The Fabulous Food Show - Cleveland Article

Now’s your opportunity to make these visions a reality at the Fabulous Food Show Nov. 11-13.

Now in its 11^th year, the Fabulous Food Show is the ultimate culinary event; an entire weekend full of food-focused demos, programs, parties and shopping. Held inside the I-X Center (near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport), the show encompasses nearly seven football fields and features celebrity cooking demos; restaurants and fine food; wine, spirits and beer tastings; food trucks; and meet and greets with celeb chefs.

According to Fabulous Food Show Manager Rob Attewell: “There’s nothing like the Fabulous Food Show out there. It just doesn’t exist.  It’s huge at 400,000 square feet!”

The centerpiece of this knock-your-socks-off culinary weekend is—bar none—the celebrity appearances and demonstrations. Who’s on tap for 2016?

“On the Main Stage, we’re bringing in Daphne Oz from “The Chew.” Everyone is really excited about seeing her,” Attewell said. “And, of course, Chef Michael Symon is here all weekend. He’s a huge draw, because he’s from Cleveland and has most of his restaurants are in Cleveland.”

Other celeb appearances and cooking demos will come from Buddy Valastro of Carlo’s Bakery (“The Cake Boss”), Food Network chef Aarón Sánchez and host of “Southern at Heart” Damaris Phillips. [Check out the full list here.]

“Also, Natalie Sideserf will be back this year. She’s becoming a very well known cake sculptor artist. For an extra charge, she’ll teach guests everything she knows about cake sculpting. You’ll be amazed,” Attewell said.

Other highlights at the 2016 show include a revamped main stage theater, which now allows guests to get a more straight-on view of the stage, leading to a much more intimate experience with the celebrity chefs.

The event also will feature a special after-hours event called Savor Cleveland, a unique event put on by students at the Tri-C Hospitality Management Program to benefit the 2017 Chefs Cycle for No Kid Hungry.

And, of course, no Fabulous Food Show would be complete without the offerings at the Beer, Wine & Spirits Pavilion, offering a bevy of tasting opportunities.

“Something new for this year is that we’re doing a ‘cocktail school.’ Some of the best restaurants in town will be here teaching guests to make their own cocktails. Then, when they’re finished, they can drink the cocktails. It’s a really cool hands-on activity.”

Other events include the CLE Cook for A Cause event pitting local chef media teams against one another for charity; Chef Michael Symon’s interactive block party; Buddy Valastro’s “Dessert First” fete; and a Sunday tailgating party.

“Cleveland’s best restaurant chefs also will be there doing presentations on the Taste of the Neighborhood Stage,” said Attewell. “While the show still has the big-name talent, we’re getting more involved in the Greater Cleveland community. We’re showing more and more the people who are making it all happen here in Cleveland.”

Needless to say, the Fabulous Food Show is a unique, not-to-be-missed affair for visitors near and far. The weekend draws more than 30,000 people from across the United States and Canada.

Come for a full day or check it out all weekend. But with eight stages, pavilions and demonstration areas, it’s important to carve out some time to experience the entirety of the event.

“By the time you take in a show or two, you still have hundreds of exhibits to go through. There’s a lot of different places you can stop and sample,” Attewell said. “It’s important to budget yourself some time.”

Learn more at www.FabulousFoodShow.com.