Gourmet Food & Wine Expo 101

Imagine this: a convention centre filled with over 1,500 fine wines, beers, spirits and cocktails from around the globe. Add: dozens of gourmet food options (local and exotic delicacies). And a dash of: entertainment, celebrity chefs and educational opportunities (tutored tastings and such). This, my friends, is the annual Gourmet Food & Wine Expo. A foodie/wino’s amusement park…

But if you’re as curious and gluttonous as I am, it can be an overwhelming event to navigate. Having attended the popular expo for over a decade, I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks that will hopefully help make your experience a more pleasant one:

1. Do yourself a favour and buy your tickets in advance, especially if you’re heading there on the Friday or Saturday night. We didn’t do this one year and they sold out as we anxiously waited in line. Nothing like a group of sad, rejected winos moping away.

2. If you want to avoid the crowds (and there WILL be crowds), fork over a little extra and attend the VIP preview. Or better yet, enter my giveaway below for free tickets!

3. Once inside the expo, you’ll need to purchase sample tickets ($20 will get you a sheet of 20 tickets). Warning: don’t buy too many tickets. I’ve come home with pockets full of unused tickets in the past. I recommend getting two sheets ($40) since most of the food and drinks will cost you $1-$6. You can always go back for more.

4. Take a few minutes to check out the list of exhibitors on the website before you visit the expo. While I’m all for spontaneous decisions, I do find that I have a better overall experience when I plan out at least a few stops in advance. Here’s what is on my list this year: Trialto, Beringer Vineyards, Hidden Bench Winery, Rock Lobster, El Paella, Singha Beer, Tito’s Vodka and Tre Amici Imports (the Clase Azul Tequila is a must for me)…

5. Start with the good stuff. As you probably know, your palate is at its best at the beginning of the night. I usually go directly to the vintages, then I explore other wines followed by craft beers and spirits.

6. Don’t forget to eat! Ok, so I’ll admit that my priority at this show has always been wine. But you definitely need to eat as you sip your way through the convention centre floor. I’ve found that devising a line strategy with friends usually pays off. The method: I stand in line for the vino, they line up for the food and we meet in the middle for a mini picnic.

7. Remember: the expo is NOT a race (quality over quantity). Take the time to chat with exhibitors, winemakers, chefs etc. Not only are they incredibly knowledgeable (and they give great recos), but it’ll make your night a lot more enjoyable.

8. If you like a certain wine/beer/spirit, snap a quick photo so you can remember the brand/vintage etc.

9. Don’t forget to take advantage of the tastings, cooking demonstrations and entertainment. I’m looking forward to the All You Need Is Cheese Stage (sample cheese, learn how to select cheese, the basics of wine pairing etc.), Mott’s Best Caesar in Town National Competition and the live performances.

10. Lastly, there is usually a mass exodus at the end of the night so the coat check line can be a bit of a nightmare. If it’s nice out, skip out on the jacket or bring a sweater that you can roll up in your bag/purse. Whatever you do, don’t try to juggle a coat inside the expo; you’ll have enough to carry with all the delish food and wine.

And now for the giveaway I promised: two lucky readers will be randomly selected to win a pair of tickets each to the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo VIP night (Thursday, November 20th). To enter, just comment on this post (scroll all the way down to the “Leave a Reply” box) and tell me what exhibitor you’re looking forward to the most (the full list can be found here). Make sure you also fill out the Rafflecopter entry below. Cheers and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway