A guide to Food & Wine Classic experiences | Arts & Entertainment

Aspen’s unofficial kickoff to summer begins this weekend with the Food & Wine Classic. 

While passes to the official event run for thousands of dollars, there are several events throughout the weekend around town that are free or discounted (especially for locals) that people can enjoy without lounging in the Wagner Park white tents.

The Food & Wine live podcast, which takes place Friday and Saturday, is hosted at the Isis Theatre and is free and open to the public. The “fireside chats” at the Isis are part of the larger cooking demonstrations. Kat Kinsman will host the live podcast tapings with three different guests. 

Here’s the schedule for the fireside chats:

• Friday at 10 a.m.: Padma Lakshmi

• Friday at 3 p.m.: Antoni Porowski

• Saturday at 10 a.m.: Ayesha Curry

The Hotel Jerome will also be hosting a number of events through its Epicurean Passport program, which is in its fifth year. The Epicurean Passport began on Thursday and will carry through the end of the weekend with cocktail hours, dinners and more. 

The passports can be purchased as a package, but all of the events are also ticketed separately and range from $50 to $450. The Jerome is offering a 25% discount to locals who wish to attend any or all of the Epicurean Passport events. 

“To us, (the Hotel Jerome) is an aspect that has become such a tremendous world-class destination,” Stephane Lacroix, Hotel Jerome general manager, said. “But it’s important not to forget that we’ve been here since 1889, so how can we connect the dots with the neighbors and the local residents, anyone who spends, whether it’s all year in Aspen or a couple of weeks or months a year in Aspen, their home away from home, and we always look forward to finding a way to welcome them and be gracious hosts.”

The Jerome will host a gathering on its front lawn Friday at 6 p.m. that will be open to the public. The event will be in coordination with Ford’s Gin.

It will also host an afternoon event with Waterford and Julie Macklowe Saturday from 1-2 p.m. for $75. 

The other Epicurean Passport events can be found on the Hotel Jerome website.

Aspen Chamber Resort Association Vice President of Destination Marketing Eliza Voss said the Food & Wine volunteer program is another way to join the weekend’s festivities without buying a pass. Applications for the volunteer program for 2025 are closed but it is available for the classic every year.

Voss said more than 500 people are chosen to help volunteer throughout the weekend.

Trends in the tent

With every Classic, Wagner Park transforms into the pinnacle of indulgence. Vendors from just down the street and far corners of the world offer their craft, and each Grand Tasting promises a different experience each visit — even if you go to every one.

But with such a wide selection, it’s easy to lose track of your palette. Merlyn Miller, news and trends editor with Food & Wine Magazine, highlighted some strategies and themes anticipated in the Grand Tasting Tent for the Classic’s 42nd year in Aspen.

Miller offered some tips on how to move intentionally through the tent, balancing the usual must-visits and the new additions. Biggest tip: visit the new Wine Bar by F&W and Friends every grand tasting to sample experts’ takes on the latest culinary trends.  

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Aspen Daily News: For folks looking for a bite before they dive into the beverages, what stands out to you this year?

Merlyn Miller: Anyone who loves seafood is really in luck this year. Several Food & Wine Best New Chefs will be serving up seafood-centric bites, ranging from Silver Iocovozzi’s grilled squid to Nicole Mills’ snapper ceviche. You’ll see caviar from one of our vendors, Kaviari, and there will be a big salmon presence, including Honey Smoked Fish, a vendor focused on really great smoked salmon. 

The Wine Bar by F&W and Friends is serving dishes from Andrew Zimmern that incorporate Alaska Seafood at the first Grand Tasting on Friday — make sure you try the gravlax brioche toasts.

ADN: What about alcoholic beverages? What are you expecting to be a standout?

MM: Although sake is far from new — it’s been made and enjoyed in Japan for over 2,000 years — it’s becoming increasingly popular in the United States. You’ll see clear evidence of this at the grand tasting, so make sure to visit vendors like BŌKEN, Hachidori Sake, Sake High!, and TYKU Sake. The F&W Wine Bar will be pouring Pure Land Sake and BŌKEN at two separate grand tastings.

Aperitifs and digestifs are also witnessing growth, evidenced by popularity of aperitif-based drinks beyond the familiar Aperol Spritz. (For example, last summer people were loving the Hugo Spritz, which features St-Germain.) We’ll be pouring a really tasty nonalcoholic aperitif from Seraphim at the F&W Wine Bar during one Grand Tasting.

ADN: What should people make sure they visit every trip through the tents?

MM: You should absolutely stop at the Best New Chef booth at every Grand Tasting. Their bites blow me away every single year, and it’s a really cool opportunity to meet them. Make sure you stop at The Wine Bar by F&W and Friends — this is the first year we’ve set up our own wine bar, and it’s so much more than that. We’ll be featuring some of our own drink recipes (like a Limoncello Sorbet Float!), food from chefs and brands we love (like Pizza Freak Co. and hot dogs from Full Tilt Foods), and of course great wine, beer and sake. We want this to be a space where our editors can meet consumers at the Classic, so please come say hi and ask us questions!

ADN: Do you have any expert tips on navigating the tent with it being your fourth year attending the Classic?

MM: I recommend pacing yourself. Walk through the tents once and grab a bite and drink that look good, then go enjoy them in the central courtyard. If you’re feeling overstimulated, grab a San Pellegrino and go wander through the merch tent for a few minutes. You will absolutely have time to get to everything, so if you don’t get a bite that looks good to you the first time you go through a tent, you can go back through later.

Most importantly, talk to the experts at each booth. They can tell you how the drinks are made, which options you might like the most, where you can buy them when you’re at home, what to pair them with, etc. The same goes for food vendors and chefs — you might find that there’s a story behind a dish or it’s a rendition of something they serve at their restaurant.