This weekend was a perfect fusion of all of our favorite things as the 6th Annual Wine and Dine for the Arts fundraiser events provided opportunities to sample wines and craft beers, taste dishes created by local chefs, and socialize with like-minded citizens—all while feeling good about knowing that proceeds would go to supporting local arts endeavors like Albany Barn, Capital Repertory Theatre, and Albany Institute of History and Art.
photo by Ali Hibbs
“The organizers of the Albany Chefs’ Food and Wine Festival were amongst the earliest believers in Albany Barn,” says Jeff Mirel, president of the Barn’s board of directors. Mirel is enthusiastic to extol the efforts Yono and Donna Purnomo (of Yono’s and dp An American Brasserie), Joe Culver, Michelle Hines Abram and other founding and board members of the event. “And the Festival remains its biggest benefactor! I cannot overstate the role of Wine & Dine for the Arts in ‘raising The Barn’ or our ongoing efforts to support local artists and arts-based community programming!”
A cocktail reception at City Hall kicked off the weekend on Thursday night with Mayor Kathy Sheehan. Grand Tasting events on Friday and Saturday featured 70 chefs and restaurants and 250 wines, cocktails and craft beers for tasting as well as bartending competitions, educational seminars, chef demos, and an indoor/outdoor Fire & Ice lounge hosted by Grey Goose. There were craft beer and Rising Star chef pavilions on both days, as well as cooking invitational and barista competitions on Saturday.
In addition to the Grand Tasting events, there was a slider competition Friday night—15 chefs from local businesses, including New World Bar & Bistro, Slidin’ Dirty, Carol’s Place and more, competed for best sliders in people’s and judges’ choice awards. Music and dancing were provided by DJ Playground, craft beer by Brewery Ommegang, and wine and spirits by Empire Wine as well as Bacardi and Jack Daniels.
Competition winners were announced on Saturday night at the Grand Gala reception and 6-course dinner created by last year’s invitational winner and local renowned chefs. Two different escargot dishes, lobster cheesecake, fois gras and pheasant terrine, beef bourguignon and even a PB & J hors d’oeuvre are just a few of the dishes served up by Ric Orlando, Yono Purnomo, Dominique Brialy, Jacob Zachow and others.
“We’re still counting up the beans, as it were,” says Hines Abram, Festival VP. “But I’m confident that we broke the $100,000 mark. I think this is going to be our best year yet.”
Congratulations to competition winners:
Adirondack Appliance Chef Invitational: Courtney Withey (Tala, Aperitivo Bistro)
Battle of the Bartenders, Bloody Mary Edition: Mackenzie Zajac (Café Madison)
Battle of the Bartenders, Manhattan Edition: Emmanuel Treski (Speakeasy)
Barists Albany Chemex Cup: Matt Robbins (Happy Cappuccino)
Slider Slam, Judge’s Choice: Rachel Mabb (The Ruck)
Slider Slam, People’s Choice: Ken Kehn (677 Prime)
Rising Star Chefs: Derek Adams (The Crown Grill), Ian Brower (Capital City Gastropub), Chris Dore (Mingle), Ian O’Leary (The Gingerman), Dan Passamonte (Barrelhouse), & Rory Moran (Comfort Kitchen).
