Oaks, PA – The annual 2018 TASTE! Philadelphia Festival of Food, Wine & Spirits, taking place Friday, Oct. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 21, at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center will feature Fine Wine & Good Spirits special guests NBA Hall-of-Famer Isiah Thomas and celebrity chef Fabio Viviani.
The event features celebrities, up-and-coming chefs, gourmet restaurants, trending new venues, brand-name spirits, fine wines, craft brews, in-demand culinary tools, and savory items for the pantry. TASTE! Philadelphia offers an array of special events and seminars – with some offering reserved VIP seating – to expand attendees’ culinary expertise.
Many of the wines and spirits being sampled throughout the weekend will be available for purchase at the on-site Fine Wine & Good Spirits store. Food will also be available, so attendees may enjoy responsibly. TASTE! Philadelphia attendees can be of any age, but only those at least 21 years old with valid identification may consume alcohol at the event.
Fine Wine & Good Spirits has helped to bring special guests Isiah Thomas and Fabio Viviani to this year’s TASTE! Philadelphia.
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas will appear in a cooking demonstration with Chef Kevin De Chenes on Friday, Oct. 19, from 6:45 PM to 7:15 PM. Thomas will then meet fans and sign bottles of Cheurlin Champagne near the on-site Fine Wine & Good Spirits store.
Born and raised on Chicago’s West Side, Isiah Lord Thomas III’s professional career spans more than three decades in sports, business, and entertainment. Thomas has garnered worldwide attention for his contributions in all levels of professional basketball, including induction into the NBA Hall of Fame, and for his distinctive business start-ups and philanthropic endeavors.
As a player, Isiah built a reputation as a tireless worker and formidable competitor. As a businessman, his leadership and sharp business sense continue to serve him well in his post-playing days.
While continuing to explore his business interests, Isiah was introduced to Thomas Cheurlin, head winemaker of Cheurlin Champagne, who is now at the helm of his family’s Champagne dynasty. Attracted to the Cheurlin family’s hands-on tradition, coupled with their commitment to providing a healthy, great tasting Champagne without the added sugar, Isiah became captivated by this opportunity, and a partnership was born. Isiah is quick to point out that although it took years, he “wanted a product that was both reasonably priced, and accessible to all consumers.”
The Cheurlin family has established themselves as the toast of the Champagne world since 1788. From their vineyards in Celles-Sur-Ource, Cheurlin has leveraged the optimal climate and fertile grounds of historic Champagne, France to produce award-winning Champagne that generations have enjoyed. Cheurlin’s prominence in the Champagne industry is well reflected in its scroll of prestigious recognitions.
Unlike celebratory Champagnes that are limited to special occasions, Cheurlin Champagnes are acclaimed for their versatility, which make them ideal for food pairing. Cheurlin uses three main grape varietals (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Blanc) to produce four distinctly elegant, vibrant, and enjoyable Champagnes.
Fabio Viviani
Chef Fabio Viviani will conduct a cooking demonstration from 1:30 PM to 2:15 PM Sunday, Oct. 21. He will then meet fans and sign bottles of his Viviani Wines near the on-site Fine Wine & Good Spirits store.
Viviani possessed a passion for food since his childhood growing up in Florence, Italy. Between his training in Italian and Mediterranean cuisine at IPSSAR Saffi and working with culinary luminaries such as Alessandro Panzani and Saverio Carmagini, Viviani owned and operated five restaurants in Florence, a farm house, and two nightclubs by the time he was 27. Although a well-respected businessman in Italy, in 2005, he moved to the U.S. His first restaurant in the country was in California, but he has since expanded his reach to Chicago, San Diego, Phoenix, Cleveland, and other locations.
Perhaps best known for his television debut on Bravo’s hit reality series “Top Chef”—earning the “Fan Favorite” title—his on-screen appearances have propelled him to become one of the fastest growing household names in the country. He is a recurring guest on national television shows such as “Good Morning America,” “The Rachael Ray Show,” “The Chew,” and countless Food Network shows such as “Cutthroat Kitchen: All-Star Tournament,” which he won. In February 2017, he released his online cooking show, “Fabio’s Kitchen,” a 52-episode series hosted on YouTube.
Off-screen, Viviani is a regular headliner at global food events and festivals. He has his own lines of cookware and culinary gadgets and has been a proud spokesman for international brands. He has authored four successful cookbooks. A prolific tech investor and business speaker, not only has he delivered over 300 keynotes in the past seven years, but he has also been featured at several Fortune 500 companies’ corporate functions to share expertise in branding, social media, and marketing. In 2016, Viviani launched his Know-How Leadership Academy, an online educational platform with guides and courses for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
His varied accomplishments have impressed many, resulting in his induction into the Chicago Culinary Museum and Chefs Hall of Fame as 2017 Chef of the Year. Following Viviani’s initiation, the mayor of Chicago also declared March 8, 2017, to be Chef Fabio Viviani Day in Chicago, encouraging Chicagoans to recognize his achievements and contributions not only to his home city of Chicago, but also to the nation’s culinary scene.
Due to recent flooding at Valley Forge Casino Resort (where TASTE! Philadelphia was originally scheduled), the event was relocated to Hall B of the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks (100 Station Ave.), less than a 10-minute drive from Valley Forge Casino Resort. Previously purchased Eventbrite tickets listing the Valley Forge Casino Resort location will be accepted at the new venue.
The PLCB regulates the distribution of beverage alcohol in Pennsylvania, operates more than 600 wine and spirits stores statewide, and licenses 20,000 alcohol producers, retailers, and handlers. The PLCB also works to reduce and prevent dangerous and underage drinking through partnerships with schools, community groups, and licensees. Taxes and store profits – totaling $16.5 billion since the agency’s inception – are returned to Pennsylvania’s General Fund, which finances Pennsylvania’s schools, health and human services programs, law enforcement, and public safety initiatives, among other important public services. The PLCB also provides financial support for the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, other state agencies, and local municipalities across the state. For more information about the PLCB, visit
www.lcb.pa.gov.
MEDIA CONTACT: Shawn M. Kelly, 717.783.8864
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