Julia Child at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
Aspen’s premier Food & Wine Festival again leans into its legacy for pleasing palates.
Food & Wine Best New Chef Dan Barber
A stalwart of summer in town since 1983, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen (classic.foodandwine.com) sells out every year—this year mere hours after tickets went on sale in January. But beyond the obvious lure of hobnobbing with celebrity chefs while nibbling creative dishes and sipping cultivated pours in one of the most glorious places on the planet, the event shines a spotlight on the town’s ongoing predilection for gustatory indulgence.
David Chang and Bobby Flay in Aspen
Interestingly enough, Aspen’s star epicurean event started up in Snowmass, dreamed up by Gary Plumley, owner of the local favorite Grape & Grain wine shop in Aspen, along with Snowmass restaurateurs Ruth and Bob Kevan of the former Chez Grandmere. Dubbed the Aspen/ Snowmass International Wine Festival, the event featured just 50 visiting winemakers and around 300 attendees.
Claudine and Jacques Pepin during their demo at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
In 1990, Food & Wine Magazine took the reigns, relaunching the event and relocating it to Aspen. Signature tents were erected in Wagner Park to encompass the infamous Grand Tastings. Over the following decades, culinary luminaries such as Julia Child, Daniel Boulud, Thomas Keller, José Andrés, Bobby Flay and Jacques Pépin, along with wine experts Joshua Wesson, Andrea Robinson, and former Aspenite Richard Betts, presided over a full-schedule of seminars. Year after year, the Classic grew, eventually topping out at 5,000 attendees, which stands to this day.
Jacques and Claudine having fun at the top of Ajax
“If the past 40 years in Aspen have taught us anything, it’s that magic happens when you combine world-class talent and programming in such a beautiful place.” HUNTER LEWIS, FOOD &
WINE EDITORINCHIEF
Masaharu Morimoto in the Grand Tasting Pavilion at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
Ahead of the Classic and paralleling its growth, local restaurants also evolved exponentially over time. While newcomers to Aspen revel in the opportunity to dine at a bevy of popular eateries, those with any legacy in town will fondly recall beloved restaurants of the past. Abetone, Gordon’s, La Cocina, Little Annie’s and Poppies come to mind, and more recently shuttered spots like Jimmy’s, L’Hostaria, and the soon-to-be reincarnated Red Onion. Taking things to new heights, chef Barclay Dodge’s singular BOSQ Aspen restaurant was recently awarded a coveted Michelin Guide Star and chef Mawa McQueen’s Mawa’s Kitchen, Element 47 in The Little Nell and Prospect in Hotel Jerome received “recommended” status.
Jacques and Julia Child at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
This year, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen schedule is jam-packed with an all-star line-up of more than 70 of the best-known chefs and beverage experts in the country holding more than 40 cooking demos and beverage seminars over three days, punctuated by a trio of Grand Tastings. Food & Wine Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis comments about the event: “If the past 40 years in Aspen have taught us anything, it’s that magic happens when you combine world-class talent and programming in such a beautiful place.”
Thomas Keller and Jose Andres at the 30th anniversary Food & Wine Classic in Aspen
A veritable who’s who of chefs and winemakers, the seminars are an appealing mix of long-standing presenters and up-and-comers, and the mix of topics parallels current tastes and trends. For instance, on the food side, NYC chef-restaurateurs Marcus Samuelsson and Fariyal Abdullahi pair to host a seminar titled “Catch of the Day: How Two Chefs Celebrate Life With Seafood.” Renowned chef Andrew Zimmern will host “Claws for Celebration: The World’s Best Crab Cakes and More.” Top Chef ’s Kristen Kish will present “Second Act Snack: How One Top Chef Reinvents Retro Comfort Foods.” Highlights on the wine side include Mark Oldman presenting “World’s Best Special Occasion Wine.” Wanda Mann hosts “Pinot Noir Makes the (Wine) World Go ‘Round.” And Amanda McCrossin will pop some bottles in “Best in Glass: Why Sparkling Wine Pairs with Everything.”
All in all, a timeless recipe for success.
Photography by: PHOTO COURTESY OF FOOD & WINE
