Woodall with Chef John C. Metz, Italian Sunday feast at Colletta Atlanta, The Ultimate Omakase experience at O-Ku Atlanta, curated dinner at 5Church with Chef Mark Alba and — back by popular demand – South Main Kitchen’s Taste of NoLa dinner with live musical entertainment! 

Atlanta has embraced this amazing event for more than 10 years,” says Brett Friedman, Partner and CEO of Agency 21, which owns and operates Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. “Even during the pandemic when we could only operate at a limited capacity, the city’s talented chefs remained vigilant in their support for us. We’re so grateful to be back and to focus the attention where it always belongs, on the people throughout the hospitality industry.” 

Continuing with last year’s commitment to give back to the restaurants that helped build this incredible event, a percentage of proceeds will support two local charities. AFWF will be supporting Children of Conservation, with proceeds dedicated to the conservation of endangered species through education, habitat preservation and wildlife sanctuary. In an effort to curb hunger and reduce food waste in the Metro Atlanta area, AFWF will be partnering with Second Helpings Atlanta to collect fresh, surplus food from each of AFWF’s activations to donate to local hunger relief agencies. 

In an effort to honor their dedication and drive throughout the pandemic, AFWF will offer 50% off tickets to Tasting Tents for Sunday to frontline workers. In order to redeem the discount, email a21events@squadup.com with proof of profession to be sent a private discount code.

In 2019, Agency 21 acquired AFWF with the intention of making last year’s 10th anniversary celebration the best yet. The pandemic changed everything, but not the spirit of Southern hospitality. AFWF will stay true to its origins, offering a celebration of the South.

Tasting Tent tickets are on sale now. General Admission One Day Passes are $150 with VIP tickets priced at $250. General Admission Weekend Passes are $275 with VIP priced at $450. Prices will increase on August 13. 

For more details and to purchase tickets, visit www.atlfoodandwinefestival.com.Interviews and photography are available upon request. If you are interested in covering/attending this year’s festival, please apply here.