Star-Powered Experiences and Awards Highlighted the Festival’s Landmark 18th Edition

From October 15–19, New York City’s historic Seaport came alive as more than 35,000 food lovers, chefs, mixologists, and culinary creators gathered for the 18th annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ (NYCWFF). Centered at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus in the Seaport, the five-day celebration showcased more than 300 chefs and culinary personalities across signature events, interactive tastings, and intimate dinners while raising funds for the Event Zero Foundation and the James Beard Foundation®.

“This year, the Seaport became a culinary playground,” said Festival Founder & Director Lee Brian Schrager. “Bringing the Festival to the Seaport has been my vision for years, and seeing it finally come to life was incredibly rewarding. The energy, the creativity, and the sense of community that filled the Seaport made this year one of our proudest moments yet. Having chefs, mixologists, and creators all together in one place captured everything NYCWFF stands for, celebrating flavor, culture, and purpose while supporting our charitable partners who champion sustainability and equity in the food world.”

The Festival kicked off with A Taste of the Tin Building, hosted by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Gregory Gourdet, a one-night celebration spotlighting the acclaimed marketplace’s world-class dining concepts. Guests explored the Tin Building’s restaurants, enjoyed exclusive tastings, and celebrated the creative vision that has made it a culinary destination within the Seaport.

Across the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus, the excitement continued with the Asian Night Market, co-hosted by Padma Lakshmi and Jean-Georges Vongerichten, featuring international street food, live music by Hudson Horns, and vibrant cultural flavors that set the tone for a weekend of culinary celebration.

Throughout the weekend, guests experienced a range of immersive activations, including Chef’s Corner inside the Tin Building and Catch of the Day presented by Modelo in the site that once held the historic Fulton Fish Market.

Brooklyn Peltz Beckham and Rachael Ray took center stage Friday at the Blue Moon Burger Bash 2.0 presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats, where fans sampled and voted on NYC’s best burgers. Awards were determined across three categories:

• Mike’s Amazing Award:
  • Winner: Skinny Louie
  • Judges: Voted on by Mike’s Amazing
    
    

• Pat LaFrieda Judges Award:
  • Winner: Skinny Louie
  • Judges: Determined by the celebrity judging panel including Ana Navarro, Ben Leventhal, Ja Rule, Sunny Anderson, Joshua Weissman, and Olivia Tiedemann
    
    

• Blue Moon People’s Choice Award:
  • Winner: El Sazon RD
  • Judges: Voted on by guests using token ballots

The weekend continued with the Festival’s Grand Tasting at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus in the Seaport, featuring both daytime and, for the first time, nighttime sessions. Fans came face-to-face with culinary icons and celebrities including Sofia and Manolo Vergara, Alex Guarnaschelli, Andrew Zimmern, Maneet Chauhan, Rocco DiSpirito, Antonia Lofaso, and Kwame Onwuachi, enjoying book signings, cooking demos, and tastings from New York’s top restaurants while sampling premium wines and spirits from Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits.

Evening festivities transitioned into Grand Tasting After Dark, hosted by Bobby Flay and Brooke Williamson, presented by Montchevre Goat Cheese, with demos by Brie Larson and Courtney McBroom, Jeff Mauro and Geoffrey Zakarian, Ayesha Nurdjaja, and Bryan and Michael Voltaggio, all paired with specialty cocktails and curated culinary pairings.

Sunday spotlighted seafood with Catch of the Day presented by Modelo, hosted by Andrew Zimmern, which brought guests to the site of the original historic Fulton Fish Market within the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus in the Seaport. The day continued with a festive Sunday Supper presented by Peroni, hosted by @the_pastaqueen (Nadia Caterina Munno) and Lil Mo Mozzarella.. The evening culminated with Joe Isidori of Arthur & Sons taking home the Peroni People’s Choice Award, closing out the weekend on a celebratory note along the waterfront.

