2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival


©Mad About the Mouse

©Mad About the Mouse

2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival news is here!

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is just around the corner and fans are anticipating the 20th anniversary celebration to be the best year yet.

The 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival runs from September 25 – November 16, 2015 highlighting special culinary events and demonstrations, beverage and mixology demonstrations, celebrity chefs and of course, the international food and beverage marketplace booths found around the World Showcase Promenade.

©Disney

©Disney

Every year, we wait in anticipation to see the list of marketplace booths that are returning to the Food and Wine Festival and this year is no different.  We have a list of booths that have been confirmed as officially returning for 2015, even one that has been on hiatus since 2007, and a few new exciting ones that have been added to the lineup.

©Mad About the Mouse

©Mad About the Mouse

The following booths have been confirmed for 2015:

  • Africa
  • Australia
  • Belgium
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Chew Lab – NEW!
  • Cheese StudioNEW!
  • China
  • Desserts & Champagne
  • Dominican Republic – MAKING A RETURN!
  • Farm Fresh
  • France
  • Germany
  • Hawaii
  • Hops & Barley
  • Intermissions Cafe
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Mexico
  • Morocco
  • New Zealand
  • Patagonia
  • Poland
  • Refreshment Cool Post
  • Refreshment Port
  • Scotland
  • South Korea
  • Sustainable Chew – NEW!
  • Wine Studio – NEW!

Several new marketplace booths will be making their debut this year, including two that will be found in Future World.

©Disney

©Disney

As we previously reported, ABC’s The Chew will be taping live episodes at the Festival but that’s not all.  For the first time in the festival’s history, marketplaces will expand into Future World in the new Next Eats festival area with three delicious dishes from “The Chew” in their Sustainable Chew Marketplace, as well as some interesting beverage selections:

  • Savory Pork Spareribs with Cheesy Mascarpone Grits
  • Ricotta & Zucchini Ravioli with Tomato Sauce
  • Vanilla Panna Cotta with Fresh Figs and Pistachio Brittle
  • Frozen Chew-tini — Crop Organic Meyer Lemon Vodka, Carrot Mango Juice and Citrus Sour Mix
  • Beso Del Sol White Sangria
  • Founders Spectra Trifecta (Beer)

The eco-home-inspired marketplace will offer a chance for guests to learn more about how food is grown and the importance of sustainability.  Herbs and vegetables from The Land pavilion will flavor the marketplace dishes when harvested.

Also in Next Eats, Disney chefs are collaborating with “The Chew” superstars Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly, Carla Hall and Daphne Oz for the Chew Lab, a cutting-edge marketplace inspired by food-science labs and the hottest culinary tech trends.  The Chew Lab menu will include:

  • New York Strip, Parsnip Silk, Balsamic Glaze and Arugula Foam
  • Olive Oil-Poached Salmon with Fresh Corn, Bacon, and Pepper Jam
  • Liquid Nitro Chocolate Almond Truffle with Warm Whiskey Caramel
  • The Smoking Hibiscus featuring Montelobos Mezcal Joven
  • Festival Chardonnay, Napa Valley
  • Festival Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
©Disney

©Disney

Also new to this year’s 20th Annivarsary Food and Wine Festival the new Artistry of Wine & Cheese area featuring the Cheese Studio and Wine Studio marketplaces will evoke the ambiance of Napa Valley with pergolas along the walkway to Future World West.  The Cheese Studio and Wine Studio are designed to look like an artist’s studio and will provide guests the opportunity to choose and pair flavors of wine and artisanal cheeses.

The Cheese Studio will offer an artisan cheeses served on an artist’s palette featuring Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue Cheese, Karst Cave-age Cheese (a combination of aged cheddar and gruyere) and Le Bonne Vie Goat Cheese paired with wine.  The Wine Studio will serve premium wines on tap and showcase wine varietals organized by color in artful displays.

Returning this year to the World Showcase Marketplace after an 8-year hiatus will be the Dominican Republic Booth bringing fresh flair unique tastes from the Caribbean Island destination.   And at the Festival Center, the new Monday-Thursday “Spotlight on Dominican Republic” will showcase the country’s culture, crafts and culinary delights with artists and chefs at the Festival Center.  Menu items include:

  • Lechon Asado: Roasted Pork with Mango, Pickled Red Onions and Avocado
  • Souffle de Yuca: Yuca Souffle topped with Griddled Cheese
  • Pescado con Coco: Seared Grouper, Pigeon Peas and Rice, and Coconut Sauce
  • Caramel Flan with Roasted Pineapple
  • Presidente Beer
  • Frozen Dominican Pina Colada Featuring Don Barcelo Blanco Rum
  • Frozen Sugar Cane Cocktail Featuring Don Barcelo Blanco Rum

Here are a few other special events to look forward to for this years festival:

Some of your favorite celebrity chefs will be returning – Jaime Deen, Cat Cora, John Ash, Robert Irvine, Rock Harper, Kenny Gilbert, Buddy Valastro and several others.

Screen Shot 2015-07-13 at 10.06.18 AM

Party for the Senses is returning every Saturday with more than 50 wines and beers, plus a wide variety of foods to sample.  The first-time Yelloween Masquerade Party for the Senses on Oct. 31, is an elegant, dance-the-night-away, gourmet tasting party with Champagne, wine, craft beers and specialty cocktails paired with food. Guests will be encouraged to masquerade in chic yellow and black.  Reservations will open July 30, 2015.

Chase cardholders will be thrilled to know that the Chase Lounge in the American Adventure will also be returning offering Chase Card Members a place to relax while they enjoy complimentary refreshments.

©Mad About the Mouse

©Mad About the Mouse

New premium events include “French Family Meal Traditions” lunches on Fridays and Saturdays and a “Rockin’ Burger Block Party,” hosted by The Chew chefs  one Oct. 8, with specialty burgers and sliders inspired by top names in the music industry such as Dave Matthews and his Dreaming Tree Wines and Carlos Santana’s Casa Noble Tequila. Two additional Burger Block Parties are set for Sept. 25 and Nov. 6.

The Ocean Spray Cranberry Bog is expected to return this year as well.  Absent from the 2014 festival, this will be a welcome addition to the 2015 festival.

New this year is Remy’s Ratatouille Hide & Squeak scavenger hunt.  Everyone’s favorite rat chef, Remy, will be joining the party this year with a scavenger hunt throughout the World Showcase for guests of all ages to find hidden statues of Remy. There will be special maps and stickers, and prizes!

©Mad About the Mouse

©Mad About the Mouse

New merchandise will also make its way to the festival.  As always, a new line of limited edition pins will be available for the festival.  Also, and we are super excited about this – look for a new 20th Anniversary Food & Wine Festival Cookbook.  My friend, Pam Brandon, Disney Parks Food Writer has been working hard on developing the latest installment of cookbooks for Disney foodies!  This in one you won’t want to miss – it will be a great addition to our Disney library!

Sounds like a food lovers paradise, doesn’t it?  We can’t wait for the 2015 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival!  Stay tuned to Mad About the Mouse as we bring you all of the information for the 20th Anniversary celebration.

 

 

 

 

Holly Wiencek
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