September 8, 2005

Mitchell Crosby and Denise Barto Will Produce the First Annual Distinctively Charleston Food + Wine Festival

For Immediate Release
Contact: Barbara P. Heddinger
843.795.1420
barbara@heddinger.ws

Mitchell Crosby of JMC Charleston and Denise Barto of All Occasions have been selected to produce the First Annual Distinctively Charleston Food + Wine Festival which will take place March 2-5, 2006.

Charleston is the ideal backdrop for this festival, with its world-class chefs and restaurants, Low country ingredients and the beauty and charm of the city itself.

“This world-class food and wine festival will showcase southern chefs and feature Low country specialties with emphasis on food that is Distinctively Charleston” says Angel Postell the Festival’s Executive Director.

Low country cuisine will be center-stage as chefs transform fresh local produce, seafood and other specialties such as Carolina Gold Rice and that southern staple--grits into dishes that exemplify this special city. From Low country BBQ and Seafood Boil on opening night to the Gospel Brunch on Sunday, the Distinctively Charleston Food + Wine Festival will be packed with events that capitalize on Charleston’s culinary characteristics.

The four-day festival will target upscale food and wine enthusiasts. Participants will have the opportunity to experience Charleston’s rich cultural heritage through indigenous cuisine, paired with fine wines from vineyards around the world. Because of the unique characteristics of Charleston’s Low country cuisine, this event is certain to become a festival ‘of note’ for food and wine enthusiasts throughout the country.

“The festival will feature multiple events each day—lectures by renown food writers, vineyard owners, wine tasting and seminars for professionals as well as people who just love food.”, says Crosby, “and in the evening sumptuous dinners featuring authentic Low country themes to be held in Charleston’s finest restaurants and private homes”. The finale --a “Gospel Brunch” will bring yet another aspect of life in the Low country to the festival. In a tent under ancient oaks at Lowndes Grove Plantation (the only plantation located on Charleston’s Historic Peninsula) participants will be wrapped in the ambiance of early spring with décor, food and music that exemplifies what the area is all about”. Crosby envisions the festival to be the event of the spring season.

‘Bubbles and Sweets’ the après dinner party designed by Crosby and Barto for Saturday evening, will sparkle with the décor of Paris in the 1930’s--as sophisticated as the champagne and desserts offered by 16 of Charleston’s finest pastry chefs. And the Gospel Brunch will close the festival with the earthy ambiance of an authentic plantation breakfast beneath live oaks on the Cooper River in the beautiful spring weather.

To learn more about the weekend, visit www.charlestonfoodandwine.com.