New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is next week
The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) kicks off next Thursday and runs through Sunday, May 26-29, with a wide range of wine and food events including wine pairing dinners, tastings, excursions and more.
It's all for a good cause too— NOWFE has raised over $1 million for local non-profit organizations over the past two decades. Now in its 23rd year, the festival will donate 100% of proceeds to causes that support culinary education, such as Edible Schoolyard, the SoFAB Institute, and the NOCCA's Culinary Arts Program.
Here's everything you need to know about May's hottest food event.
The Royal Street Stroll rolls rain or shine [Photo: Brasted]
The Kick Off: A slew of wine dinners kick off NOWFE feasting on Thursday, May 26. A few are already sold out, but some great spots including Brennan's, Balise, R'evolution and more are still available. $85-$175/person. Call the restaurants directly for reservations.
The Hallmark Event: NOWFE's famous Royal Street Stroll Presented by Rouses rolls on Friday, May 27, at 5:30 p.m. along the 200-900 blocks of Royal Street. Enjoy wine, food from local restaurants, a parade led by the Krewe of Cork, and of course tons of galleries and shops are open for perusing. Held rain or shine, wine-themed costumes are of course encouraged. This is a fun, casual event that pretty much embodies the epicurean marathon that is NOWFE, and a good choice if it's going to be your only NOWFE event. But watch out: It gets insanely crowded (probably more so this year as it makes a debut on Friday, as opposed to Thursday). Tickets are $135/person.
Where All The Cool Kids Will Be: Chefs Michael Gulotta and Nick Lama, bar goddess Abigail Gullo and more team up for a Sicilian-themed pop-up party Midnight Mangia after the Royal Street Stroll on May 27 at 11 p.m. at a secret location for $40 at the door. Also very cool—recent Beard Award winner/La Petite Grocery chef Justin Devillier teams up with Herbsaint chef Rebecca Wilcomb and more for a 1980s-themed pool party Members Only at the Brown Mansion on May 29 at 1:30 p.m. for $150.
The New Field Trip: This year, there are three awesome, new 'field trips,' Ann Maloney reports including fishing on the bayou with chef Donald Link, who will cook your fresh catch for you at Cochon later in the day (for a cool $850/person on May 26); shopping at Hong Kong Supermarket with chef Phillip Lopez who will also cook for you at Square Root ($110/person on May 29); and eating barbecue with the Hogs For The Cause founders in Central City ($55/person on May 28).
The Sold-Out Stuff: The Connoiseur package, a few seminars including Foraged Flavors with chef Michael Gulotta, and the French Quarter "Cellar Strut," which is basically a classy restaurant wine cellar crawl, are sold out at this time.
The Get It While You Can: The Vinola Tasting (on May 27 at 2 p.m.) has not yet sold out, but at $175 per person it will, as it always does. Why? 200 wine enthusiasts get to schmooze with notable winemakers, sample rare and highly-coveted wines, while also experiencing some of city's best restaurants.
The Informative Side: In NOWFE's seminar series, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (May 27-29) local chefs discuss what's going on in the food world, with food samples/wine pairings as well. Helen Freund suggests touring Bellegarde Bakery on Saturday, May 28, where you'll learn all about the art of baking bread for $65/person, with bread and wine pairings and French Truck coffee as well.
The Main Attraction: NOWFE's Grand Tasting is exactly what it sounds like... food and wine tastings served in a pretty grand way. 75 of New Orleans finest chefs will sling dishes, and 1000 vintages will be paired during the grand tasting one one day only this year— Saturday May 28— The Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off will also take place at the Grand Tasting. $175/person.
The Sweet Side: The Big Gateaux Show is NOWFE's after party/pastry chef competition, hosted and judged by celebrity chefs with performances by Trixie Minkand Bella Blue on May 28 at 9 p.m., along with lots of desserts paired with bubbly. The winning pastry chef gets a $5000 prize. $75/person.