Look Back: The Wine&Food Show
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- April
- 9
Sorry I haven’t posted in a couple of days…. I’ve been having some R&R after working the show!
I’ve been hearing from some readers about their experiences, so I thought I’d do a recap below. I invite everyone to comment so we can make improvements next year. I can promise that people will listen to what you say.
People loved the food at the tapas n tinis party, but they didn’t like the buffet lines. Maybe the answer for this is more passed food and a help-yourself cheese and olive table? What do you think?
Also, the drinks lines were awfully long. Maybe the answer to that is one signature cocktail instead of a choice? (Whenever I serve a signature cocktail at my parties at home, it’s the hit of the night, whether it’s a bowl of punch, a champange-based drink or a straight-up cocktail.)
The grand tastings were very crowded between 1 and 3 PM. It’s like going to any popular tourist destination: it’s always the most crowded in the morning. Hang back and you’ll find there is more room to move around. My suggestion? Hit a seminar and a chef demo at 1 and 2 p.m., then go for the wine. When I was done with my work at the chef demos around 3, I was able to walk around, chat and learn about the wines being offered.
The casino night was nearly flawless in my opinion, but maybe that’s because I was too busy shouting “Go shooter! Make that point!” In all seriousness, there was plenty of passed food, the drinks were good and I didn’t see any crowding or lines.
And the food at the brunch was out of sight. I loved Dave DiBari’s take on eggs Benedict: a potato hash, cabbage with vinegar and pork confit, all topped with a poached egg? Come on.
I heard from people at the event that many were having a fabulous time. They thought the food was plentiful and delicious, and they even learned a lot about wine from the vendors and cooking from the chefs’ demos.
Of course, there are also people who weren’t happy, and you’re usually more apt to hear from them, right? Let me share a couple of comments I found on the news stories from the event:
Cynpal wrote:
I agree with Debbie, this was a poorly run event. I felt like I was in subway car during rush hour! Next year I will take my money and go have a fabulous lunch someplace.
4/6/2008 11:01:11 PM
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Debbi108 wrote:
We have been attending the Wine and Food Expo since its beginning. This is the fourth one we have attended. We have always had a great time at each event but this event was overbooked,crowded, not thought out. There was not enough wines to taste. We felt like we were cattle in a crowded subway car. I would like our money returned. We we’re very disappointed. It was always a classy event – but this time it was just a money maker. Please return our money.
4/6/2008 6:29:56 PM
disneyfan wrote:
Shame on the organizers – The hotel is still under renovation after all these years, they should have known better and moved the venue. I will not go again. Not to mention it was more about the food this year – i had a hard time finding a wine booth with personel that could speak with me. What made it worse was not being able to move. I’m only sorry I didn’t ask for my money back!
4/7/2008 3:58:10 PM
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lmendillo wrote:
I have to agree 100% . It was OVERSOLD and way to crowded. I am supprised the fire dept wasn’t called in because of the size of the crowds. We barely were able to sample anything let alone move freely for many of these underwhelming samples. Never again!! Larry Mendillo, White Plains
4/7/2008 2:31:08 PM
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MisterBill wrote:
PS after reading this article I’m really sad that I did not push my way through the crowds to get to the Mojito booth! That was just the worst of all of the crowds!
4/7/2008 1:45:55 PM
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MisterBill wrote:
The problems were nothing that an appropriately sized venue wouldn’t have solved. The DT was too small for this event. I’m guessing that they made a generous offer to hold it there that wasn’t going to be passed over just because it wasn’t the right spot or big enough.
4/7/2008 1:44:06 PM
So, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please share them in the comments field below.
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on Wednesday, April 9th, 2008 at 9:06 am by Liz Johnson.
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(4.62 out of 5)
(4.21 out of 5)
> Hit a seminar and a chef demo at 1 and 2 p.m.,
> then go for the wine.
That sounds like a great idea, except you put the most popular chef demos on at 3 and 4 on Saturday. And because the 3pm demo (Top Chef) ran way over, causing the 4pm (Peter Kelly) to start late, I couldn’t even go back and enjoy the tent when it less crowded because I wasn’t out until after 5.
For the record, I was in the tent from 2:30-3 (after the 2pm demo) and when I got back for the 3pm demo I found it was full and I had to sit in the lounge, where of course I could not hear it because of the poor sound system.
Food and Wine Fest was a FISCO, it was more like “Sour Grapesâ€
Good thing we arrived at 1pm so we were able to walk around and taste the toppers and sip the wine samples without getting anyone’s way. But, as the clock struck 3pm the crowds got unbearable – as time moved on, we were slowly being squeezed all together like crushed grapes ready for the wine vat, thus leaving us no room to walk around.
The problem with the event was the spacing. The lobby and tent for the event was too SMALL. Whoever managed the ticket sales should have known the amount of tickets sold and the square footage of each room would not fit the amount of people attending this includes the staff working the event, security, vendors etc. Maybe this was the event planners first event, and it should be their last event. The lobby area was not a place for vendors to be staged, and the tent outside could only hold a few hundred people – the tent was overflowing.
This is the last time I attend an event like this at that location in Tarrytown. Whoever manages the next event should be mindful of the spacing not just think of ticket sales for profit.
I can’t understand the “sour grapes”. I guess that only the complainers post comments. I thought the event was fantastic. The food was top quality, I tasted some excellent wines, and I learned a lot. I particularly loved the ice-wine seminar, which I found fun and informative. And I met some fun people, which was best of all. I’m looking forward to next year!
Well, there are certainly a lot of complainers out there! I feel compelled to tell you that my husband and I had a wonderful time at the grand tasting event on Saturday. We are more food and beer focused—so that’s what we went for. We enjoyed so many delectible things that I can’t begin to say what was our favorite. Food was plentiful and so was the wine and spirits. Though it was crowded at times we had no trouble getting to what we wanted to try and the vendors handled their tasters with grace and spent time explaining what they had to offer. I’m only sorry that I didn’t get us tickets to the casino night party! It certainly appeared to me that people were totally enjoying themselves at the grand tasting. I guess it’s always the wet blankets that have to make sure that everyone hears their moaning. In my opinion it was a well-run event that just needed some more space.
I think she meant fiasco, not fisco. Maybe she wrote the response right after the cocktail hour.
My husband and I were completely disappointed! I don’t understand how the event could charge $75.00 per person. The type of atmosphere that was provided was worth $20.00. I have been to cheaper wine tastings and that’s what I expect, but this was ridiculous. I was unable to have one conversation about wine and I was barely able to get my glass in to have a taste. We were all treated like a herd of cows, being shuffled around in unbearable heat. My husband and I attend many exclusive wine tasting events that range from $75.00-$150.00 per person and with each one I was always able to spend at least 20 minutes at each table. This was by far the worst experience we have ever had. So much for a great anniversary gift!
I’ve been to many Wine Tastings and this was by far the worst I have ever experienced. Not only was it over crowded but it had to be about 85 degrees in the tent and in the main lobby. As we were stuck in the mob of people, not once did I get to stop and actually talk to any of the vendors about the wine. The only conversations I heard was people complaining about the event. We were packed in like sardines. Worst experience ever.. hands down.
Three years ago the Expo was held in Katonah. That’s where it belongs – This was a disgrace.