The 24th edition of the highly sought after festival offers exclusive access to popular culinary personalities from across the country and elevated resort experiences amid the charming Village of Kohler, WI
KOHLER, Wis., July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kohler is thrilled to unveil the star-studded lineup for this year's Kohler Food & Wine Festival, which is headlined by returning culinary icons Martha Stewart and Scott Conant. The festival also welcomes first-time appearances from acclaimed chefs Robert Irvine, Claudette Zepeda, Kardea Brown, and more – setting the stage for an unforgettable celebration of food, wine and talent.
The Midwest's premier epicurean weekend kicks off on Thursday, October 16, during the peak of Kohler, Wisconsin's picturesque autumn season, and continues through the weekend with chef-led demos, unexpected tastings, and evening soirées. Throughout the festival, guests can look forward to unique opportunities to engage with top talent in intimate and personal settings.
"Kohler Food & Wine exemplifies how exceeding guests' expectations is at the heart of everything we do - from the thoughtfully curated festival programming and immersive event atmosphere to a lineup of star-studded culinary talent," said Jenna Check, Associate Director of Special Events at Kohler. "Amid the growing popularity of food festivals nationwide, Kohler Food & Wine continues to stand out each year for its exceptional talent, presented in an intimate, thoughtfully scaled setting."
Packages feature varying levels of access such as The Art of Good Taste Package with all-inclusive access to any event and a variety of VIP amenities. The Martha Stewart Package and Scott Conant Package provide the only access to their intimate dinners.
Guests are encouraged to register in advance at Kohler Food & Wine to receive an alert on Tuesday, July 15 when packages go on sale, which historically sell out within hours. The remaining individual festival session event tickets go on sale Tuesday, July 29.
About the culinary talent:
- Martha Stewart – Martha Stewart is a New York Times bestselling author, Emmy-winning TV host, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert known worldwide for her homemaking expertise. She launched her career with a catering business in 1972, followed by her first book, Entertaining. Since then, she has authored over 100 books and built Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, a multimedia empire reaching over 100 million fans monthly across publishing, television, and digital platforms.
- Scott Conant – Scott is a two-time James Beard Award-winning chef, cookbook author, and TV personality. With a career spanning more than 35 years, Conant brings a deft touch and unwavering passion to creating culinary experiences with thoughtful hospitality and soulful cuisine. His portfolio of acclaimed restaurants includes The Americano in Atlanta, Georgia, and Cellaio at Resorts World Catskills in Monticello, New York. Conant has been a popular presence on Food Network as a recurring judge on Chopped since 2009 and frequent co-host on Beat Bobby Flay. Conant has published four cookbooks to date with the most recent one in 2021, Peace, Love, and Pasta: Simple and Elegant Recipes from a Chef's Home Kitchen.
- Robert Irvine – Renowned chef and entrepreneur Irvine is best known as the longtime host of Food Network's Restaurant: Impossible. Irvine owns Fresh Kitchen locations at the Pentagon and Joint Base Andrews and created Victory Fresh, a healthy concept for the U.S. Army, as well as FitCrunch nutrition products, where a portion of proceeds supports the Robert Irvine Foundation, which benefits servicemen, women, and first responders. Beyond this, Irvine leads several brands including Terra Arma clothing, Robert Irvine Foods, and Boardroom Spirits.
- Claudette Zepeda – Award-winning San Diego-based chef and culinary entrepreneur Zepeda is known for a fearless style and bold approach to regional Mexican cuisine. Zepeda's multi-faceted expertise is reflected in the creative vision behind Chispa Hospitality, with projects spanning San Diego, Nashville, Australia, and México. The latest venture, Leu Leu in North County San Diego, where Zepeda serves as Executive Chef and Partner, stands as a love letter to San Diego and the Beach Bungalow culture that inspires the space.
- Kardea Brown – Emmy-nominated host and New York Times bestselling author, Kardea Brown is a first-generation Gullah Geechee chef from Charleston, South Carolina. Known for her vibrant fusion of traditional Lowcountry cuisine with modern, vegetable-forward flair, Brown has become a celebrated voice in American cooking. She launched her culinary journey with the New Gullah Supper Club in 2015, a traveling pop-up that showcases Gullah culture through storytelling and food. Brown is the host of the popular Food Network series Delicious Miss Brown, which earned a 2023 Daytime Emmy nomination, and also hosts The Great Soul Food Cook-Off. She serves as a co-host of Kids Baking Championship and appears regularly across Food Network programming. Her debut cookbook, The Way Home, is a New York Times bestseller and a soulful redefinition of Southern cuisine.
- Eric Adjepong – Top Chef alum and Food Network host Adjepong is a first-generation Ghanaian-American from New York who highlights West African cuisine and its global influence. After cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Adjepong became a finalist on Top Chef Season 16 and competed on Top Chef All-Stars. Adjepong published the children's book Sankofa in 2023 and released a debut cookbook in 2025. Adjepong is also the founder of Elmina, a contemporary Ghanaian restaurant in Washington, D.C.
The esteemed lineup also includes Wisconsin legends Dan Jacobs, Dane Baldwin, Itaru Nagano, Andrew Kroeger, and Ryan Sherman. Additionally, The Bartolotta Restaurants return to Kohler Food & Wine for their fifth year to host signature events throughout the weekend as well as a full day on one of the main Culinary Stages, alongside some of the group's top talent including Matt Baier, Connor McNeil, Brent Davis and Amanda Langler.
Beyond the event itself, Kohler, Wisconsin has a wealth of activities to discover including championship golf at Whistling Straits (host of the 43rd Ryder Cup in 2021); hiking, canoeing, kayaking, and exploring the 500-acre wilderness preserve at River Wildlife, art and design museums, and the five-star Kohler Waters Spa. The resort is located in the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, one hour south of Green Bay, one hour north of Milwaukee and two and a half hours north of Chicago, just off of I-43.
For more information on festival programming, visit www.KohlerFoodandWine.com. Stay up to date on resort news and happenings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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SOURCE Kohler Co.
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