Guests of Disneyland Resort in California once again have the opportunity to experience their own version of the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, right at Disney California Adventure, from March 10th to April 16th of this year.

“This year’s Food & Wine Festival is going to be better than ever, with experiences for guests of all ages,” said Gary Maggetti, general manager, Disney California Adventure Park West. “We’ll have more than a dozen marketplaces open every day, and you can enjoy an entire menu of daily culinary demonstrations and tastings, plus beer, wine and spirits seminars. There will be music everywhere, delicious food, and fun crafts created especially for our younger guests. We have something for the entire family.”

More than a dozen Festival Marketplaces will offer delectable fare, and there are even Celebrity chefs scheduled to appear during the Festival. Celebrity Chefs scheduled include Guy Fieri, Robert Irvine, Cat Cora, Duff Goldman, Emily Ellyn and Keegan Gerhard.

In addition to culinary demonstrations and seminars, guests will enjoy an exciting musical program with eclectic bands that add an authentic “California vibe” to the Festival. Children ages 3 to 11 may join in the fun with the popular complimentary Junior Chef experience (led by Chef Goofy, and available on a first-come, first-seated basis), and the Jammin’ Chefs, who serve up tasty rhythms with pots and pans that really get cooking with the help of sous chefs Chip ‘n Dale.

Signature Events, which require a separate ticket, include “In the Kitchen with …” on Saturdays from 6 to 7 p.m., Sweet Sundays on select Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and Winemaker or Brewmaster Dinners Thursdays from 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Many of the Festival events are included with admission to Disney California Adventure. Guests who want to add the Signature Events may purchase separate tickets at an additional fee for:

• “In the Kitchen with …” – Each Celebrity Chef will lead a 60-minute culinary demonstration and Q&A followed by an autograph session. The experience includes a tasting of some of the prepared dishes.
• Sweet Sundays – A 90-minute culinary demonstration focuses on the sweet side of the culinary arts. Following a light breakfast and a sparkling toast, the Guest Chef for that day will demonstrate up to three recipes. Guests will enjoy samples from the chefs.
• Winemaker Dinners and Brewmaster Dinners – A four-course dinner features wines and winemakers or beers and brewmasters. Wine or beer selections will be paired with courses created by the Disney Executive Chef Team and each winemaker or brewmaster will speak on the libation and the pairing.

Additional ticketed programs include:

• Culinary Demonstrations (presented daily throughout the Festival) – Guests will enjoy 30-minute culinary demonstrations presented by local, visiting and Disney chefs. Each demo will focus on a single recipe, ingredient or cooking style. Guests will receive a tasting sample of the dish prepared.
• Wine, Beer or Spirits Education and Tasting Seminars (presented daily throughout the Festival) – Beverage seminars presented by industry experts will enlighten guests who want to learn more about their favorite spirits. Each 30- to 45-minute seminar will focus on a specific beverage type, region or label, and guests will enjoy tasting samples of some of the beverages discussed.

From March 10 to April 1, guests may make reservations for Signature and other ticketed events at Disneyland.com/foodandwine. Reservations for events later in the month of April can be made beginning 60 days prior to the date of the individual event.

The Disney Food Blog has shared the following menus for the Festival:

Nuts About Cheese

• Brie toast with fig and mint and roasted California almond crumble
• Baked ham and Swiss cheese croque monsieur roll with smoked pistachios
• Chèvre fromage blanc tartine infused with rosemary and honey, topped with toasted hazelnuts
• Almond milk tea with pudding

Uncork California

• White wine flight:
  • Duckhorn Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
  • Mer Soleil Vineyard, Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands
  • Lasseter Family Winery, Enjoué Rosé, Sonoma Valley Estate Grown
• Red wine flight
  • Flora Springs Napa Valley Family Estate, Merlot, Napa Valley
  • Flowers Vineyards and Winery, Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
  • Groth Vineyards and Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
• Mimosa flight
  • Pear Mimosa
  • Apricot Mimosa
  • Mango Mimosa

I Heart Artichokes

• Artichoke carbonara with garlic aioli and smoked bacon
• Grilled and chilled artichoke hearts with Romesco sauce
• Creamy artichoke and dark chocolate cake pop
• Orange iced tea with orange pearls
• ACE Premium Craft Cider: SPACE Bloody Orange, Hard Cider, Sebastopol

Garlic Kissed

• Grilled beef tenderloin slider with chimichurri sauce
• Black garlic soy-braised pork belly bao with pickled vegetables
• Garlic-rosemary and avocado oil ice cream pop

California Craft Brews

• Southern California flight
  • Mother Earth Brew Co., Honcho, Hefeweizen
  • Black Market Brewing Co., Deception Coconut Lime, Blonde Ale
  • Left Coast Brewing Company, Una Mas, Amber Lager
  • Stone Brewing, Tangerine Express, IPA
• Northern California flight
  • 21st Amendment Brewery, El Sully, Mexican-style Lager
  • Bear Republic Brewing Co., Red Rocket, Amber Ale
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Torpedo, Extra IPA
  • Drake’s Brewing Co., Black Robusto, Porter

