Trending at high-end resorts: Events designed to showcase iconic cuisines and local talent.
The concept of bringing notable chefs together in a resort locale was pioneered at the food Aspen Food and Wine Festival in 1983 to pump up interest in the summer season. Similar events blossomed in other resorts, becoming a yearround occurrence. It’s a trend perfectly aligned with the growing spotlight on food and beverages among resorts.
Referring to Hualālai, a private luxury resort community on the exclusive Kona-Kohala Coast of Hawai’i Island, Rob Kildow, director of sales at Hualālai Realty, says, “The community we’ve built is very food savvy, and our team works hard to ensure we bring creativity to our events. In addition to winemaker dinners and festivities during standout holidays, we’ve seen significant turnout to our seasonal event series, including themed dinners celebrating everything from Greek and Mexican cuisine to seafood, taking inspiration from Pike Place Fish Market, to cooking classes put on by our very talented culinary team, and more. These sell out rapidly, showcasing member engagement and excitement for events of this nature.”
“Today’s affluent travelers are more interested than ever in gastronomic experiences. They seek immersive experiences with delectable cuisine and artful cocktails and featuring chef engagement and unique experiences,” says Greg Cook, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island. Cook and his team are gearing up for the resort’s inaugural culinary happening, the Amelia Island Cookout, in late October, featuring a variety of lavish, interactive dining experiences, gourmet wine pairing dinners and a Chef’s Theater cooking demo. The highlight of the event will be a huge oceanfront cookout helmed by local and national talent.
Gastronomic Immersions
On Grand Cayman, plans for the 15th annual Grand Cayman Cookout at The RitzCarlton on Seven Mile Beach are underway. Once again, legendary Chef Eric Ripert, of Le Bernardin and the resort’s restaurant Blue, has tapped a star-studded roster of talent, including Jose Andres, Kristen Kish, Emeril Lagasse, Andrew Zimmern, and stellar mixologists. Expanded to five days in 2024, this event has garnered a reputation for extraordinary food and beverage experiences while raising funds to support World Central Kitchen and the Cayman Food Bank.
Food might be the centerpiece, but it’s only part of this extravaganza, which includes beachside demonstrations and tastings, music, poolside cocktails, brunches and a monster cookout along the beach. Interactive workshops offer an opportunity to learn new techniques. Sessions on food and beverage pairing provide insights into matching flavors as well as innovative gastronomic combinations.
Those who attend say one of the best aspects is the repartee with chefs. Last year, a sunset sail on a catamaran sipping Moët & Chandon was an option. This year, it will be an excursion on a private jet with Ripert to Cayman Brac for an immersive farmto-table experience. Once again, London artist Louis-Nicolas Darbon will create limited edition pieces to be made available through a silent auction, with proceeds going to the Cayman Food Bank.
Brunches that Give Back
Bespoke programming has been a signature of the Four Seasons Resort Hualālai. The resort’s Winemaker in Residence offers intimate tastings and one-on-one interactions with a renowned vintner in a series of three events. Executive Chef Richard Polhemus prepares a creative menu for each, emphasizing sustainable practices and sourcing 75 percent of all ingredients from Hawaii. Statewide, the Hawai’i Food & Wine Festival occurs over three weekends, beginning October 13 across three islands.
This year’s festival features over 90 world-renowned chefs and dozens of celebrated sommeliers, winemakers and mixologists. Events range from walk-around tastings to VIP gourmet experiences to wine-paired dinners and brunches. Not only does the event celebrate local agriculture, but to date has donated over $3.4 million back to the community.
Females Firing It Up
In partnership with the James Beard Foundation, Michigan’s legendary Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island celebrates female culinary and beverage talent at the second annual Cork & Fork Festival, a three-day event in late September. The Grand Hotel’s Master Sommelier Elizabeth Schweitzer will offer curated wine pairings and lead tastings throughout the weekend, featuring wines from the property’s 500-plus-bottle wine cellar.
Schweitzer is only the eighth woman in the world to achieve Master Sommelier status. The award-winning chef lineup draws from Minneapolis, New Orleans, Las Vegas, Chicago and Atlanta. The highlight of the weekend is a six-course signature “pink tie” dinner benefiting the Susan G Komen Foundation. Golf and food seem unlikely bedfellows, but that’s the focus of Punta Mita’s annual Gourmet and Golf. Here three different resort properties collaborate to stage the multi-day event in December 2023
Not all festivals center around beaches and greens. Paws Up, a 37,000-acre (about 60 square miles) uber ranch resort in the Montana wilderness celebrates a different kind of green. Culinary happenings here abound, keyed to the season. Montana Master Grills, Fish and Feasts and Wonder Women of Food and Wine are a small sampling. The James Beard Weekend, October 13 -15, brings together culinary talent from across the county.
Few other happenings seem to be proliferating as rapidly as culinary events. How many more will be on the menu in 2024?