Over-whelming, intense, gluttonous, and a ton of fun. Those are just a few words to describe the “Grand Tasting” at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by ShopRite. For one all-inclusive ticket, hungry and thirsty guests sampled a seemingly never ending tastings provided by NYC’s top restaurants and chefs, accompanied by fine wine and spirits from the Southern Wine & Spirits of New York portfolio along with 12 cooking demonstrations from popular Food Network personalities.

The location of the tasting was at the historic Pier 57,which rests along the Hudson River. It was also one of the first events to be held in the newly opened space. And after attending I can see why. It’s true the tasting was a sold out event, but that didn’t hurt the flow by causing lines. The space is just that large. All the attendees were able to grab some food, or receive a wine pour with great ease. There was such an abundance of treats to try, be it food or drink that I am sure I missed several delicious creations.

One of the key aspect that sets the Food Network festival apart from the rest of the pack is the fantastic interaction with culinary celebrities. Throughout the, “Grand Tasting” food celebrities such as, Alton Brown, Paula Dean, and Andrew Zimmern took to the stage to give lively demonstrations to their foodie fans. And if that wasn’t enough patrons could meet these personalities who were signing their latest cookbooks. During an excellent presentation on steaks I ran into Fabio from Top Chef who was more then happy to chat for a few minutes.

Wine and food culture in New York is an ever growing animal. Luckily for us, that animal is darn tasty. All the planning yielded fantastic execution, on the part of the Food Network and its generous sponsors. But the true winners are the independent businesses and local restaurants who were able to get their names out to a much broader audience. Cheers!

- Jay Rubin