Media Releases
Thursday, October 22, 2015
Foodies find their ‘Cornucopia’ with winemaker dinners, chef luncheons and more
Suggested tweet: Foodies find their #Cornucopia with winemaker dinners, chef luncheons and more @CornucopiaWine #CornucopiaWine http://bit.ly/1U79tUT
Whistler, B.C. – For nearly two decades hordes of food and wine enthusiasts have swarmed the mountain resort of Whistler to indulge in fineness at Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore inancial; 11 dedicated days of food, wine, beer and spirits.
November – before the mountains open for skiing and snowboarding is traditionally recognized as the shoulder season in Whistler – is now known for living the culinary high-life. Cornucopia’s ever-expanding epicurean schedule offers a medley of winemakers dinners, chef table luncheons, Nourish events, culinary stage series, seminars, gala tastings and after-dark parties throughout the Festival’s colossal 11 days, November 5-15.
From exotic spices to French fare, from Dom Pérignon to the Barossa Valley – Cornucopia is serving spectacular cuisine with expertly paired wines at the Winemaker Dinners.
Brand new to the festival is the Basalt: Fairview From Here winemakers dinner, presenting a seasonal, four-course dinner with wine pairings from Fairview Cellars, one of the South Okanagan’s boutique estates.
Local restaurateurs – new to last year’s festival – return to Cornucopia this year: Creekside’s Red Door Bistro with its classic Tightrope Winery dinner series (November 12 and 13), as well as Stonesedge, with its highly anticipated Perseus Winery dinner, November 5. The Perseus multi-course dinner, not only allows guests the chance to sit, sip and sample with Craig Mackenzie – acting GM of Perseus Winery – but is priced to sell at just $65.
An abundance of seasoned Whistler restaurateurs return to the festival with a selection of their finest creations, alongside signature B.C. and international wines, in perfect (food and wine) harmony. Four Seasons Whistler partners their signature restaurant, Sidecut Modern Steak + Bar with local Lillooet winery, Fort Berens for a four-course wine dinner, sure to please even the toughest of critics. The Indian Masala Bistro
pairs exotic spices from India with matching wines and colourful belly dancing – a feast for the senses. The Dinner Series at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler couples delectable multi-course long-table dinners from the Grill Room with a variety of sensational wineries. Nita Lake Lodge’s Into the Wild
winemaker dinner is a spectacular culinary collaboration of Chef Jefferson Alvarez and Chef Dean Hossack with accompanying wines from Stags Hollow. The Bearfoot Bistro’s Executive Chef Melissa Craig is once again pairing her creative efforts alongside some of the best vintages of Dom Pérignon. This exclusive and highly-indulgent six-course soiree is held in the intimate setting of Bearfoot Bistro’s wine cellar.
There’s nothing wrong with healthy competition right? The all-star team at Rimrock Café in Creekside not only agrees, but encourages guests to take part in the ‘friendly fight’ for wine supremacy. The Bench Vs. The Bluff is a competitive four-course dinner with featuring wine pairings from Painted Rock and Poplar Grove wineries. The tasting will be blind, with the “winner” announced at the evenings end.
Last but certainly not least, Araxi Restaurant + Bar returns with the annual sell-out event, Big Guns Dinner, as well as the popular return of their Intimate Winery Dinner Series, featuring the creations of one of Canada’s leading chefs, James Walt alongside a number of B.C.’s most food-focused (and delicious) wines.
Prefer a long lunch over dinner? Cornucopia has you covered with a wide selection of luncheons on this year’s menu.
Tour Whistler’s most enviable private homes, with fine wine and culinary mastery in toe at the Chef’s Table Luncheons. Featuring B.C. hot-spots and chefs L’Abattoir, The Sonora Room, Liquidity, Minami and Chef Luis Valenzuela showcasing their talents during Cornucopia’s chef luncheons.
Nourish is back with a sequence of educational and informational luncheons such as Healing Foods Brunch; Lithic: Primal Kitchen Lunch; Raw Food Brunch and more.
Package your accommodation with event tickets to receive rates exclusive to Whistler.com. Enjoy an incredible CRUSH + Cellar Door + Accommodation Package From $129 per person, per night. Check out these exclusive deals HERE.
For detailed event information or to purchase tickets visit: www.whistlercornucopia.com. For media accreditation, visit www.whistlercornucopia.com/Media
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Cornucopia
presented by BlueShore Financial is Whistler’s food + drink celebration celebrating its 19thyear. The festival is newly expanded to eleven days of gourmet food, wines, spirits and craft beer complete with an exciting line up of talent, including mixologists, sommeliers, and renowned chefs in the food and drink industry. Attracting more than 10,000 people to the resort – and catering to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados - the diverse program offers educational seminars, wine tasting, elaborate dinners, late-night events and a new health and wellness series Nourish. Held on the cusp of the ski season opening in beautiful Whistler, British Columbia; Cornucopia was designed to showcase and support the local food and drink industry. Cornucopia has become recognized as a preeminent representation of the culinary tourism industry in Canada.
Whistler is Canada's premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.944.7853 and whistler.com
- Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.
Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.
Broadcasters: Whistler now has the capability to take you live with our enhanced fibre network. The significantly expanded network of more than 200 kilometres of fibre optic cabling throughout the resort allows instant transmission of HD signals to any location at any time. Details on how to access, and book the fibre are available on our media site.
Media Contacts
Mary Zinck
Manager, Travel Media
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
Katie Brockett
Coordinator, Communications
T: 604.938.2726
E: kbrockett@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistlercornucopia.com
T: www.twitter.com/CornucopiaWine
F: www.facebook.com/WhistlerCornucopia