A beautiful evening at the American Express Middle Eastern Feast at Ajax Tavern.
May Selby/Photo courtesy
For the 41st Food & Wine Classic, there were overlapping events around town, but I found it most effective to plan my route one day at a time. I met a woman named Francine midway through the weekend and near the end, and we compared notes and photos about our experiences so far. To my surprise, those were the only two moments where our paths crossed. Despite taking very different paths, we both gained meaningful lessons from each opportunity. Some of my most memorable stops included:
Thursday –
Known French-Indonesian chefs Cedric and Ochi Vongerichten and Ezra William, along with their partner Rafael Darley, hosted a sneak peek cocktail party on the premises of Wayang Aspen, their soon-to-open restaurant currently under renovation at 614 East Cooper Avenue.
Aspen Magazine held its 50th anniversary party at the Dore Hosier Pavilion in Aspen Meadows. The glossy magazine's glitzy celebration featured cooking demos by Iron Chef Justin Sutherland, a performance by Grammy-nominated artist Jewel, and a welcoming speech from Modern Luxury publisher Allan Klein, who paid tribute to the lovable Ernie Ashley, who founded the magazine in 1974, and who, at 89 years old, looked very spry in his blue attire at the event.
American Express hosted a Middle Eastern feast on the patio of Ajax Tavern, accompanied by Chef Aisha Nurjaja and wines from Karlyn Carr, Femi Oyedilon, June Rodile, Bobby Stuckey and Miles White – a star-studded gathering under the twinkling lights.
Friday –
The catch was the Jardín de Rosa setting on the restaurant's rooftop, where we enjoyed fine champagne and spirits. The most amazing rice cake was one of the appetizers we were given out. The flower arrangements we made with Julia Rosa from New York made for great souvenirs. There were also tastings of Codigo Tequila, Sainte-Marguerite en Provence Rosé, Perrier-Jouet Champagne, and Ojo de Tigre Mezcal, all of which added to the glamour.
Hotel Jerome continued its Epicurean Passport Weekend with multiple events, including an Elevated Hoops All-Star Basketball Tournament on a custom-built 3×3 half-court featuring chefs and vintners, and a special performance by DanceAspen.
The Texas Legends and Wildcatters party, presented by MML Hospitality and Panacea Collective, was back in full swing with Ranch Waters being poured at Las Montañas. I toasted with co-host Greg Haynes Johnson in honor of the creator of my favorite drink and the late Kevin Williamson, a former co-host of the event. Legends and guest chefs included Autumn Rich, TJ Mathias, Kristina Weiss, Larry McGuire, Tom Moorman, Chris Shepherd, Saera Mardanbigi, Edgar Rico, and Lou Lambert.
Actress Gal Gadot enjoyed a signature cocktail made with locally made Aspen Vodka at the Garnish Garden Cocktail Party in the courtyard of Hotel Jerome, where guests explored the innovative use of botanicals in vodka cocktails paired with avant-garde cuisine that highlighted modernism and innovation.
Saturday –
The learning started early with a 10am seminar by Mark Oldman on “Aspen Wine Camp,” which offered a crash course on eight of the world's best wines for special occasions. Oldman pitted half of the tent against the other half, splitting the crowd into two groups, Napa and Bordeaux, had sabre-fighting and poiron challenges, and lots of collectible swag, including sweatbands and pin badges.
Highlights of the Grand Tasting included meeting Carmelo Anthony and sampling Robert Mondavi and his wine “Ode to Soul,” a red wine blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 49% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. We also saw a number of local vendors participating among international, national, and regional brands. A total of 50 vendors participated, from Colorado Mountain College to Afternoon De'Lite Ice Cream, deepening our connection to the community.
ASPENX partnered with Brady Lowe of Taste Network to host Global Fire at Smuggler Mine in support of Aspen Public Radio. At the center of the celebration was the art of open-fire cooking, an ancient technique revived by James Beard Award-winning chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants. “The ASPENX Global Fire event was a great success, and we plan to host Global Fire for many years to come, keeping community and sustainability at the forefront,” said Lowe.
Sunday –
Aspen Meadows Resort hosted its third annual Juneteenth Celebration at West End Social in the afternoon with music from DJ Doughboy and a brunch-inspired menu. The event was sponsored by award-winning Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, paying tribute to Nearest Green, the world's first African-American master distiller, and was also supported by Equiano Rum, Sorel Hibiscus Liqueur, LS Cream Liqueur and Hera Cocktail Company, all minority-owned businesses.
That's part of the weekend over. Next up, we look forward to attending the inaugural Food & Wine Classic Charleston, presented by Explore Charleston, September 27-29. For more information, visit foodandwineclassicincharleston.com.
Actress Gal Gadot at the Aspen Vodka Garnish Garden Cocktail Party at Hotel Jerome. Nick Tyninenko/Photo provided
Allan Klein and Ernie Ashley at the Aspen Magazine 50th Anniversary Party at Aspen Meadows. Photo by Mae Selby
Chefs Andrew Zimmern, Nancy Silverton, Maneet Chauhan and Tyler Florence at the Food & Wine Classic at Wagner Park. Photo by Mae Selby
The Little Nell and fellow chefs from Wayan NYC at the Wayan Aspen preview party. Mae Selby/Photo provided
Chef Troy Selby, Chef Megan Sheehan and Chef Marcus Samuelson attend the American Express Mid-Eastern Feast at Ajax Tavern. Mae Selby / Photo provided
Cooking over an open fire with a view of the Smuggler Mine during the ASPENX Global Fire event in partnership with Aspen Public Radio. Max Flatow / Photo provided
Carmelo Anthony was all smiles at the Grand Tasting on Saturday. The retired 10-time NBA All-Star partnered with the iconic Robert Mondavi Winery to launch Ode to Soul, which he poured in a tent. Selfie by Melo. Photo provided.
Sunsets and chefs make a winning combination at the ASPENX Global Fire event in partnership with Aspen Public Radio. Photo by Max Flatow. Max Flatow/Photo Courtesy
Mark Oldman cheers on an enthusiastic audience during an onstage drinking contest at the seminar, photographed by May Selby. May Selby/Photo provided
The Texas Legends and Wildcatters party was attended by hosts Larry Maguire, Autumn Rich and Greg Haynes Johnson. Photo by Mae Selby/Courtesy of the event.
Melanie Gramlich, Tommy Tolleson and Tricia Thompson pouring Entourage Rosé at Wayan's Sneak Preview Party. Photo by Mae Selby. Mae Selby/Photo provided
Stephanie Woods, John Shaw and Rebecca Jones of Colorado Mountain College serve up herb-flavored polenta at the local business booth at the Grand Tasting. Mae Selby/Courtesy photo.
Aspen Meadows' Juneteenth Celebration concluded the weekend with music, mountain views, wine and food from West End Social, with chef Rachel Koppelman, right. Photo by Mae Selby.
Leah Tucker, Jeremy Balvin, and Kim Edwards at the Jardin de Rosa rooftop party. Photo by Mae Selby
Hotel Jerome General Manager Patrick Davila joins chefs and vintners at the Elevated Hoops All-Star Basketball Tournament. Photo by Mae Selby
The best dish of the weekend – rice cakes caught at the Jardin de Rosa party. May Selby/Photo courtesy
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