Join Food Network stars for Atlantic City’s fabulous foodie feast-a-thon July 28-31
ATLANTIC CITY — From a modest two-day food and wine event in 2007 known as the “Toast of the Coast,” the Food Network 2011 Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival has grown into a monster culinary event that will dominate the landscape at the four Caesars Entertainment properties in town — Harrah’s Resort, Bally’s, House of Blues/Showboat and Caesars July 28-31. Caesars Entertainment and the Food Network, in cooperation with the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, host the event July 28–31.
It can be overwhelming, with all the event choices and the bevy of superstar chefs who will be front and center at the various foodie functions including the Food Network’s Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Pat and Gina Neely, Sunny Anderson, plus other culinary stars such as beer expert Gary Monterosso, wine expert Michael Green, Divya Gugnani (author of Sexy Women Eat) and various Cooking Channel personalities.
Chef Robert Irvine (Dinner Impossible, Restaurant Impossible), who spent eight years as a chef at Resorts, Caesars and Taj Mahal and still owns a home in Absecon, talked about his participation in this year’s Festival.
“I’ll be creating and cooking a meal [the Restaurant Invasion event] and big George [his Dinner Impossible sous chef George Galati] will be joining me,” says Irvine. “It’s going to be a fun night. A lot of places do dinners and they’re boring, you come in and eat. I can guarantee this won’t be a boring dinner.”
He also noted that, “Atlantic City, with the introduction of Borgata, made [the casino industry] think, ‘We’ve got to get our act together.’ The culinary scene is great in Atlantic City with great restaurants, and it will only continue to get better, with the new casino that comes in, Revel. Atlantic City is stacking up great against major food towns, but again, that scene evolves so fast, they’re got to keep up with it.” (Click here for our full interview with Robert Irvine.)
While the Food Network stars dominate the spotlight at the Festival, the real workhorses are the army of chefs from the Caesars Entertainment properties that do most of the cooking behind the scenes. The chefs who keep the properties’ dining options humming all year ’round are on double duty for the Food and Wine Fest, keeping the properties’ restaurants serving up topflight meals while providing the food for numerous Festival events, including the signature Grand Market at Bally’s. The Grand Market is a tasting village, showcasing more than 125 stations featuring food, wine, spirits and more from the top local restaurants.
(See video from last year's festival by clicking here)
The big superstar events like Guy Fieri’s Cheesesteak Battle will be packed, and the lines to get food are really long. To keep your sanity, mix in a few of the more low-key events like the Viking Cooking School demonstrations, the Chefs on Stage and the wine events at Mia’s along with the big room events. The Market Place and Italian Village, which is basically a festival within the festival, features tons of food and beverage options. Since it takes place four times over the weekend, the lines aren’t as long.
Getting around: If you group your events wisely, you can walk to and from events. This is especially true if you attend events at Caesars and Bally’s, which are next to each other. The Showboat is a brisk walk on the ‘boards from Caesars/Bally’s or take advantage of the world famous rolling chairs for your Boardwalk transportation (rides start at $5). The Jitneys on Pacific Ave. run 24/7 and get you everywhere in town, including the events at Harrah’s in the Marina section (cost $2.25). Of course, there are plenty of cabs available at all the casinos.
Parking: at the casinos will be $20 (less if you have a players card from that casino). If you can find a parking space in lower Chelsea (south of the monument at Albany Ave.), you can park on the street and take a Jitney.
Thursday, July 28
• Bikinis & Martinis
Time: 5-9pm; Price: $75; Location: The Chelsea Hotel
With Iron Chef Jose Garces, Executive Chef Darryl Harmon and Chef Jennifer Mueller, emcee of the Grand Market.
