Wolfville, N.S. (October 12, 2016) – Food Network chefs dominate the sixth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest taking place in Wolfville from November 2-6.
Festival foodies will have the chance to learn from five Food Network chefs from across North America through the festival’s popular workshop series. The line-up includes:
Top Chef Canada season one winner, Dale MacKay (Ayden Kitchen and Bar)
Fan-favoured Chopped Canada judge, John Higgins (Director, George Brown College Chef School);
Recent winner of Cutthroat Kitchen: Time Warp Tournament, Clay Carnes (Cholo Soy);
Host of Glutton for Punishment, Bob Blumer;
and Chopped Canada: Teen Tournament competitor, Logan Hepditch
“Our festival has quickly become an intimate, sought-after stage for international culinary heavyweights,” says Michael Howell, executive director of Devour! “We’re thrilled to welcome five Food Network stars who can each provide a different perspective from their unique culinary experiences.”
Chefs MacKay, Higgins, Carnes and Blumer are each scheduled to lead their own culinary master classes. Each chef will lead a hands-on opportunity to help create one (or more) of their signature dishes. Chef MacKay will prepare Saskatchewan trout three-ways; Chef Higgins will teach attendees everything they’ll ever need to know about haggis and Fogo Island Cod; Chef Carnes will transport guests to West Palm Beach through his handmade tortillas with quick pickles and grilling techniques; and Chef Blumer will team up with Chef Mary Sue Milliken to celebrate modern Mexican cuisine through heirloom bean tostadas and savoury cupcakes. These rare opportunities for foodies are sure to be a festival highlight.
The workshop series also provides opportunities for attendees to learn something new about niche markets in the food and wine worlds. On Friday afternoon, Chefs Higgins Carnes and Blumer will be joined by 15-year-old Chopped Canada: Teen Tournament competitor Logan Hepditch to talk about Makin’ It on the Food Network. This round-table discussion will touch upon what it takes to get on the network, how to get discovered and how can it affect a chefs career.
Chefs Higgins and MacKay will also play a large role in the celebrity chef dinner component of the festival, where they will pair up with local culinary sensations to create meals inspired by festival films. On Thursday November 3, Chef Higgins will join Chefs Normand Laprise (Toqué, Montréal), Stephen Wall (Supply + Demand, Ottawa), Ardon Mofford (Governor’s Pub & Eatery, Nova Scotia) and Martin Ruiz Salvador (Half Shell Oysters & Seafood, Nova Scotia) to create a multi-course dinner inspired by the film, Theater of Life. On Friday November 4, Chef MacKay will team up with Chefs John Sundstrom (Lark, Seattle), Ray Bear (Studio East Food + Drink, Nova Scotia), Andru Branch (Dartmouth North Community Food Centre, Nova Scotia) and Mark Gray (Battery Park Beer Bar & Eatery, Nova Scotia) to bring the film Sour Grapes to life on a plate.
“Our festival continues to be a place of discovery,” says Lia Rinaldo, managing director of Devour! “We design our program to offer a little something for everyone. No matter your level of expertise, if you’re interested in food, there is something for you.”
Tickets to the sixth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest are on sale now through the Devour! website and can also be purchased by phone through Ticketpro at 1-888-311-9090. Exclusive packages are also available! For more information about each mouth-watering event, visit devourfest.com.
ABOUT DEVOUR! THE FOOD FILM FEST
Devour! The Food Film Fest is an international festival celebrating cinema, food and wine culture. The five-day festival takes place in the culinary epicentre of Nova Scotia – the town of Wolfville, Kings County. The festival is an experiential celebration of food on film, the culture of food and the dramatic impact it has on our day-to-day lives. The sixth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest is slated for November 2-6, 2016.
ABOUT THE LOCATION
Only one hour from Halifax, the Town of Wolfville and Kings County provide the perfect setting for Devour! amid the beauty of the Annapolis Valley and the mighty Bay of Fundy. The heartland of Nova Scotia’s burgeoning wine industry and the centre of culinary and agricultural innovation, Wolfville is also home to Acadia University, one of Canada’s most renowned academic institutions, and a partner of Devour! The Food Film Fest.
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Media Contact:
Robyn McIsaac
robyn@devourfest.com
(902) 440-1551
