Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival Celebrates Flavors of the World in 2009

Tickets for Premier Events Go On Sale Beginning Feb. 24;
  Hundreds of Culinary and Tasting Experiences Are Complimentary  

ANAHEIM, Calif., February 19, 2009 — Disney's California Food & Wine Festival will celebrate the international cultures, people, food and traditions that have made California one of the most diverse culinary destinations in the world. With a theme of “World Celebration,” the Festival expands to six weeks in 2009 – April 24 through June 7 – featuring daily complimentary demonstrations and premier ticketed events at Disney’s California Adventure park and throughout the Resort.
Tickets for the premier events - which include unique opportunities to go “Behind the Scenes With …” celebrity chefs and winemakers - go on sale beginning Tuesday, Feb. 24, at www.disneyland.com/foodandwine.

More than 600 complimentary experiences will be available at the fourth annual Disney’s California Food & Wine Festival, including culinary demonstrations, children’s programs and wine and spirits seminars. In addition, food and wine aficionados will get tips from Disneyland Resort chefs, mingle with noted winemakers and celebrate at the spectacular ticketed events, including the gala Festival finale “Taste Food-Wine-Life.”

“The 2009 Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival will take guests on a delicious journey around the globe,” said Gary Maggetti, director of food and beverage for Disneyland Resort theme parks. “We invite guests to celebrate their favorite foods and wines with our great variety of events, and to explore new tastes and flavors with our outstanding chefs and wine experts.”
Food & Wine Festival events held in Disney's California Adventure require park admission, which is not included in the event price. Some events may require an additional fee and pre-registration.
Featured celebrity chefs, including Guy Fieri of the Food Network, along with nearly 100 Disneyland Resort chefs will conduct cooking demonstrations that showcase their talents and an international mix of delectable dishes. Guests will collect cooking tips while they watch the pros in action, discovering new twists on timeless classics and sampling the festival cuisine.  Guests will also taste delicious festival-inspired dishes at the Wine Country Trattoria, Pacific Wharf Café, Farmer’s Market and other eateries inside Disney’s California Adventure park.

New Events for 2009
Guests will enjoy several new signature events this year.

• Behind the Scenes With… ­– Unique opportunities to share food, wine and conversation with cooking personalities from popular television programs and celebrity winemakers. The stars include Guy Fieri (“Guy’s Big Bite”), Keegan Geerhard (“Food Network Challenge), Tommy Lasorda (Lasorda Wines), and John and Nancy Lasseter (Lasseter Family Winery). The evenings begin with tasty appetizers and exquisite wines, followed by question-and-answer sessions hosted by Chef Jamie Gwen.
• Sweet Sundays – The sweetest of all events features a light buffet breakfast and sparkling wine at the Golden Vine Winery at Disney’s California Adventure. Guests will see demonstrations and taste three signature desserts created by acclaimed pastry chefs, including chefs from Sweet Cheeks Baking Co. in San Diego and Cake Monkey Bakery in Los Angeles.
• Festival Wine Walks ­- Guests will explore wines of the world, or a single region, when they purchase a tasting passport and select up to four tastes of spectacular wines. A tasting tour that features craft brews will also be available. Delicious wine country tapas that complement the beer and wine will be available at The Lounge at the Golden Vine Winery.
• World Celebration Dinners – Disneyland Resort chefs will create an elegant menu that blends the food, wine and celebrations of regions around the world. France, Japan, Korea, Italy and Spain will be featured.
• Master Sommelier Michael Jordan, of the award-winning Napa Rose restaurant, will add a new class to his “Introduction to Wine Tasting.” The “Advanced Wine Class” includes three two-hour sessions that take guests to the next level in their knowledge of wine regions, varietals, growing and harvesting style. Both entertaining classes will offer training as well as a blind tasting to test the participants’ skills.

Popular Returning Events
Events returning for 2009 feature Disneyland Resort chefs and premier winemakers.

• Winemaker Dinners - Disneyland Resort chefs will partner with premier California winemakers to prepare outstanding culinary delights at six exclusive “Winemaker Dinners,” on selected Friday nights. Each Festival meal will be paired with award-winning vintages and served at Steakhouse 55, inside the Disneyland Hotel.
• Napa Rose Cooking School - Disney Executive Chef Andrew Sutton will once again lead this hands-on course that sells out quickly. Each class will create and enjoy a themed meal paired with wines and each class member will go home with an official chef’s coat to commemorate the experience. This amazing opportunity takes place in the show kitchen of the renowned Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Guests must be at least 18 years of age and advance reservations are required.
• Festival Wine Receptions – Guests will have an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful sunset and weekend evening under the stars, on the patio of the Golden Vine Winery inside Disney’s California Adventure park. While sampling from a variety of selected wines and enjoying hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, guests will meet fellow wine enthusiasts, make new friends and discover new favorite wines.

For more details and pricing information, visit www.disneyland.com/foodandwine