Renowned wine experts and celebrated chefs will be participating in the 10th annual St. Croix Food & Wine Experience. St. Croix will be welcoming an impressive group of experts including: Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena, Shauna Rosenblum of Rock Wall Wine Company, Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars, Tom Hedges of Hedges Estate Vineyard as well as celebrated chefs Tim Love, Kevin Rathbun, Gabriel Rucker and Roberto Trevino. Tickets to the events, April 13-17, 2010, go on sale in March and packages starting at $2500 can be purchased in advance through the St. Croix Foundation.
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, named one on the Ten Best International Food and Wine Festivals by Forbes Travel, showcases the diverse cuisine and wine available on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The multi-day event includes gourmet dinners, wine seminars, wine auctions, and the annual culinary competition, A Taste of St. Croix. The event benefits the St. Croix Foundation, a non-profit community foundation that administers a number of local programs. The event was started in 2001 by restaurant owners Katherine Pugliese of Eat@CaneBay, and Kelly Odom of Tutto Bene, and is recognized as the pre-eminent food and wine event in the Caribbean. A preview of events for the 2010 St. Croix Food & Wine Experience include:
The Homecoming at Tutto Bene – Chefs of the past return to St. Croix to team together and create a memorable dining experience. The Homecoming is a five course wine dinner. Date: April 13. Location: Tutto Bene. Tickets are $375 per person.Galleon Dinner – This fine dinner features Master Winemaker Bo Barrett of Chateau Montelena, Tom Hedges of Hedges Estate Vineyard, Kent Rosenblum of Rosenblum Cellars and Shauna Rosenblum of Rock Wall Wine Company. Together, these acclaimed wine makers will pair wines with gourmet cuisine. Date: April 13. Location: The Galleon. Tickets are $150 per person.Iron Chefs vs Island Chefs, Iron Chef contestants Kevin Rathbun, Tim Love and Roberto Trevino will compete against local chefs Leslie Gumbs of St. Thomas, who won the competition last year, and Mathayom “Mat” Varachat of St. John and Chef Elverette Carty of St. Thomas in an amusing test of international culinary skills from a blind taste-testing to cracking open a coconut. Date: April 14. Location: Eat@Cane Bay at Cane Bay Beach. Tickets are $60 per person.The rebellious and generous Gabriel Rucker of Portland, Oregon will guest chef at Salud Bistro to create the Whole Hog dinner which features spectacular pork influenced recipes from appetizers to drinks (Yes, drinks!). Date: April 14. Location: Salud Bistro. Tickets are $100 per person.A Taste of St. Croix, the event that started the entire series of culinary “feastivities”, will once again be held along the seashore at Divi Carina Bay Resort. With more than 50 restaurants, 20 wineries and a thousand guests, this is the culinary event of the year. Date: April 15. Location: Divi Carina Bay Resort. Tickets are $85 per person.After the feast and fun at A Taste of St. Croix, guests can dance the night away at the Moet Disco at the Starlight Room overlooking the Caribbean Sea at the Divi Carina Bay Resort. Date: April 15. Divi Carina Bay Resort. Tickets start at $20 per person.Culinary greats Tim Love, Kevin Rathbun, Gabriel Rucker, Roberto Trevino will be paired with top wine experts at the Cork & Fork dinners, intimate dining events that occur in fabulous, often historic homes of St. Croix. Date: April 16. Multiple locations. Tickets start at $750 per person.Wine Seminars will be held at the beachfront hotel The Palms. Four wine seminars are offered and taught by leading wine experts. New in 2010 is a drinks demonstration offered by Diageo. Date: April 14. Location: The Palms. Tickets are $50 per person.Wine-and-Dine Walks will be held in both towns on island, offering gourmet bites and wine tastings at multiple restaurants. Date: April 16. Location: Christiansted and Frederiksted. Tickets are $100 per person.Wine in the Warehouse culminates the week’s events in a wine distributors warehouse. This red carpet event includes wine tastings, gourmet bites prepared by island chefs, live music and a most festive atmosphere. Date: April 17. Location: Leeward Islands Warehouse. Tickets are $100 per person.Tickets to the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience go on sale in March 2010 and will be available at www.StCroixFoodandWine.com. Vinophiles and foodies wanting access to all events can purchase a package for $5000, which includes two tickets to each event and a choice of one Cork & Fork dinner. Sponsorship packages are also available. For more information on sponsorship opportunities or ticket packages, please contact Roger Dewey at 340-773-9898.
About The St. Croix Foundation
Proceeds from The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience are donated to The St. Croix Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on community revitalization, economic development, youth programs, education and additional needs in the community. The culinary event has raised more than $750,000 for The St. Croix Foundation over the past nine years.
For more information visit: Taste of St. Croix and St. Croix Foundation.
