2008 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine and Travel+Leisure Magazines Raises Close to $1 Million for Hunger-Relief Charities in First Year

2008 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival Presented by Food & Wine and Travel+Leisure Magazines Raises Close to $1 Million for Hunger-Relief Charities in First Year

2009 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival To be Held October 8th - 11th

NEW YORK, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This past Columbus Day weekend was a banner holiday as New York City hosted the first ever Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine and Travel+Leisure Magazines. A little over 26,000 attendees left the festival feeling truly satisfied as they sampled fare from the world's top chefs, vintners and spirits makers while helping to raise close to $1 million to benefit Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength enabling them to provide much needed assistance to millions of hungry people in New York City and across the country.

Using its sister Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival as a blueprint, the 2008 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival had carte blanche to create the most innovative and exciting menu of events and it did not disappoint. "We were thrilled to have chefs from around the world relish the opportunity to showcase their best in unparalleled settings such as the sold out Rachael Ray-hosted Burger Bash in DUMBO, Food Network-hosted Chelsea Market After Dark, Meatpacking Uncorked, SWEET and Grand Tasting on Pier 54 to name a few," explains festival founder and creator Lee Brian Schrager who also serves as Director of Special Events and Media Relations for Southern Wine & Spirits of America. As a subsidiary of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, Southern Wine & Spirits of New York offers its brands the exclusive opportunity to showcase their products at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival.

The 2008 festival was also able to donate close to $1 million dollars to the Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength helping them to ensure that no New Yorker goes hungry. Their efforts have never been more important as the region sees housing, fuel and food costs skyrocket. The rising cost of living is making it more difficult than ever for many families to put food on the table. As an ongoing partner of the 2009 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength will be able to help more people in need than ever before.

"We feel like Christmas came in October this year," says Bill Shore, Co-founder and Executive Director of Share Our Strength and Lucy Cabrera, President and CEO of Food Bank For New York City. "We feel so fortunate to receive word of such tremendous support just days after Wall Street experienced one of its most tumultuous weeks on record."

The festival will help Share Our Strength make sure more kids in need in New York and around the country get the meals they need; advocate for sound food policy for all Americans; and build more state partnerships to end childhood hunger in this country. The funds raised through the festival enable the Food Bank to help provide more than 2.5 million nutritious meals for low-and middle-income New Yorkers who rely on their network of more than 1,000 food assistance programs across the country.

And while the kitchen may be closed for now, things are already heating up for next year. The plans are being put together right now for the 2009 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival to take place again Columbus Day Weekend giving New Yorkers the ultimate "staycation!" The most celebrated chefs are coming on board, Southern Wine & Spirits of America is reserving some of its most sought after wines and spirits and the trend setting boutiques of the Meatpacking District are making plans to play host to star-studded events that will lure thousands of gourmands for three days starting October 8th, 2009.

Mark your calendars: dates for the 2009 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival are set for Thursday, October 8th through Sunday, October 11th.

Source: Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival

CONTACT: Robin Insley Associates, +1-212-849-8256,
robin@robininsleyassociates

-------
Profile: intent