Additional highlights included FoodieCon®, the Festival’s social-media-focused event featuring more than 20 of today’s most influential creators; Caviar, Champagne & Cocktails Happy Hour; and Patrón Tequila’s Tacos & Tequila, celebrating NYC’s top taco spots paired with premium tequilas. The weekend also featured master classes and over 30 intimate dinners with acclaimed chefs including José Andrés, Kwame Onwuachi, Alain Ducasse, Maneet Chauhan, Ming Tsai, Daniel Boulud, Eric Ripert, Esther Choi, and a CNN Series dinner with Tony Shalhoub at Delmonico’s.

100% of NYCWFF’s net proceeds support the Event Zero Foundation and James Beard Foundation, furthering sustainability initiatives and equity programs in the culinary industry. To date, NYCWFF has raised $15 million for its charitable partners.

The Festival will return to the Seaport, October 14 - 18, 2026. Stay connected year-round at @NYCWFF on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and on TikTok at @NYCWineFoodFestival.

For more information, please email nycwff@thedooronline.com. Images and interviews are available upon request.

Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ

The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is hosted by and benefits Event Zero Foundation and the James Beard Foundation. Over the past 17 years, the Festival has generated more than $15 million in net proceeds for its charitable causes. Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival. In November 2022, BizBash named the Festival the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in New York for the 10th year in a row. More information on the Festival can be found at nycwff.org. Follow @NYCWFF on Facebook, X and Instagram and on TikTok at @NYCWineFoodFestival.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is the world’s preeminent distributor of beverage alcohol, building brands for moments that matter. The multi-generational, family-owned Company has operations in 47 U.S. markets and Canada, as well as brokerage operations through its Southern Glazer’s Travel Retail Sales & Export Division in the Caribbean, Central and South America. In 2024, Southern Glazer’s was recognized by Newsweek as one of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity and America’s Greatest Workplaces for Women. Southern Glazer’s urges all retail customers and adult consumers to market, sell, serve, and enjoy its products responsibly. For more information visit www.southernglazers.com. Follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram @sgwinespirits.

Seaport Entertainment Group

Seaport Entertainment Group (NYSE American: SEG) is a premier entertainment and hospitality company formed to own, operate, and develop a unique collection of assets positioned at the intersection of entertainment and real estate. Seaport Entertainment Group’s focus is to deliver unparalleled experiences through a combination of restaurant, entertainment, sports, retail and hospitality offerings integrated into one-of-a-kind real estate that redefine entertainment and hospitality. For more information, please visit www.seaportentertainment.com.

Event Zero Foundation

The Event Zero Foundation is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to fostering positive, environmental and social impact within the events industry. Committed to driving change, we believe that every event, regardless of size, can be a powerful force for good. Our mission is to inspire and guide event organizers, businesses, and communities to implement sustainable practices that reduce environmental footprints and promote social responsibility. Together, we are shaping a future, where events are not only celebratory, but also contribute to a more sustainable and resilient world. Learn more at https://eventzerofoundation.org.

The James Beard Foundation

The James Beard Foundation (JBF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to leading chefs and the broader culinary industry towards a new standard of excellence. Our guiding principle, Good Food for Good®, informs our vision of a vibrant, equitable, and sustainable independent restaurant industry that stands as a cornerstone of American culture, community and economy, and drives towards a better food system. For nearly 40 years, JBF has been instrumental in recognizing, amplifying, educating, and training the individuals who shape American food culture. Today, our mission comes to life through the prestigious James Beard Awards, industry and community-focused programming, advocacy and policy initiatives, and exciting culinary events and partnerships around the country—including at our new Platform by JBF® event space in New York City. Learn more at jamesbeard.org, sign up for our emails and follow @beardfoundation on social media.

a21

a21 is a full-service live experience agency, specializing in event operations, production, marketing, corporate sales, and brand activations for live experiences. Founded in 2006, a21’s portfolio includes internationally recognized events and festivals in South Florida and throughout the US: Food Network South Beach & New York City Wine & Food Festivals, Sunfest, Palm Beach Wine & Food Festival, Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival, Los Angeles Wine & Food Festival, Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Heritage Fire, and Whiskies of the World National Tours, AMP's suite of Art Fairs, International Wine & Spirits Competition and more. Learn more at https://www.teama21.com/

*Invesco is not affiliated with the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival or any of the individuals, brands or companies mentioned; nor should this be construed as an endorsement for any of the individuals, brands or companies mentioned.

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