Atlantic City, NJ, September 30, 2005 - The Atlantic City Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival follows a simple recipe: take an impressive array of gourmet food and drink, add appearances by celebrity chefs, mix in generous amounts of specialty vendors and then top it off with some great music - and what you cook up is an annual event that is a favorite among gourmet shoppers, restaurant owners, chefs, buyers and retailers alike.
This year's Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival, presented by world-renowned local chef
Robert Irvine, will be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Friday, October 28 through Sunday, October 30, 2005. A former Director of Culinary Operations/Executive Chef at Caesars Atlantic City, Irvine is a 10-year chef to Britain's Royal Family and host of The Effortless Gourmet on NBC.
"We promise that no one will leave without a smile on their face and a full stomach," Irvine said. "In addition to spectacular demonstrations from the area's finest chefs, there will be aisles of food, drinks, gourmet gifts, kitchen gadgets and signature dishes from the area's most acclaimed restaurants. There is something for everyone."
There will be a host of celebrities at the Festival, including Marc Silverstein of the Food Network. Silverstein hosts the popular show The Best Of, which focuses on the best food, restaurants and trends in America.
In addition to Irvine and Silverstein, the exciting list of celebrities scheduled to speak or give demonstrations includes:
- Paul Dillon, the host of Let's Cook with Paul Dillon on CN8;
- Ralph Mazzochi, the executive chef/proprietor of Mazzi Designed Dining;
- Andrew Selz, the owner/founder of Culinary Home Education with Friends (C.H.E.F.) and a former personal chef for President Clinton;
- Larry Thomas, an actor who received an Emmy nomination for his role as "The Soup Nazi" on the hit television show Seinfeld;
- Roberto Donna, a James Beard Award winner and owner/chef of the famed Galileo restaurant in Washington DC;
- Christina Pirello, an Emmy Award-winning host of the television series, Christina Cooks, which appears on more than 135 stations nationwide and in 50 countries.
The entire list of guest chefs can be found at www.gourmetshows.com/ac/chefs.html.
Those wanting to sample some tasty and free tidbits from area restaurants may do so on Restaurant Row. The restaurants will be battling for the Veal Oscar award, which is presented for the best in a specific gourmet category. The casinos will also be going head-to-head in an annual gourmet-cooking duel called the Chefs Association of South Jersey's War at the Shore. Celebrity judges will award the trophies.
Attending the Festival is a golden opportunity to get a jump on your holiday shopping. The exhibit floor will be filled with vendors displaying a wide range of items, including: gourmet gifts, spices, sauces, coffees, confections, microbrew beers, wine, kitchen cabinets, appliances, gadgets, cook books and much more.
One thing that perfectly complements great food is great music, and once again the Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival will feature some fine tunes. The Kevin Robinson Ensemble, featuring vocalist Kim Walker, is sure to have toes tapping and fingers snapping. The ensemble explores the art of conversation through group improvisation, original compositions and rearranged jazz standards.
This food and cooking extravaganza will be held at the Atlantic City Convention Center on Friday, October 28 from 2 to 7 p.m.; Saturday, October 29 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday,
October 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 at the door or $13 in advance. Admission for children ages 12 to 17 is $9, and children under 12 are admitted for free. To purchase advance tickets or for additional information, please visit www.gourmetshows.com or call (609) 398-4450.
If you and your watering mouth can't wait until the Atlantic City Gourmet Food & Cooking Festival, Chef Irvine will perform a cooking demonstration at Octoberfest in the Starbucks' plaza area of Atlantic City Outlets-The Walk. The Octoberfest runs from noon to 5 p.m. Participants can win prizes and ticket coupons for the Festival.
The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority serves as the destination's principal marketing arm, stimulating economic growth through convention, business and leisure tourism development. The Authority oversees the management of the Atlantic City Convention Center and Boardwalk Hall on behalf of its parent agency, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority.
EDITORS: Coverage of this event is welcome. Please visit the show office onsite at the Convention Center for press badges before entering the show. Celebrity chef photos are available in advance. For complete schedules, photos or other media requirements, please contact Jamie Joffe at (610) 246-2606 or e-mail jyjoffe@comcast.net.
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