9th Annual Crystal Springs New Jersey Wine & Food Festival

February 2, 2017 By
Grand Tasting - Photo by Crystal Springs

Grand Tasting – Photo by Crystal Springs

Tickets are now on sale for the 9th annual New Jersey Wine & Food Festival at Crystal Springs Resort, taking place March 31 – April 2. This year, we are excited to announce that one of the most celebrated chefs in the world, Daniel Boulud, will be the Guest of Honor. Proceeds benefit Ment’or, a leading nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring culinary excellence in young professionals and preserving the traditions and quality of cuisine in America. 

Weekend Happenings

Friday March 31

SOLD OUT!!! 8PM – Chef Daniel Boulud is an industry legend, with 14 restaurants around the world and numerous James Beard awards to his credit. Daniel and his team will be cooking in the Wine Cellar for what will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience rare vintage wines from the cellar. The dinner includes a Krug Champagne reception with dishes by Crystal Springs Resort Executive Chef Anthony Bucco ($1,000 plus tax and gratuity).

SOLD OUT!!! 8PM – Top Chefs & Top Wines Dinner featuring three chefs from the current season of Bravo’s Top Chef: Katsuji Tanabe, Silvia Barban and Casey Thompson, alongside Chef Martyna Krowicka of Restaurant Latour and Pastry Chef Miro Uskokovic of Gramercy Tavern. ($225 plus tax & gratuity). 

Saturday April 1

10AM – Perfectly Paired Pastries with Chef Jessie Dardar of Le Petit Temptation Dessert Truck ($35).

11AM – A Conversation & Book Signing with Guest of Honor Daniel Boulud – Enjoy a glass of Champagne as Daniel reminisces about his career and signs copies of his cookbooks. ($50, including a copy of either My Best: Daniel Boulud or DANIEL: My French Cuisine).

11:30AM – 1PM – Marketplace Lunch

12PM – The Art of Fresh Pasta with Chef Silvia Barban (Top Chef Season 14) and Aishling Stevens (Crystal Springs), featuring winemaker Ryan Rech of Beringer ($50).

SOLD OUT!!! 1PM – A Taste of Mexico with Chef Katsuji Tanabe (Top Chef Season 14) and Chef Martyna Krowicka (Restaurant Latour) – refined Mexican dishes with beers and spirits from Mexico ($40).

2PM – Create your own Red Blend with Rodney Strong winemaker Justin Seidenfeld ($35).

2PM – Daniel Boulud Foie Gras Challenge – 4 NJ chefs will compete to produce the winning dish as judged by Chef Boulud ($60).

3PM – An Afternoon in Provence – kick off the spring rosé wine season and enjoy Daniel Boulud’s custom smoked salmon, caviar and more ($45).

3PM – Punch Party – learn how to make the perfect party punch and try punches from top NJ bartenders ($35).

3PM – Secrets of the Crystal Springs Wine Cellar with Wine Director Robby Younes – Robby will open rare wines from the award-winning cellar ($150).

4PM – 7X Ranch: The Perfection of Beef – join Chef Anthony Bucco for a discussion of the prized 7X beef and tasting of this rare delicacy ($45).

4PM – Craft Whiskey Spotlight: Widow Jane Distillery – tastings of this award-winning spirit ($40).

7PM – 10PM; Early VIP admission at 6:30PM – The Grand Tasting returns with 30 top NJ and NYC chefs and winemakers from around the world. The VIP experience will feature Daniel Boulud and 5 acclaimed restaurants ($135 regular, $295 VIP). 

10PM – Meet the Chefs & Winemakers After Party guests can party into the night with a DJ, dancing, open bars and more ($150).

Sunday April 2

10AM – 1PM – Champagne Brunch featuring a sumptuous brunch buffet and free flowing Champagne, the perfect capper to the weekend!

Tickets can be purchased at www.njwinefoodfest.com. Rooms can be booked at 855-415-2776.

Hope to see you there!

Veronique    

Filed Under: Food & Wine Events Tagged With: , , , , ,
17 August 2016 Restaurant Latour Makes New Jersey Proud

Restaurant Latour Makes New Jersey Proud

August 17, 2016 By
Photo by Crystal Springs Resort

Photo by Crystal Springs Resort

For those of you who have visited the incredible 75,000-bottle wine cellar at Crystal Springs Resort, you’ll agree it’s difficult to comprehend the unmatched selection without witnessing it. Equally as outstanding is the culinary program at Restaurant Latour, the refined restaurant at Crystal Springs where Chef de Cuisine Martyna Krowicka crafts creative and delectable dishes under the direction of Head Chef Anthony Bucco. The sophisticated restaurant has again in 2016 been recognized by a number of top wine publications in the US and abroad for its outstanding fine wine collection, including Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast and UK’s The World of Fine Wine.

Wine Enthusiast America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants

Perhaps most impressive is Restaurant Latour being named as one of Wine Enthusiast “America’s 100 Best Wine Restaurants” for the third year running. Why is that particular award so impressive, you might ask? Restaurant Latour is the only New Jersey restaurant to make the list, which is published in the magazine’s August 2016 issue, joining the ranks of such esteemed restaurants as Per Se, Daniel, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Le Bernardin, among others. See the mention and gorgeous photos here: http://www.winemag.com/100-Best-Wine-Restaurants-2016/Restaurant-Latour

The World of Fine Wine Three Stars

The World of Fine Wine, the prestigious international wine publication for serious wine aficionados and collectors, has also recognized Restaurant Latour third year running as having one of the world’s best wine lists. For the 2016 “World’s Best Wine Lists,” the magazine’s editors and a group of international wine experts reviewed over 4,500 wine lists from around the world to come up with just over 800 honorees. Restaurant Latour’s wine list was awarded three stars – the highest honor (the ratings are 1, 2 and 3 stars). Restaurant Latour was additionally awarded a Jury Prize, given “at the nomination of individual senior judges, but subject to the approval of the jury as a whole, these prizes recognize wine lists that show distinctive character and flair, offer exceptionally good value, or were particularly strong in a specific wine style. See the award mentioned here: http://www.worldoffinewine.com/WineListAwardsSearch/RestaurantDetails/2016/restaurant-latour

Wine Spectator Grand Award

Restaurant Latour has once again been awarded Wine Spectator’s prestigious top honor Grand Award, which it has held since 2006 – only 88 restaurants in the world hold the award. Wine Spectator gives its wine list awards to about 3,600 restaurant around the world in three categories from the lowest Award of Excellence to Best of Award of Excellence to Grand Award. See the award mentioned here: https://restaurants.winespectator.com/restaurant/1050/restaurant-latour

Congrats to the Crystal Springs cellar and Restaurant Latour teams – making us proud in the Garden State.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Restaurant News Tagged With: , , ,