Mario Batali, Michael Symon Present at 29th Annual Aspen Food and Wine Classic
By: Kelsey Ganes
Published: June 18, 2011

With over 50 of the world's most well-known and highly regarded chefs gathered in a single place, how can this be anything but an intensely memorable weekend? Three mind-blowing days of cooking workshops, wine tasting, chef-prepared meals and panel discussions featuring the world's leading culinary masters.
With huge names like Thomas Keller, Jacques Pepin, Mario Batali, John Besh, Daniel Boulud, Michael Symon, Jonathan Waxman and Andrew Zimmern, the 29th Annual Aspen Food and Wine Classic is touted as "America's premier culinary event", garnering national attention, including live television coverage on several networks. With a jam packed schedule featuring specialty workshops like The Wonderful World of Eggs by Jacques & Claudine Pepin and Mario Batali's Seafood of the Adriatic, to informational wine seminars like Ray Isle's Old Wines are Awesome!  and Wine Jeopardy hosted by Leslie Sbrocco and my personal favorite as a Pacific Northwesterner: It's Willamette, Dammit! presented by Lexus, there is a little something for everyone -- on the A-List that is. 
With so many choices for fabulous seminars (who can say no to Sexy Vegetable Dishes or Great Grenache Smackdown?!), it seems incredibly overwhelming -- but have no fear, the most popular events are offered periodically throughout the weekend so that, in the mind-numbingly horrible even that you would have to choose between Andrew Zimmern and Tim Love (a very real possibility), take a deep breath because Chef Love will also be presenting tomorrow - crisis averted! 

Best New Chefs Jason Stratton, James Syhabout and Jonathon Sawyer




Chef Mario Batali during his presentation, Seafood of the Adriatic yesterday.