It was that time of year again for the city's biggest food and wine fanatics to don elastic-waist pants and head for the Marriott Marquis for Bon Appetit's annual Wine and Spirits Focus: A Lifestyle Experience tasting event and fund-raiser for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Produced by Bon Appetit special events director Caryl Chinn and M. Young Communications, the event brought in almost 2,000 guests to the massive tasting, where more than 30 of the city's best restaurants and tons of wine and spirits purveyors from around the world participated in the gourmet evening.
Guests at the event were so wrapped up eating and drinking, the silent auction portion of the evening would have gone unnoticed without constant reminders from the emcee for guests to bid. Giants star Jason Sehorn, Lot 61 and Bungalow 8 owner Amy Sacco and gossip columnist Liz Smith contributed hand-decorated charger plates to the silent auction, which also offered dinners at local restaurants and several wine sets and gift baskets.
This year, a swanky lounge area with furniture from Cort Event Furnishings took over the main stage of the Broadway Ballroom, and title sponsor Viking Range provided an entire kitchen set-up where chefs gave short presentations. Chef Terrance Brennan of Artisanal and Picholine discussed the resurging popularity of cheese fondue with Bon Appetit wine and spirits editor Anthony Dias Blue to a captive audience in a special seating area in front of the kitchen-stage.
—Suzanne Ito
Read our coverage of last year's Wine and Spirits Focus...
Read our Impresario Q&A with Melanie Young of M. Young Communications...
Guests at the event were so wrapped up eating and drinking, the silent auction portion of the evening would have gone unnoticed without constant reminders from the emcee for guests to bid. Giants star Jason Sehorn, Lot 61 and Bungalow 8 owner Amy Sacco and gossip columnist Liz Smith contributed hand-decorated charger plates to the silent auction, which also offered dinners at local restaurants and several wine sets and gift baskets.
This year, a swanky lounge area with furniture from Cort Event Furnishings took over the main stage of the Broadway Ballroom, and title sponsor Viking Range provided an entire kitchen set-up where chefs gave short presentations. Chef Terrance Brennan of Artisanal and Picholine discussed the resurging popularity of cheese fondue with Bon Appetit wine and spirits editor Anthony Dias Blue to a captive audience in a special seating area in front of the kitchen-stage.
—Suzanne Ito
Read our coverage of last year's Wine and Spirits Focus...
Read our Impresario Q&A with Melanie Young of M. Young Communications...