• Food Network Festival Kick-Off Party
Time: 10pm-1am; Price: $95; Location: The Pool at Harrah’s
Friday, July 29
• The Grand Market & Italian Village
Session 1 - Time: 6-10pm; Price: $45; Location: Bally’s Grand Ballroom
• Restaurant Invasion with Robert Irvine
Time: 6-9pm; Price: $85; Location: Casa di Napoli, Showboat (sold out)
• Sexy Women Eat - A Guide to Eating and Drinking Under 150 Calories
Time: 7-9pm; Price: $65, with Divya Gugnani; Location: Foundation Room, Showboat/HOB
• Viking Cooking School with Cooking Channel’s Ben Sargent
Time: 8-9pm; Price: $65; Location: Viking Cooking School, Harrah’s
• Guy Fieri’s Cheesesteak Battle
Time: 9pm-mid.; Price: $75; Location: Dennis Courtyard, Bally’s
• Wine Unplugged “The Dead”
Time: 10pm-1am; Price: $65; Location: Club Harlem at Showboat/HOB
Music by Grateful Dead tribute band Juggling Suns
Saturday, July 30
• Chef Party
Time: mid.-2am; Price: $99; Location: Foundation Room, Showboat/HOB
Hang out with some of your favorite Food Network and Cooking Channel personalities.
• Guy’s Big Bite Brunch
Time: 10am-1pm; Price: $85 (sold out); Location: Atlantic Grill, Caesars
• Susan G. Koman Presents Pink My Ride Rolling Chair Relay
Time: 10am; Price: $95 (for participants); Location: Bally’s Outside Courtyard
• Viking Cooking School w/Cooking Channel’s Roger Mooking
Time: 11am-12 noon; Price: $65; Location: Viking Cooking School, Harrah’s
• Grand Market & Italian Village
Session 2 - Time: noon-3pm; Price: $45; Location: Bally’s Grand Ballroom
• Wine Down 101: Fast Track to Wine Expertise Seminar
Time: noon-1pm; Price: $40; Location: Mia at Caesars; with Michael Green
• Phillip’s Seafood Spiked Lunch
Time: Starts noon; Price: $85; Location: Phillip’s Seafood, Pier Shops at Caesars
• Blues, Brews and BBQ
Time: 1-4pm; Price: $65; With Pat & Gina Neely; music by Gary Clark Jr. (listen to him now); Location: Showboat/HOB
• Champagne and Company
Time: 1:30pm-2:30pm; Price: $40; With Michael Green; Location: Mia at Caesars
• Viking Cooking School w/Cooking Channel’s Kelsey Nixon
Time: 2-3pm; Price: $65; Location: Viking Cooking School, Harrah’s
• Le Tour de France Seminar
Time: 3-4pm; Price: $40; with Michael Green; Location: Mia at Caesars
• Fire and Ice
Time: 4-7pm; Price: $75; with Robert Irvine; Location: Dennis Courtyard
• Chefs on Stage: Pat & Gina Neely
Time: 5-6pm; Price: $35/$45; Location: Circus Maximus Theatre
• Sunset Sliders With Sunny Anderson
Time: 5-7pm; Price: $85; Location: Caesars Rooftop Pool
• Grand Market & Italian Village
Session 3 - Time: 6-9pm; Price: $45; Location: Bally’s Grand Ballroom
• Mixology Master
Time: 7-8pm; Price: $40; with Bobby “G” Gleason; Location: Caesars Tiberius Room, 3rd Floor
• Chefs on Stage: Guy Fieri
Time: 8-9pm; Price: $35/$45; Location: Circus Maximus Theatre
• Sweet and Stylish
Time: 9pm-mid.; Price: $75; with Sunny Anderson, Chef Deb Pellegrino; Location: Caesars Palladium Ballroom
• The Drew Estate Cigar and Whiskey Gala
Time: 10pm-1am; Price: $95; Location: Caesars Spa Deck
Sunday, July 31
• Gospel Brunch with The Neelys
Time: 10am-1pm; Price: $60; Location: Showboat/HOB Music Hall
• The Grand Market & Italian Village
Session 4 - Time: noon-3pm; Price: $45; Location: Bally’s Grand Ballroom
• Viking Cooking School Featuring Luke Palladino
Time: noon-1pm; Price: $65; Location: Viking Cooking School, Harrah’s
• Sun, Sand & Organic: A Wine Tasting
Time: 1-4pm; Price: $100; with chefs Robert Irvine and Anthony Amoroso; Location: Bally’s Beach
• Super Suds Seminar
Time: 1-2pm; with Gary Monterosso; Price: $40; Location: Boardwalk Beer Garden at Caesars
(For more details and ticket information, visit caesars.com/acfoodandwine )
2011 Food Network Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival
Where: Harrah’s Resort, Caesars, Showboat/House of Blues, Bally’s, Pier Shops at Caesars, Chelsea Hotel When: Thurs., July 28- Sunday, July 31 How Much: Events range from $45-$100 (most in $60-$75 range)
After announcing the dates, July 26-29, Caesars Entertainment Atlantic City has announced a few of the celebrity chef participants for the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, namely Anne Burrell, Tom Colicchio, Robert Irvine, Aaron Sanchez, Buddy Valastro and Andrew Zimmern, with further announcements to come.
