Tastings or chef experiences?

[pditullio]

Anyone have any recommendations for special dining experiences that include demonstrations, meet the chef, tastings, etc.?

 

[loves to dive]

I'm assuming you are asking about Food and Wine so I'm going with that. Last year I did the Morocco Dinner and Wine, it was basically a 3 course dinner with special wine pairings, the chef would come out at each course explain the course (they were not what is served in the restaurant) and the wine rep would explain why they picked the wine they did to go with it. We were at two tables with about 8 people per table. They have a number of these throughout the festival at different restaurants, I believe there is one at Italy, one in Morocco at the main restaurant and a mediterranen one at Spice Roads (I'm doing that one this year) and I can't remember the rest. There is an entire page on the disney site for F&W. There are also signature meal pairings at restaurants throughout the property, some lunch some dinner not in the parks. They have the culanary, mixology and wine tastings in the festival center for $15 each they last about 45 min. each. I've done a number of the wine ones and am signed up for a couple of the culinary ones this year. The chef from one of the restaurants will prepare a dish in front of you and you get to taste it and there is usually a wine paired with it, not a big taste of either but they are fun. The wine tastings I went to were done by a rep of the vineyard and there were usually two or three wines to taste. There are celeb signings and some breakfast offerings with them, I think those are on weekend, I've not done any of those. There is a thread on the restaurant board dedicated to Food and Wine you might want to check that out.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I really loved the Chef's Tasting Wine Dinner at Flying Fish. It's only offered one or two nights a week at set times (year round - not festival specific). There are several courses - each explained by the chef as is the wine with which it is paired. If you search this forum, there are been a few detailed reviews posted. Beware, I think the restaurant is closing for a several month refurb next year so that may not work, depending on your dates.

 

[craigkerstiens]

A big +1 to Flying Fish's Chef's Tasting, here's our rundown from just a few months back at it - http://thedisneywineblog.com/2015/07/19/chefs-tasting-at-flying-fish/

Beyond that there's really quite a range of events if you're talking about at the food and wine. There will be a number of demonstrations with some light tasting throughout the festival, now a lot of those may already be booked. Beyond that some restaurants will host special dinners and signature meals that may be in some way similar experience to Flying Fish's.

 

[Eeyore2003]

Not sure if you will get tickets for many of them anymore, but you might for the Party For the Senses on Saturdays. If you want an absolutely wonderful and special food experience this would be it. They will usually always have one Chef from Food Network or some such famous chef and many others from around the United States plus many of the Disney Chefs. Cirque du Soliel usually entertains but we are going on Halloween this year and it said "dancing" and "band" so that one might be different this year. Its our one big splurge night of the year and we spring for the Wine View Lounge, but you can get tickets at, I think, a very good price for what you are getting with a basic ticket. We have done many of the other Food and Wine presentations and this would be the only one we really make sure we go to each year. The ones where a chef gives a presentation and you get a meal are nice also, but I'm not sure there will be any tickets left for those at this point and I'd still recommend The Party for the Senses.