Wolfville, N.S. (September 29, 2014) – From beginning to end, the fourth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest promises to be a mouth-watering experience. Wolfville, Nova Scotia plays host to the world’s largest festival focused on food and film from November 12-16.
“Wolfville is now known as Canada’s Secret Foodie Destination,” says Michael Howell, executive director of Devour! “Devour! is the perfect platform to showcase the best our region has to offer.”
Sixteen of Nova Scotia’s most renowned chefs come together on opening night to create a feast for the senses, featuring riffs on Acadian and Cajun cuisine. One of the reception’s highlights will be Nova Scotia’s signature Order of Good Cheer celebration inducting all visiting chefs and celebrities to the festival. Following the Opening Gala Film, attendees will be treated to delectable food prepared by Chefs Peter Dewar, Don Mailman and Annaleisa Scigliano, who will lead their talented team of students from the Nova Scotia Community College’s Culinary Arts program.
From Thursday to Saturday night, national culinary heavyweights will pair up with local culinary sensations to create four decadent meals inspired by highlighted festival films. On Thursday, Chef Chuck Hughes, from Montreal’s Garde Manger and Le Bremner, will join Ratinaud’s Chef Frédéric Tandy and Wolfville’s Chef Dave Smart at his restaurant, Front and Central, to bring the film El Somni to life on the plate. Friday night offers two separate dinners – Berlin’s food truck sensation Chef Fabian Geppert will join Chef Jamie Smye at Privet House, and Top Chef Canada contestant Chef Jesse Vergen from Saint John Alehouse pairs up with Blomidon’s Chef Sean Laceby – both for dinners inspired by Steak (R)evolution. Saturday is ladies night with Chef Connie DeSousa from Calgary’s CHARCUT collaborating with The Feisty Chef, Chef Renee Lavallee, at Troy Restaurant for a dinner inspired by Brasserie Romantique.
“Our region’s most talented local chefs paired with international culinary talent will bring some of the most anticipated food films to your plate in the most exciting food and film mash up of the year,” says Lia Rinaldo, managing director of Devour! “Market vendors, mixologists and food trucks will also be creating incredible dishes and drinks throughout the entire festival.”
The five-day festival will be filled with plenty of opportunities to indulge in delicious cuisine. Back by popular demand is the Select Nova Scotia Food Truck Rally. The hottest food rage in North America will hit the streets of Wolfville on three different occasions throughout the week. Decadent burgers and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches will line the streets. One of the province’s largest food truck rallies offers fast, accessible, delicious eats for all.
Culinary tours play a big part of the Devour! program, with the return of one favourite, and the addition of two brand new tours. The widely popular All You Need is Cheese Express tour is back in action, offering beautiful Annapolis Valley views accompanied by award-winning cheese and artisanal beer and cider tastings. The addition of the Cajun-Acadian Express tour is sure to please. Just a short jaunt from downtown Wolfville, this tour will provide a unique experience of the Acadian history through authentic historical stops. Following the tour, join Chef Stephen Stryjewski from New Orleans’ Pêche Seafood Grill and Wolfville’s Chef Jason Lynch for a collaborative Cajun-Acadian lunch at his restaurant, Le Caveau. Also new this year is The Bubbles Bus – a fun, interactive experience featuring samplings at two of the region’s finest purveyors of traditional method sparkling wines, Benjamin Bridge and L’Acadie Vineyards.
New to the festival is Devour! The Grills. Hosted by the Wolfville Farmers’ Market, this Saturday morning event has something for foodies of all ages. From a mouth-watering market breakfast prepared by Frais Catering’s Chef Stephane Levac, to an authentic vegan/vegetarian trip through the market with enVie Chefs Lauren Marshall and Diandra Phipps, to a delicious Getaway Farms lunch with Chefs Steven Galvin, Chris de Waal and Ben Andrews, this event is sure to be an unforgettable family experience.
Concluding the Devour! culinary festivities is The Golden Tine Awards Brunch. Join Chef Todd Perrin from Newfoundland’s Mallard Cottage and Fleur de Sel’s Chef Martin Ruiz Salvador to celebrate the very best of the festival program. Featuring delectable eats and brunch cocktails served up by Devour! mixologist, Jeffrey Van Horne, and Beam Suntory National Whisky Ambassador, Matt Jones, the Devour! awards brunch will be sure to satisfy each craving until the 2015 festival.
Along with plenty of opportunities to indulge in gourmet food at each event, Devour! movie-goers can expect food in the theatres as well. Audiences will indulge in oysters following Jon Deitcher’s Shuckers, the filmmakers of The Path of Stone Soup will be making the long journey from Mexico to Wolfville to partake in a soup pop-up, Kathy Knapp from Pie Lady of Pie Town will be baking up a mini-pie storm, and there will be plenty of in-theatre cheese tastings.
Tickets to the fourth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest are available now through the Devour! website and Ticketpro. For more information about each mouth-watering event, visit devourfest.com.
Chef information:
Local:
Mike McKinnon, Acadia University
Ludovic Eveno, Agricola Street Brasserie
Luis Clavel, Atlantica Hotel
Sean Laceby, The Blomidon Inn
Mark Gray, Brooklyn Warehouse
Renee Lavallee, The Canteen
Lauren Marshall, enVie
Diandra Phipps, enVie
Martin Ruíz Salvador, Fleur de Sel
Darrick Mailman, The Flying Apron Cookery
Chris Velden, The Flying Apron Cookery
Stephane Levac, Frais Catering
Dave Smart, Front and Central
Mark Gabrieau, Gabrieau’s Bistro
Steven Galvin, Getaway Farm
Chris de Waal, Getaway Farm
Ben Andrews, Getaway Farm
Jason Lynch, Le Caveau
Paolo Colbertado, Lincoln Street Food
Josh McCarty, Morris East
Susan Morrison, NSCC
Peter Dewar, NSCC
Don Mailman, NSCC
Annaleisa Scigliano, NSCC
Thomas Carey, Pictou Lodge Beachfront Resort
Jamie Smye, Privet House
Frédéric Tandy, Ratinaud French Cuisine
Jon Geneau, Rhubarb Restaurant
Jeffrey MacNeil, Rime Restaurant
National:
Connie DeSousa, CHARCUT
Chuck Hughes, Garde Manger
Todd Perrin, Mallard Cottage
Jesse Vergen, Saint John Ale House
International:
Fabian Geppert, Imbizan (Berlin, Germany)
Stephen Stryjewski, Pêche Seafood Grill (New Orleans, Louisiana)
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 epicenter of Nova Scotia – the town of Wolfville, Kings County. The festival is a celebration of food on film, the culture of food and the dramatic impact it has on our day-to-day lives. The fourth edition of Devour! The Food Film Fest is slated for November 12-16, 2014.
ABOUT THE LOCATION
Only one hour from Halifax, the Town of Wolfville and Kings County provide the perfect setting for the festival. It is situated in a rich agricultural area and is also home to one of Canada’s top universities, a number of historic theatres and an assortment of unique local venues that are all within walking distance and are set against the beautiful landscapes of hills, valleys, rivers and the mighty Bay of Fundy.
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Media Contact:
Robyn McIsaac
robyn@devourfest.com
(902) 440-1551
