The 44th annual Kapalua Wine & Food Festival is happening July 10-13 at The Ritz-Carlton Maui, Kapalua. The festival features top vintners and chefs from Hawaii and around the world as well as an array of events, from wine tasting seminars to winemaker dinners.
On July 11, guests may attend a wine tasting seminar with pinot noir specialists and a celebrity chef multi-course lunch and cooking demonstration with chef Rick Moonen, who's known as the "Godfather of Sustainable Seafood." In the evening, there's the signature winemaker and celebrity chef six-course dinner crafted by celebrity chefs Rick Moonen, Maneet Chauhan, Zach Laidlaw and Ritz-Carlton Maui's chefs. Wineries featured at the dinner include Maggy Hawk, Freemark Abbey, Brewer-Clifton and The Vineyard House.
On July 12, the morning begins with an interactive wine tasting seminar with a regional focus on California's Santa Barbara County and continues with a wine tasting seminar on Napa Valley. The evening's event is the highly anticipated grand tasting gala, with plenty of food and wines to savor.
The event closes on July 13 with a final tasting of Champagnes and caviars; and a cooking demonstration with celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan, two-time winner of the Food Network's "Tournament of Champions" televised cooking competition.
Tickets at varying prices may be purchased per event. Festival passes, priced at $1,250 per person, include all seminars, two celebrity chef cooking demos, the grand tasting gala and inclusion to the VIP winemakers reception on July 10.