The 2011 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine Unveils New Program!

-2011 Festival to take place September 29 – October 2, 2011-

NEW YORK, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine founder and director, Lee Brian Schrager, who also serves as the vice president of corporate communications and national events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc., is pleased to unveil the 2011 Festival program.  Taking place September 29 – October 2, 2011 at locations across New York City, the program gets a makeover with a plethora of new events to complement the returning favorites.  Mark your calendars – tickets go on-sale Monday, June 20, 2011!  Once again, 100% of the net proceeds from the Festival will benefit the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®.

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"I'm very excited about the 2011 program of events," says Schrager.  "Once again, I feel like we are able to offer attendees a truly great set of unique wine, spirits and culinary experiences at a variety of price points so that everyone has an opportunity to be a part of the Festival and help us raise funds to fight hunger."  

Last year the Festival raised more than $1.2 million to benefit the hunger-relief organizations Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength and welcomed approximately 40,000 attendees to sip, swirl and savor the best of the Big Apple with the finest offerings in the Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio.

In addition to the 2011 Festival taking place a weekend earlier than in previous years, a number of new events and transformed favorites are expected.  For the first time, the Festival will host a Tribute Dinner to honor the renowned talents of legendary chef Jacques Pepin and esteemed winemaker Prince Robert of Luxembourg, in partnership with Les Dames d'Escoffier.  Taking place at Pier Sixty with sprawling views of the Hudson River, guests will begin the evening with a reception from D'Artagnan founder Ariane Daguin, followed by dinner prepared by some of America's foremost French chefs: Daniel Boulud, Alain Ducasse, Laurent Gras, Alain Sailhac, and Jacques Torres.  Emceed by Martha Stewart, each course for the dinner will be paired with the finest wines from Clarendelle wines and Chateau Haut-Brion from His Royal Highness Prince Robert's own Domaine Clarence Dillon.

Other events making their debut include:

• Rock and Bowl with Anne Burrell
• Thrillist's BBQ & The Blues hosted by Curtis Stone
• FRIED hosted by Tyler Florence and Elizabeth Karmel
• Winemaker Dinners at Ai Fiori, Catch, Locanda Verde, and Red Rooster
• Brooklyn's Best Bites – Artesian Tasting of Brooklyn's Finest, in partnership with Edible Brooklyn
• Chinese Wedding Banquet hosted by Ching-He Huang, in collaboration with Lucky Rice

Among the list of returning favorite events, the Festival's hottest ticket – the Blue Moon Burger Bash – has a new hostess in 2011; filling in for Rachael Ray for this year only is none-other than Whoopi Goldberg!  The one-of-a-kind Soho space 82 Mercer will be home to three of the Festival's most popular events this year: San Pellegrino's Meatball Madness hosted by Giada De Laurentiis, Godiva Chocolatier presents Sweet hosted by Sandra Lee and Tacos & Tequila hosted by Bobby Flay.  This year's star-studded line-up of culinary demonstrations and book signings includes the following personalities: Anthony Bourdain, Alton Brown, Anne Burrell, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, Giada De Laurentiis, Paula Deen & Sons, Guy Fieri, The Neely's, and many more!  

Additional veteran events in 2011 include:  

• Chelsea Market After Dark hosted by Emeril Lagasse, who will be participating in the Festival for the first time
• Cooking Channel's Meatpacking Uncorked
• Rock & Roll with Morimoto and Friends
• Fun and Fit in the City
• Sunday Brunch with Paula Deen
• Carts in the Parc hosted by Andrew Zimmern
• Kids Get Cooking Series
• Lifestyle Wine Seminars and Cocktail Clinics hosted by Food & Wine
• Closing Party hosted by Guy Fieri

Even last year's Sandwich Showdown comes back reinvented as The Best Thing I Ever Ate Between Bread hosted by Duff Goldman.  Plus, a stellar line-up of TimesTalks will return for chats with Jacques Pepin, Guy Fieri, Eric Ripert and the "A-List Ladies" – Anne Burrell, Alex Guarnaschelli and Anita Lo.  

More information about the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine can be found at www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com or by calling 866.969.2933.  Stay tuned into the excitement all year long by following Festival founder and director Lee Brian Schrager on Twitter, www.twitter.com/Lee_Schrager.    

About the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is produced by Karlitz & Company and Southern Wine & Spirits of New York.  Southern Wine & Spirits of New York is also the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival.  Hosted by and benefiting the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®, 100% of the Festival's net proceeds go toward helping these community based organizations fight hunger.  More information about the Festival can be found at www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com.    

About the Food Bank For New York City

Food Bank For New York City recognizes 28 years as the city's major hunger-relief organization working to end food poverty throughout the five boroughs.  As the city's hub for integrated food poverty assistance, the Food Bank tackles the hunger issue on three fronts — food distribution, income support and nutrition education — all strategically guided by its research. Through its network of approximately 1,000 community-based member programs citywide, the Food Bank helps provide 400,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers in need. The Food Bank's hands-on nutrition education program in the public schools reaches thousands of children, teens and adults. Income support services including food stamps, free tax assistance for the working poor and the Earned Income Tax Credit put millions of dollars back in the pockets of low-income New Yorkers, helping them to achieve greater dignity and independence. 94% of donations go directly toward food distribution, acquisition and programs in all five boroughs of New York City.  Learn how you can help at foodbanknyc.org.

About Share Our Strength®

Share Our Strength^®, a national nonprofit, is ending childhood hunger in America by connecting children with the nutritious food they need to lead healthy, active lives.  Through its No Kid Hungry^® Campaign—a national effort to end childhood hunger in America by 2015—Share Our Strength ensures children in need are enrolled in effective federal nutrition programs; invests in community organizations fighting hunger; teaches families how to cook healthy, affordable meals; and builds public-private partnerships to end childhood hunger, at the state and city level. Working closely with the culinary industry and relying on the strength of its volunteers, Share Our Strength hosts innovative culinary fundraising events and develops pioneering cause marketing campaigns that support No Kid Hungry. Visit Strength.org to get involved.

About Southern Wine & Spirits of America:

Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. is the nation's largest wine and spirits distributor with operations in 33 markets. The multi-state distributor currently operates in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia—as well as the additional seven states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Utah through the Southern-Odom/Spirits West partnership. In addition, Southern has a presence in Maryland and the District of Columbia through a joint venture with F.P. Winner Wine & Spirits as well as a joint venture operation in Minnesota with J.J. Taylor Distributing Company. Southern also holds operating licenses and permits in Nebraska and Texas. On a national basis, Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Inc. employs more than 11,000 team members. For more information, see: www.southernwine.com.

SOURCE Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival