The celebrity Chef Lineup includes Fabio Viviani, Rick Bayless, Nyesha Arrington, Jamika Pessoa, Melissa King, Elena Besser, and cast members from “America’s Test Kitchen.”
Destination Kohler announced today the headlining talent for the highly anticipated 20th anniversary of Kohler Food & Wine Experience. Now, guests can purchase tickets for the premier epicurean event of the Midwest, which kicks off Thursday, October 21 and extends throughout the weekend with cooking demos, educational sessions, tastings, luncheons, evening soirées and live music entertainment. Guests will have the opportunity to interact with and learn from some of the country’s most innovative chefs, wine experts and restaurateurs.
The four-day extravaganza will feature demonstrations and tastings on the Culinary Stages with diverse culinary icons, including:
Fabio Viviani – Chef and restaurateur best known for his television debut on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” during which he earned the Fan Favorite title. Viviani operates 16 celebrated concepts across the country, including Siena Tavern and Prime & Provisions in Chicago.
Rick Bayless – Chef, philanthropist, winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and host of “Mexico: One Plate at a Time. “Bayless’ Chicago restaurants Frontera Grill and Topolobampo have each received the “Outstanding Restaurant of the Year” designation from the James Beard Foundation.
Nyesha Arrington – Chef and host of “Plateworthy” on Eater. Known from her days on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” Nyesha will join Gordon Ramsay on FOX’s new culinary competition show “Next Level Chef.” An LA native, she views cooking as a means to connect with cultures through food.
Melissa King – Chef, advocate, entrepreneur, “Top Chef All Star” winner and “Top Chef” judge, Melissa is a proud Chinese-American chef known for her blend of California cuisine with Asian flavors. She is also the creator of King Sauce, a sauce and spice line, and teaches online virtual cooking classes.
Jamika Pessoa – Classically trained Chef and TV Host, Jamika is known for bold flavors and a cooking style described as “Caribbean Heat meets Southern Sweet.” Currently, she’s a weekly contributor and co-host on Dr. Oz’s new series “The Dish on Oz” and owns her own catering business, Life of the Party Catering.
Elena Besser – Trained Chef and TV Host, Elena is known for her ability to teach viewers how to make restaurant-quality food at home. She is the host of Food Network Kitchen’s new show “Breakfast with Besser” where she invites Hollywood’s hungriest stars into her kitchen and has a popular segment on “The Today Show” answering viewers’ kitchen conundrums live on air.
“America’s Test Kitchen” – The top-rated cooking show on public television will be represented by cast members: Chief Executive Officer Jack Bishop, Executive Editorial Director and Cohost Bridget Lancaster and Executive Editorial Editor and Cohost Julia Collin Davison.
The Bartolotta Group – The Bartolotta Restaurants is a nationally recognized restaurant and catering organization co-founded by restaurateur Joe Bartolotta and his brother, two-time James Beard Award-winning Chef Paul Bartolotta. Participating Bartolotta Restaurants include Harbor House, Bartolotta Lake Park Bistro, Ristorante Bartolotta dal 1993 and Mr. B’s – A Bartolotta Steakhouse.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience,” said Jenna Check, Associate Director of Special Events. “This year’s event was designed to be more intimate and experiential – guided by the pillars of authenticity, fun and community. It will create an exciting atmosphere for guests that is memorable and meaningful. In addition to our nationally recognized celebrity chef line-up to be showcased on the Culinary Stages, our partnership with The Bartolotta Restaurant Group will offer unique programming, and our skilled vineyard principals and owners will feature the ‘best in class’ in their wine and spirit portfolios to attendees,” she shared.
New wine and spirits experiences will round out this year’s culinarian event, including Kohler Food & Wine HUB and The Seeker: Your Passport to Wine. The HUB will offer a dedicated gathering area where all event attendees can connect with family and friends while taking in the creativity of Destination Kohler mixologists. The HUB will feature six unique craft cocktails; event-goers can redeem their choice of four libations exclusively with the purchase of a wristband, available for purchase on-site. Wine loving guests can explore the grounds of Destination Kohler through The Seeker: Your Passport to Wine, a wine-guided tour unlike any other. Guests who purchase this add-on to their event tickets will enjoy the opportunity to sample four different offerings from The Seeker fine wines at four different locations with a final stop including a wine bottle to take home.
For more programming and ticket purchase, log onto Destination Kohler.
Our plan is to host the 20th Anniversary of Kohler Food & Wine Experience with full attendance at Destination Kohler in Kohler, Wisconsin, this October 21-24. We continue to follow the guidance of public health authorities and are currently working on specific guidelines that may be required of attendees. New information and updates will continue to be shared accordingly.
Tickets & Hotel Packages Now Available
Destination Kohler – the Midwest’s only Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five Diamond resort-hotel – will serve as the stunning backdrop with reservations available for hotel packages. Luxury accommodation is available at The American Club (starting at $665 per person), The Carriage House (starting at $768 per person), and Inn on Woodlake (starting at $639 per person). The festival program schedule and tickets are now available at Kohler Food and Wine.
For more information about Destination Kohler’s offerings or reservations, please call 800-344-2838 or visit Destination Kohler. Stay up to date on resort news and happenings on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About Kohler Hospitality & Real Estate Group
The Kohler Co. Hospitality & Real Estate profile includes The American Club, which is the only Forbes Five-Star resort hotel in the Midwest and the Three-Star Inn on Woodlake. It has world-renowned golf venues of Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run. A sister property, The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa resides in St. Andrews, Scotland, the birthplace of golf, and is recognized as one of the more luxurious resorts in the world. In 2017, Kohler Co. opened LODGE KOHLER, a AAA Four Diamond property, in the heart of Titletown, in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
About Destination Kohler
Herb Kohler created Kohler Co.’s Hospitality & Real Estate Group with the reclamation of The American Club from an immigrant dormitory and then built championship golf courses, The Straits and The Irish at Whistling Straits and The River and Meadow Valleys at Blackwolf Run, all designed by Pete Dye and all in the top 100 of public courses. Straits will host the Ryder Cup in September 2021. Kohler Waters Spa is the only Forbes Five-Star spa in Wisconsin. The resort features 500 acres of river and forest, and 12 dining establishments from the Four-Star Immigrant Restaurant to traditional pub fare of The Horse & Plow as well as River Wildlife. Herb Kohler believes the log cabin of River Wildlife has the best country gourmet dining in the United States. The resort is located in the surrounds of the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, one hour south of Green Bay, one hour north of Milwaukee and two and a half hours north of Chicago on I-43.