Olive Us

• Chilled Cioppino soup with shrimp, crab claw and grilled olive bread
• Warm olive focaccia with olive oil and sea salt
• Vanilla bean crème fraîche panna cotta with Amarena cherry jus and EVOO madeleine

Bacon Twist

• Baby iceberg and heirloom tomato wedge with peppered bacon and blue cheese dressing
• Smoked bacon mac and cheese with barbecue-seasoned crispy onions
• Maple-bacon Whoopie Pie
• Bloody Mary Cocktail with Candied Caramel Bacon strip and Blue Cheese-stuffed Olives

Lemon Grove

• Roasted cauliflower and Meyer lemon-infused Dannon Oikos® Greek nonfat yogurt cauliflower puree with sundried tomatoes and fried capers
• Duck confit on potato smash with Meyer lemon preserves
• Meyer lemon macaron with blueberry marmalade, Meyer lemon cream and blueberry dust
• Cherry lemonade with cherry pearls
• Meyer Lemon Ginger Mule

Seafood…Sustained

• Verlasso® sustainable salmon tataki with avocado-wasabi puree and Furikake dust
• Cage-free cream cheese deviled eggs with farm-raised smoked trout and chives
• Passion fruit posset and coconut chia with mango compote and jelly
• Mango agua fresca
• Zilliken Estate, Riesling, Mosel, Germany
• Meiomi, Coastal California Wines, Pinot Noir, California

The Onion Lair

• French onion mac and cheese topped with parmesan crumble and chives
• Braised Wagyu beef on creamy polenta with haricot vert and red onion salad and roasted Cipollini onion
• Chocolate-hazelnut and raspberry Feuillete tart
• Strawberry pineapple float with vanilla ice cream and strawberry pearls
• Passion Fruit Lemonade (non-alcoholic)
• Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Liquid AC, English Summer Ale, San Diego Lagunitas Brewing Company
• Pils, Czech-style Pilsener, Petaluma Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• DBA, British Pale Ale, Paso Robles
• Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Midas Touch, Ancient Ale-Wine/Beer Hybrid
• Delaware Ace Premium Craft Cider, Perry, Hard Cider, Sebastopol

Off the Cob

• Sweet corn nuggets with beef chili, spring onions and sour cream
• Jackfruit carnitas banh mi nachos with cilantro crèma and “pickled” de gallo
• Roasted sweet corn custard tart with honey tuille and smoked chili-infused chocolate sauce
• Bohemia Clásica, Pale Lager, Mexico
• Jalapeño-Lime Margarita with Jalapeño garnish

Sweet & Sourdough

• Bay shrimp Louie salad served in a mini Boudin sourdough boule
• White cheddar lager soup topped with bacon, served in a mini Boudin sourdough boule
• Milk chocolate sourdough bread pudding with vanilla bean sauce
• Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Columbia Street, Amber Lager, San Diego
• Conundrum, White Blend, California

LAStyle

• Chicken Teriyaki slider with spicy Dole® pineapple jam
• Korean barbecue beef short rib tacos with Kimchi slaw
• Fresh strawberry compote, lemon verbena and vanilla bean shortcake parfait
• Dole® Pineapple-strawberry Float with vanilla ice cream and strawberry pearls

Wineology

• Sort This Out Cellars, Mourvedre Rose Mermaid, Santa Barbara
• Tres Sabores Winery, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
• MacCrostie Winery and Vineyards, Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast
• La Crema, Pinot Noir, Russian River
• Chock Rock Vineyards, Syrah, Arroyo Seco
• Eden Canyon Vineyards, Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles
• Red Sangria
• White Sangria
• Peach Sangria
• Sangria Flight
  • White Sangria
  • Peach Sangria
  • Red Sangria

The Brewhouse

• Barley Forge Brewing Co., Nom Nom, Mango Hefeweizen, Costa Mesa
• Stone Brewing, Delicious, IPA, San Diego (Gluten-reduced)
• Deschutes Brewery, Black Butte, Porter, Oregon
• Coney Island Brewing Company, Hard Root Beer, New York
• Tecate Michelada
• Coney Island Hard Root Beer with Vanilla Ice Cream
• Deschutes Black Butte Porter with Chocolate Ice Cream
• Barq’s Root Beer Float with choice of Chocolate or Vanilla Ice Cream (non-alcoholic)

Paradise Garden Grill Beer Garden

• Beer-battered cod served with steak fries, sweet slaw and spiced remoulade
• Potato and cheese pierogis with vegetarian sausage served with grilled Anaheim chilies, caramelized onions and sour cream
• Beer-braised pork tacos served with pickled apple slaw, black beans and queso
• Sausage platter trio served with braised red cabbage and warm potato salad
• Large soft pretzel served with beer-mustard dipping sauce
• Salted caramel budino with vanilla bean Chantilly cream
• Bienenstich cake with honey-glazed almonds, filled with vanilla bean custard

What booth will you try first?

If you would like to visit a Disney destination, but are unsure of where to begin, contact me today to take advantage of my FREE vacation planning services! I specialize in Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Aulani resort in Hawaii, as well as Adventures by Disney. Email me today at [email protected] for a free quote, or you can follow along on Facebook here.

photos: Disneyland News