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FEASTiVAL - Celebrity Chef Tasting
Thursday, May 21st
7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Harrah's New Orleans Theatre
Hosted by New Orleans' Chef John Besh

The 18th annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) is excited to announce the addition of its newest premier event, an inaugural celebrity chef gala. FEASTiVAL, which will bring together some of America's favorite celebrity chefs for a "feast" of signature dishes paired with select wineries, will take place on Thursday, May 21st from 7:30 pm until 10:00 pm at Harrah's New Orleans Theatre hosted by New Orleans' Chef John Besh.

Celebrity chefs include Paul Kahan, Michel Richard, Marc Vetri, Neal Fraser, Rick Browne, Hosea Rosenberg and Kelly English. Chef Kahan, owner of Chicago's Blackbird, avec, and The Publican, has been recognized as a Food & Wine Best New Chef, James Beard Foundation Best Chef Midwest, and a nominee for the James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef Award. Among his many accolades, Michel Richard, chef of Michel Richard Citronelle and Central Michel Richard in Washington, DC, is the winner of the 2007 James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Chef, 2008 James Beard Foundation for Best New Restaurant, and the author of the JBF nominated Happy in the Kitchen. Marc Vetri, executive chef and owner of Philadelphia's highly acclaimed restaurants Vetri and Osteria, won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic, and recently published a cookbook including more than 125 of his most-requested dishes. Chef Neal Fraser, hailing from the West Coast, garnered much of his culinary experience from such luminaries as Thomas Keller and David Burke before opening his Los Angeles restaurant GRACE, where he serves New American cuisine. Rick Browne, considered America's #1 barbeque guru, is a renowned barbecue and grilling expert and the author of The Big Book of Barbecue Sides, Grilling America and The Frequent Fryer Cookbook, and co-author of The Barbecue America Cookbook. Hosea Rosenberg, Bravo's Top Chef, Season 5 winner. Kelly English, Chef/Owner of Restaurant Iris in Memphis, and recently named Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chef.

FEASTiVAL joins NOWFE's other upscale events Vinola Tasting & Auction and A Premium Fine Wine Dinner featuring Chef John Folse to make NOWFE 2009 an extravaganza to remember. "Our goal is to offer NOWFE attendees something that is unforgettable; something they will talk about all year until it's time to buy tickets for next year," says Joyce Godbold, NOWFE Executive Director. "I think we have put together a really well rounded event. There is something for every type of wine and food lover, and I'm proud of that." NOWFE 2009 takes place May 19 - 23 at various locations throughout New Orleans, culminating with two Grand Tastings at the Louisiana Superdome.

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The New Orleans Wine & Food Experience is a non-profit organization. The Board of the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience has announced that ten local organizations have received donations totaling $125,000 to support their programs and foundations. Proceeds from the 2008 event benefited the Louisiana Restaurant Association's ProStart Program, The University of New Orleans School of Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism, The Chef John Folse Culinary Institute, Delgado Community College Culinary Arts Program, New Orleans Firefighter House Fund, Sean Payton's Play It Forward, Girls First, Cancer Crusaders, Animal Rescue New Orleans, and Fore! Kids. NOWFE 2009 will be held May 19 - 23, 2009. For additional information, and to join our mailing list please visit www.nowfe.com