Inside the Guide

Eat, Drink & Indulge

Welcome To Atlanta

Venture on a Culinary Journey

Talent At Work

AF&WF by the Numbers

Meet the Festival Co-Founders

Media Dish

Connect With Us

Save The Date

Important Contacts

ATLANTA BY DESTINATION. SOUTHERN BY DESIGN. Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is the only culinary weekend in the country to focus exclusively on the rich food and beverage traditions of the South from TX – DC. The weekend is built on three themes:

OLD TRADITIONS Classic Southern flavors and dishes

NEW TRADITIONS

Emerging techniques, flavors and ingredients IMPORTS & INSPIRATIONS (aka “Other Southern”) Food, wine and spirits from other Southern regions around the globe including Southern Europe, South Africa, South America, Southern Hemisphere (Australia and New Zealand) and South-of-the-Border (Mexico, Puerto Rico, Caribbean)

Eat. Drink. Indulge in all that is Southern as award-winning chefs, beverage innovators, and industry experts lead guests on a culinary journey through the South.

Thursday, May 28 Friday, May 29 Saturday, May 30 Sunday, May 31

Dinners & Events Connoisseur Dinner Series

Kick-off “Toast” Learning Experiences Tasting Experiences

Dinners & Events Connoisseur Dinner Series

Learning Experiences Tasting Experiences

Dinners & Events Connoisseur Dinner Series

Sunday Brunch Learning Experiences Tasting Experiences

MAY 29 - 31, 2015

LOEWS ATLANTA HOTEL Official Host Hotel

Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown, the Official Host Hotel of the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, offers guests a premier luxury hotel experience designed to provide both comfort and value. Boasting a long list of convenient amenities, Loews Atlanta Hotel is the most accommodating of all nearby lodging options.

The Loews Atlanta Hotel is the epicenter of the weekend’s activities with the Festival Learning Experiences taking place in the conference center, exclusive Connoisseur Lounge located in the gallery and the Welcome Center and Tasting Experiences within walking distance.

Welcome to Atlanta

2014 Connoisseur Lounge in The Loews Atlanta Hotel | PHOTO CREDIT: AF&WF/RAFTERMEN PHOTOGRAPHY

LEARNING EXPERIENCES SEMINARS, DEMONSTRATIONS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS Festival weekend will offer guests close to 100 carefully-crafted Learning Experiences that include smart and entertaining cooking and cocktail demonstrations, wine and food tasting seminars and panel discussions all designed by the Festival’s esteemed Advisory Council. Friday, May 29 from 11am—2:30pm | Saturday, May 30 from 10am—2pm | Sunday, May 31 from 11am—1:30pm

TASTING EXPERIENCES The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival Tasting Tents are designed to take guests on an epicurean journey through the South with curated “tasting trails” showcasing great food and drink items from across the region and from other Southern regions around the globe like Southern Europe, South Africa, South America, Southern Hemisphere and South-of-the-Border. Friday, May 29 from 3pm—6pm| Saturday, May 30 from 2pm—5pm| Sunday, May 31 from 1:30pm—4:30pm

DINNERS & EVENTS The Festival experience continues into the evening with special chef dinners and signature parties at private homes, restaurants and special unique venues around the city. Dinners begin at 7:30pm nightly.

THE CONNOISSEUR EXPERIENCE Designed for the serious food and beverage lover, The Connoisseur program includes access to the exclusive Connoisseur Lounge created by award-winning Atlanta designer, William Peace, ASID, for socializing, eating, drinking and participating in private food and beverage classes. Friday, May 29 from 9:30am—5:30pm | Saturday, May 30 from 9am—5:30pm | Sunday, May 31 from 10am—1:30pm

CONNOISSEUR DINNER SERIES New to the Festival in 2015 is a special dinner series for Connoisseur Pass holders only. Connoisseurs will have their choice of attending the annual Blackberry Farm dinner, an immersive dining experience at the new Porsche Experience Center, or an intimate dinners that have been carefully curated by award-winning food authors, Matt Lee and Ted Lee from Charleston, SC. All dinners will feature award-winning chefs, sommeliers and beverage innovators.

Venture on a Culinary Journey

2015 Chef Advisory Council

Talent at Work The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival boasts a roster of the South’s best talent. From James Beard award-winning Chefs and legendary beverage distillers to celebrated sommeliers and cutting-edge mixologists, the Festival engages more than 250 epicurean superstars, including an 80-person advisory council.

