PRESS RELEASE
The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic will celebrate its seventh year October 28 – 29 at the Epcot Resort Area resort with its largest event to date featuring 50 food and wine stations, 10 seminars and opportunities to meet the award-winning chefs behind featured culinary masterpieces.
With more food and drink stations spreading out among more space than ever before, guests will delight in numerous opportunities to sip and savor along the resort’s causeway, alongside the resort’s private lake, and for the first time, on the resort’s private beach all weekend while enjoying live entertainment.
Delectable culinary offerings headline the two-night event, featuring cuisine from the resort’s own award-winning restaurants: Il Mulino New York Trattoria, Shula’s Steak House Todd English’s bluezoo, Kimonos and more, with wine and spirits samplings from around the globe.
“Each year we seek to give our guests something new and exciting to experience and taste.” said the resort’s Director of Food & Beverage Tony Porcellini. “This year, we’ll be able to offer them more food, more drink and more fun than ever before.”
What’s New
Making its festival debut this year is an immersive area, which will transport guests’ palates to the streets of San Francisco’s Chinatown with décor and dishes inspired by the famous neighborhood.
Two new dishes were created by resort’s award-winning culinary team will be featured in the area: crispy duck with cucumber, scallion, hoisin sauce and a steamed bun as well as Shanghai dumplings, handmade with pork, rice wine, ginger and scallion, served with soy sauce and chili oil sauce.
Also new for 2016 is the Sunday Bubbles Brunch with J Vineyards and Winery at Il Mulino New York Trattoria, featuring a lavish menu of traditional and unconventional dishes like various cured meats and imported cheeses along with an array of sushi and trattoria-inspired entrees.
Featured Food
Friday and Saturday nights, feature menus full of new and unique dishes sure to please the palate, including spinach and potato agnolotti with pork, tomato cream grilled radicchio and ricotta salata; smoked beef brisket with white cheddar beignet and concord grape and smoked bacon remoulade; and seared striped bass with fall artichokes, nicoise olives and Spanish caper emulsion.
Favorite dishes from past years also return, such as the shrimp cocktail steamroller, Thai chicken salad with organic greens, green papaya tamarind and ginger dressing as well as the dragon sushi roll with crispy shrimp, tuna and avocado.
The resort’s World Champion Pastry Chef, Laurent Branlard, provides a sweeter side to the evening with decadent desserts like the all-chocolate choux and caramel sea salt éclair with vanilla whipped cream and comfit gingered pears. The Sundae Action Station returns allowing guests to choose their own toppings like chocolate cake and caramelized banana.
Seminars and Upgrades
Two new hands-on educational seminars, taught by members of the resort’s award-winning food and beverage team, are being added to this year’s seminar offerings. The Craft Cocktails seminar educates guests on the origins of traditional cocktails and how to make them, and More than Malbec introduces the world of popular Argentinian wines, with tastings and tips for pairing. Popular returning seminar topics include wine blending, Italian wines, champagne, beer, tequila, pasta making, sushi and sake and wine and cheese pairing. All seminars require separate tickets, and space is limited.
As an upgraded ticket option, guests can experience a beer garden, featuring a variety of local and seasonal brews from around the world, alongside Oktoberfest-inspired cuisine made by the resort’s culinary experts.
Award-Winning Chefs
To add to the event’s appeal, guests can enjoy a meet and greet with celebrity chef Todd English, the namesake of the resort’s Todd English’s bluezoo restaurant. Guests can also meet the world’s only two-time World Champion Pastry Chef and the resort’s very own executive pastry chef, Laurent Branlard. Barbeque fans shouldn’t miss the Cib’s Smoke House station for signature barbeque dishes from the resort’s Executive Chef Robert Ciborowski.
With 17 restaurants and lounges, a distinguished culinary and beverage team and unmatched customer service, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort continually receives national recognition for its food and beverage program. The culinary team has had the honor of presenting multiple dinners at the distinguished James Beard House. The resort boasts more than 70 certified wine sommeliers and 1,400 wine selections, including organic and rare vintages. The resort’s restaurants are annual winners of the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence including Shula’s Steak House, a five-time recipient of the exclusive Best of Award of Excellence.
Tickets to the Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic are available as part of a resort package or individually. For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500.
What: Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic
Info: The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort returns October 28 – 29, showcasing a vast array of food and beverage options, informative seminars conducted by members of the resort’s award-winning food and beverage team and an appearance by celebrity chef Todd English.
The Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic consists of 10 food and beverage seminars, live entertainment, a beer garden and more than 50 food and beverage stations, featuring appetizing selections from the resort’s signature restaurants: Shula’s Steak House, Il Mulino New York Trattoria and Todd English’s bluezoo, as well as wines, beers and cocktails from around the world.
When: Friday, October 28 and Saturday, October 29, 2016
5:30–9 p.m. (for seminar schedule, check www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com)
Where: Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort Causeway
1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd.
Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830
407-934-4000
Ticket Information:
– Overnight packages, available for one or two nights, including room accommodations and two tickets to the outdoor festival (seminar tickets and beer garden tickets may be added for an additional fee) are available starting at $392
– Advance purchase unlimited food and beverage samples are $105 per person; beer garden upgrade is $130 per person including taxes
– Interactive seminars start at $50 per person, per class including taxes
– Sunday Bubbles Brunch with J Vineyards and Winery is $75 per person
– For more information or to book, please visit www.SwanDolphinFoodandWineClassic.com or call 1-800-227-1500
About the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort
In the heart of the Walt Disney World Resort, the award-winning Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort resides amongst the greatest theme parks and attractions in Central Florida. The resort is located between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and nearby Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Magic Kingdom Park. Guests can discover 17 world-class restaurants and lounges, sophisticated guest rooms with Westin Heavenly Beds and the luxurious Mandara Spa. The resort features five pools, two health clubs, tennis, nearby golf, complimentary transportation throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, the extended park hours benefit, where each day, one of the four Walt Disney World Theme Parks is open extra time for guests to enjoy select attractions (Valid Theme Park admission and Resort ID required) and Disney FastPass+ service, where guests can reserve up to 3 select theme park experiences up to 60 days in advance of their visit. The resort can be reached at 800-227-1500, www.swandolphin.com or through Facebook at www.facebook.com/swananddolphin.
