We rested for about 3 hours back at the hotel until we head on back to DCA that night to attend the 5pm Robert Irvine Celebrity Kitchen seminar.
It was around 3:30pm when we left BWPPI back to DCA. We head on over to Hollywood Land where Stage 17 is the location for the Celebrity Kitchen seminar.
When we got to Stage 17, there were a registration desk for the guests who were attending the 5pm seminar. There was the regular table and the other was the VIP table for the guests who paid an extra $50 more for better seats, souvenirs from the seminar and a picture with Robert Irvine.
I saw Alison (
@franandaj) in the VIP queue where they were first. They told me that they got there super early sometime around 2ish time where they were going to get the best spot during the seminar. For us, there were about 12 people in front of us which was not that bad since we got there before 4pm. But when time goes on more and more guests started to show up. Good thing that we can an hour before the seminar started.
When it was around 5pm, we were escorted into Stage 17. The stage for the Celebrity Kitchen seminar was nicely done for the stage where the whole building still has the Frozen Fun façade. So I would guess that later on the Frozen Fun set up will be used again in the near future. This is like during the AP Days in February where the setup is still there. We got the fourth table row where the first three were for the VIP.
Alison was able to get the first row and close to the stage.
When the show started, there two people introducing Robert Irvine and went backstage to the Kitchen to see the work.
This was by far my favorite pic from the seminar which he wasn’t happy about the camera being in the kitchen.
They showed some clips from his Food Network shows from Dinner Impossible.
During the seminar, there was audio technical difficulties where we heard him talking out loud without the speakers and there was times where it was on and off and he made a lot of jokes about it.
When Chef Robert Irvine came out of the backstage, it was so exciting and loud from all the guests. I was trying to clap as well but when I have the DSLR in my hands, it was all about taking pictures. I really wanted to bring my video camera for that seminar but I had to take pictures instead.
During the seminar, he was very interactive with the guests where he walked in the crowds instead of being on the stage for all the time.
He started to work on the first course while talking about the ingredients that we are trying first.
The first item he was making when the CM’s servers brought it out before he completed it was a lime vodka drink.
It was not that bad but I am not a drinker type of a person. Chef Robert Irvine made the drink without using a mixer where just used a spoon to stir.
Then he started on the next item which was the appetizer. I can tell from the ingredients on the stage kitchen that they were Asian ingredients which was some kind of salad.
When we saw what ingredients he was using, he had a tuna, sriracha, sesame oil, salt, pepper, lime, soy sauce, mint, celery, green papaya, fish sauce, avocado puree, shallots, peanuts and micro greens.
We had a tuna salad which was quite good.
When we were all eating the salad, he started to move on to his next dish which was the main course. But he started to bring guests from the tables and had them cook with chef Robert Irvine.
We were going to have a lamb dish
For the lamb dish, we were served a Malbec wine.
Some of the ingredients that he used for the main course were lamb, lemon grass, chillies, shallots along with grape seed oil. The lamb was seasoned with salt and peppers and he grilled the lamb. Then he put the lamb in the oven. Then he started by making a side dish which was fried a cauliflower. He added mixed capers, parsley, pepper, onion, cucumber, green tomatoes, salt pepper, lime jiice, and tamarind paste which he mixed it together.
The lamb dish was very good along with the cauliflower.
During the seminar, he came off the stage and talked to the guests. There were times where he was right next to us while we were at the table.
He also talked about the Robert Irvine Foundation which is a non-profit organization that helps the men and women of the military personnel of enriching the lives and their families. He was in the Royal Navy and has a big heart for military personnel. It was nice of him talking about his charitable foundations.
During the seminar, Robert Irvine kids and wife was in attendance during the seminar. His wife is professional wrestler Gail Kim.
After he talked, it was now over. Now we were about to leave. The VIP people were able to stay in Stage 17 so they can meet Robert Irvine up close and take pictures with him while we ordered the regular tickets. I was thinking of buying the VIP package but the extra $50 per person didn’t seem like it was worth it. But during that 5pm seminar, it feel like there were more VIP over the regular guests which the backside of Stage 17 was empty behind us.
For my experience, it was well worth the price that we were able to attend the Robert Irvine Kitchen Celebrity seminar. I mostly don’t do these event even during my times at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival but I thought it was worth a shot since it was at DCA and attending my first seminar for the F&W Festival was well worth it. DAW had a fun time as well which she really enjoyed the seminar. I remember that she asked Robert Irvine a question but I can’t remember it.
After the seminar was over, we went on back towards the kiosks for the Food & Wine Festival that day. The food at the seminar was not a full meal but like sampler types and now it was time to head on back and eat more food during the F&W Festival. The kiosks did look busy that night but they didn’t look as busy like on Sunday afternoon which it was very busy. Most of the queues had at least 10 people or more.
We went back to the LAstyle kiosk in order to get the Pork Belly Bao Taco and this time it was the Pork Belly Bao Taco that I got.
When we were eating, we talked to some other people that were eating just like us during the F&W Festival. It is always nice to be able to talk to other guests at the parks where going to the DLR makes it even more special.
After we finished, we decided to head on back to the room since DAW was not feeling tired that day. I was the same thing for some odd reason. So we ended around 8pm that night and head on back to the room instead of staying at the DLR that night. It was a good thing that we got the extra rest but sometimes I do regret that I missed another good opportunity at night to get nighttime long exposure shots like I did the other night. But I had plenty of opportunities to get shots while I have an Annual Pass.
We went back to the room that night and called it which was early. Even though we didn’t get all the food that we wanted to try that day but I was satisfy how it went and the Robert Irvine Celebrity Kitchen seminar was well worth it. We were able to meet nice people and I was able to see Alison and Fran that day.