GEORGIA (continued)

Michael McNeill, MS Duane Nutter Kevin Ouzts Anne Quatrano Kevin Rathbun Todd Richards Steven Satterfield Eric Wolitzky

KENTUCKY

Edward Lee Ouita Michel Julian Van Winkle

LOUISIANA Neal Bodenheimer Justin Devillier Michael Gulotta Tory McPhail Ryan Prewitt

MARYLAND Julie Dalton, CWE Spike Gjerde

MISSISSIPPI Vishwesh Bhatt John Currence Derek Emerson

NORTH CAROLINA Colin Bedford Scott Crawford Gary Crunkleton

ALABAMA Chris Lilly Rob McDaniel ARKANSAS Mark Abernathy Rob Nelson

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Scott Drewno Marjorie Meek-Bradley

FLORIDA Greg Baker Timon Balloo Dena Marino Andrew McNamara, MS

GEORGIA Justin Amick Greg Best Paul Calvert Eric Crane, CWE Shaun Doty Ford Fry Olivier Gaupin, MCF Kevin Gillespie Asha Gomez Kristen Hard Gina Hopkins Linton Hopkins Gerry Klaskala

NORTH CAROLINA( continued) Vivian Howard Bill Smith Aaron Vandemark

SOUTH CAROLINA Jeremiah Bacon Kevin Johnson Michael Kramer Frank Lee Matt Lee Ted Lee Brooks Reitz

TENNESSEE Matt Bolus Tyler Brown Andy Chabot Cassidee Dabney Kelly English Sarah Gavigan Erik Niel

TEXAS Devon Broglie, MS Bryan Caswell Craig Collins, MS Matt McCallister Kent Rathbun

VIRGINIA Bartholomew Broadbent Aaron Deal David Guas

Year-to-Year Festival Comparison

2011 2012 2013 2014

Total Guests 5,822 7,064 8,286 9,226

% Guests from GA 73% 76% 74% 71%

Talent 136 251 273 243

Learning Experiences (classes) 124 88 108 100

Tasting Experiences (Tasting Tent sessions)

4 3 3 3

Dinners & Events 23 16 10 10

Charity Donations (in-kind) ~$150,000 ~$88,000 ~$50,000 ~$50,000

Charity Donations (cash) $0 ~$15,000 ~$20,000 ~$20,000

By The Numbers

L-R: Dominique Love & Elizabeth Feichter

The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is the creation of the dynamic Atlanta entrepreneurial duo of

Elizabeth Feichter and Dominique Love.

The pair first joined forces more than 10 years ago to run Corporate Community Outsourcing, a philanthropic consulting firm created by Love after leaving her post managing The Coca-Cola Company’s corporate giving.

Love’s corporate philanthropy experience coupled with Feichter’s extensive nonprofit experience, including her role as the Director of Development for Hands on Atlanta, positioned their agency as a go-to resource for corporations and nonprofit organizations wanting to have a more strategic impact in the community. Their clientele has included notable corporations such as FOOD & WINE, The Coca-Cola Company, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot, NASCAR, sanofi-aventis, Turner Broadcasting System and more.

Their work developing a national cause-marketing campaign for FOOD & WINE magazine led the duo to the magazine’s famed FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. So impressed by the Classic’s programming and how the weekend drew smart, food-loving people, Feichter and Love decided to recreate the concept in Atlanta. Now celebrating their fifth year as a Festival, Love and Feichter continue to showcase and celebrate their beloved Southern region and its rich food and beverage traditions.

Meet the Festival Co-Founders

PH

OTO

CR

EDIT: SA

RA

HA

NN

A

“..the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival has serious charm and foodie chops.” – Akila McConnell , FoodTravel.About.com

“The Atlanta Food & Wine Festival is one of the highlights of our culinary calendar.” – The Local Palate

“Whether you’re an obsessive Food Network devotee, an avid home cook, an in-the-know foodie, a server, a chef or simply a person who loves to eat, drink and be merry, this sprawling annual Fest has it all.”

– Kelly Skinner , USA Today “AF&WF shouldn't even be called a festival, it should be called an experience.”

– Mandy Kellog Rye, Waiting On Martha

“…that's one of the great things about an event like the annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival - it brings in culinary talent from all over the South.”

– Christopher Hassiotis, Zagat

“This afternoon’s Tasting Tents were on tap to feature both traditional and innovative Southern cuisine and drink.… In trying to taste the best of what the South has to offer this weekend, the size of my stomach might be my biggest challenge this weekend.”

– Chris Fowler, The Daily Meal

Media Dish

Festival Quick Bite… More than 155 local, regional

and national press attended the 2014 Festival.

Connect With Us

Facebook www.facebook.com/AtlantaFoodandWineFestival Instagram www.instragram.com/ATLFoodandWine Pinterest www.pinterest.com/atlfoodandwine Twitter @ATLFoodandWine Founders @dloveatl | @efeichteratl YouTube www.youtube.com/AtlantaFoodandWine

Save The Date

Festival Ticketing

Friday, February 13: Festival Tickets On Sale Monday, March 16: Early Bird Ticketing Closes

Festival Media Credentials

Friday, February 13: Media Credentialing Opens Online Friday, May 8: Festival Media Credentials Close

Festival Website

Friday, February 13: 2015 Website Launch

Festival Weekend

Thursday, May 28 – Sunday, May 31, 2015

Festival PR, Marketing & Social Media Contacts

360 Media, Inc. P: 404-577-8686

E: info@360media.net

Interviews & Information The Festival Co-Founders, Advisory Council and Tasting Tent participants are all available for interviews. Please let us know and we will connect you to the correct contact or publicist. For bios, Festival information or questions related to media credentialing contact 360 Media, Inc. at the number below. Festival Images 360 Media has access to Festival photography from 2014. To gain gallery access, email info@360media.net and we will provide you with a password protected link. You will be able to download your choice of high resolution images.

Photo credit is required for usage: AF&WF/Raftermen Photography