It’s almost the season for major food festivals. Here are three delicious picks.
MELBOURNE FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
March 1-17
With more than 250 events, this food fest makes it easy for everyone to take part. At one of the many regional events outside of Melbourne, kids will enjoy Become a Junior Chocolatier — a “parent-free zone” at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie and Ice Creamery, where European chocolate masters teach children how to create chocolate animals ($15). Kick back at the “World’s Longest Lunch,” an al fresco event for 1,200 diners at a 1,640-foot-long table at Fitzroy Gardens, with food from Australian chefs/cookbook authors/TV personalities Stephanie Alexander and Maggie Beer ($150). Events for any budget and any palate include the Redheads Gourmet Barbecue Festival, with local pitmasters, craft beer, live music and family entertainment ($15), and the Sparkling King Prawns and Caviar lunch, a four-course meal featuring freshwater hand-milked caviar from the Yarra Valley’s Rubicon River ($90). melbournefoodandwine.com.au
PEBBLE BEACH FOOD & WINE
April 4-7
Sample dishes from about 20 chefs, including “Iron Chef” stars Jose Garces and Geoffrey Zakarian, as well as Miami dessert queen Hedy Goldsmith, at the opening-night reception ($250). Play a round of golf (fueled by Champagne, of course) with celebrity chefs like Thomas Keller ($1,000). Get lessons from Union Square Cafe legends Danny Meyer and Michael Romano at their cooking demo ($100). Feast at the grand finale dinner with Pierre Gagnaire and Eleven Madison Park pastry chef Angela Pinkerton ($1,250). pbfw.com
VEGAS UNCORK’D BY BON APPETIT
May 9-12
Get an early look inside the MGM Grand’s Hakkasan (both a restaurant and a gargantuan nightclub for the world’s highest-paid DJs) at the kickoff party ($150). Try French legend Joel Robuchon’s creative food and wine pairings during his cooking demo/lunch at the MGM Grand ($195). Have dinner with the Pellegrino family at their Caesars Palace outpost of Rao’s ($175) because you know you’ll never get into the New York Rao’s. Join Michael Mina, Julian Serrano and Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the Bellagio block party ($165). And indulge yourself at the grand tasting, held at Caesars Palace’s dramatic Garden of the Gods pool area, with bites from more than 50 chefs paired with more than 100 wines and spirits ($225). vegasuncorked.com