Greer's OC

The Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival, a four-day epicurean event will be celebrated September 29 – October 2, 2016, with new experiences such as Taste Around Town on Thursday, Sept. 29, and Friday, Sept. 30, a series of exclusive food and wine tasting experiences with celebrity chefs and master sommeliers.

The Daytime Festival on Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Newport Beach Civic Center includes live cooking demonstrations with celebrity chefs; book signings; master sommelier panels; two Grand Tasting Pavilions featuring samplings from prestigious Orange County restaurants; world-class wine, spirits and beer tastings; speciallounges; and live jazz. Proceeds from the Festival will benefit Project Hope Alliance, the Festival’s long-standing local charity partner.

Greer’s OC readers can get a special $25 off ticket price with discount code GREERS here.    

TASTE AROUND TOWN – Thursday, Sept. 29 & Friday, Sept. 30

On Thursday, Sept. 29, from 6 to 10 p.m., guests will kick off this year’s events with the Opening Night Dinner at Ritz Prime Seafood. A cocktail reception will be followed by a five-course land, sea and truffle tasting menu prepared by Celebrity Chef Rick Moonen in collaboration with Ritz Prime Seafood Executive Chef Phil Kastel. Each course will be perfectly paired with fine wine tastings led by Master Sommelier Michael Jordan. The evening will conclude with a meet-and-greet and book signing with Chef Moonen. Tickets: $295 per person.

A Private Luncheon with Nancy Silverton will be held on Friday, Sept. 30, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Pizzeria Mozza in Newport Beach. Guests will join Chef Silverton, a James Beard Award Winner and “Top Chef Masters” star, for an intimate five-course tasting menu with fine Italian wine pairings led by Master Sommelier Michael Jordan. Guests will also enjoy a meet-and-greet plus book signing with Chef Silverton. Tickets: $150 per person.

On Friday, Sept. 30, from 6 to 10 p.m., will feature a very special Alsatian French Dinner & Conversation with James Beard Award Winner and “Top Chef Masters” Finalist Hubert Keller. Chef Keller will be joined by local French masters, The Winery’s Yvon Goetz, Pelican Hill’s Jean-Pierre Dubray and Orange County favorite Pascal Olhats, to prepare a five-course tasting menu, interactive dessert course and fine French wine pairings with each dish. Tickets: $295 per person.

DAYTIME FESTIVAL – Saturday, Oct. 1 & Sunday, Oct. 2 (2 p.m. to 6 p.m. each day)

The Grand Tasting Pavilions will showcase 20 different restaurants each day. Award-winning Orange County executive chefs will serve signature cuisine from their restaurants. Returning restaurants include RED O, Mastro’s, The Winery, Oak Grill, Andrea, Aqua Lounge, Pelican Grill, Driftwood Kitchen, True Food Kitchen, Selanne Steak Tavern, Twenty Eight, Filomena’s Italian Kitchen, Montage Laguna Beach, Slapfish, Roy’s, Five Crowns, A & O Kitchen + Bar, Honda Center, Tackle Box OC and B.CANDY. Restaurants new to this year’s lineup include Pizzeria Mozza (with Nancy Silverton serving), Vaca, Broadway, Ritz Prime Seafood, Waterline Newport Beach, Provenance, AVEO at St. Regis Monarch Beach, Watertable, Tanners Huntington Beach, Café Beau Soleil, Le Pain Quotidien, Sushi Roku, Tanner’s Huntington Beach, Maggiano’s, Café Bistro Nordstrom, Sam & Harry’s and Nothing Bundt Cakes.

In the center of each Grand Tastings Pavilion, will be tastings from over 200 boutique, cult and world-renowned wines. Winemakers, proprietors and winery owners will mingle with guests, instructing them how to taste, sip, pair and simply enjoy.

General Admission tickets include all programming listed above; a single ticket grants guests unlimited access to food and wine tastings, cooking demos, wine panels, book signings and live music. Each all-inclusive ticket is priced at $175 per person, with no additional fees. General Admission Weekend Passes are available for $295 and include access to the Daytime Festival Saturday and Sunday.

NEW VIP EXPERIENCES – Saturday & Sunday Daytime Festival (12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day)

The Festival is enhancing this year’s VIP experience with four all-new private tasting events taking place at the Civic Center before doors open for General Admission guests. For more information, visit here.

Civic Center is at 100 Civic Center Drive in Newport Beach.