The already excellent fall festival season in our region has a new event that will hopefully become an annual affair when the Mays Landing Merchants Association presents the Waterfront Wine & Food Festival Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23, at Lake Lenape Park East in Mays Landing.
Although the numbers are still being added up, it appears the second Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival was a success that met or even exceeded expectations of the organizers.
Paula Deen’s big event at the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, a party under a tent outdoors at Bally’s Dennis Courtyard, delivered a great combination of terrific food and delightful stories from the “Queen of Southern Cuisine.”
The Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival got off to a fabulous start Thursday night (July 29) at the official kick-off party at the Chelsea Hotel.
Atlantic City will be the center of the culinary world when the Food Network Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival, hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment, begins with the official kick-off party at the Chelsea Hotel Thursday, July 29. Not only is this an amazing event for people who love to eat great food and mingle with culinary superstars, it also raises money for the charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central & South Jersey.
The Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival was already a star-studded event with Guy Fieri, Ted Allen, Pat and Gina Neely, Anne Burrell, Sandra Lee and Alex Guarnaschelli, but this week we learned that Paula Deen is joining the party.
After putting together a great event for gourmet food fans last summer, Harrah’s Entertainment is once again hosting the Atlantic City Food and Wine Festival featuring numerous celebrity chefs.
Article:
Blossoming Orchid
Article:
Downbeach Duo
Article:
Allegretti’s Azure
Article:
Tomatoe's Always Ripe in Margate
Article:
Showboat at the Crossroads
Article:
Smithville Inn: Still Inn Vogue
Article:
Hold the Cheese!
Article:
Revel: Spanning the Culinary Gamut
1. Cliff from NJ said... on Jul 31, 2011 at 07:41AM
“This was the worst event I ever attended and I'm seriously disappointed as a loyal food network fan.
With a name like "Guy Fieri's Cheesesteak Battle", I assumed 2 things: (1) It would be a "battle" like iron chef or chopped and (2) Guy Fieri would actually be there...like a host or MC. Neither of which were true.
Event was outside in 90 degree heat, it was muggy and started raining. You had to wait in overcrowded lines for cheesesteaks and walk through grass which turned to mud. My wife and her heals didn't appreciate this at all.
We paid $80 a ticket because we thought we were going to a 3 hr event/show, INDOORS, with FOOD NETWORK QUALITY CHEFS...NOPE. Cheesesteaks were from sub-par establishments and chain restaurants. Lee's Hoagies had the best steak and it was a 6 on a scale of 1-10 for anyone who has ever been to philly.
We left after an hour and a half so maybe Guy eventually showed his face. I don't really care, it was an awful event that took advantage of the FN fans.”
2. CK at OCCA said... on Aug 2, 2011 at 11:41AM
“I bought 4 tickets, 4 weeks in advance to the The Grand Market & Italian Village for 6pm July 30. We arrived at 6:15. As soon as we entered, it was obvious Bally's oversold the event.
There was nothing Grand, Italian or Festive about this event.
It was little more than a mediocre local wine tradeshow with a few stations serving miniscule food samples.
After 20mins of navigating through a shoulder-to-shoulder crowds without getting near any food, myself and 3 guests decided to leave and go find dinner. The cost of the event tickets w/fees was $215 for 20mins worth of nothing.
I'm extremely disappointed at the Harrah's organization for putting on this scam and cannot recommend Wine/Food Fest any visitor coming to AC next year at this time.
There's too many good restaurants in AC to be wasting your money on publicity stunts like this.
”