The Flavors of Florida at the St. Augustine Food & Wine Festival

St. Augustine packs a powerful punch for such a small southern city—pairing coastal beauty with history, culture, and renowned cuisine.
One of the best ways to experience new tastes and flavors is attending a food and wine festival. What’s better than wandering happily with a tribe of fellow foodies and being tempted with tasty bites, tantalizing your tastebuds at every turn. Chefs, winemakers, and epicureans travel from everywhere to enjoy food and wine festivals—providing a unique insight into the local culinary scene.

St. Augustine, located on Florida’s Historic Coast, knows a thing or two about food and wine. It’s an oasis in Northeast Florida with a sizzling culinary scene that celebrates Florida’s bounty, focusing on locally caught seafood, fresh ingredients, and Southern classics.

A Festival of Florida’s Flavors

The 4-day inaugural St. Augustine Food & Wine Festival in May 2021 was nothing short of a culinary celebration. It highlighted celebrity guest chefs, acclaimed winemakers, local chefs, and craft spirits/beers, in short, a foodie’s paradise. Most of the activities took place at the World Golf Hall of Fame, near historic downtown.

The festival proved how the gastronomical landscape of St. Augustine has grown up, catering to more sophisticated palates while staying true to its southern roots. Noted as one of the South’s best foodie towns by Southern Living Magazine. Is it any wonder that this inaugural festival was a rousing success? Culinary events throughout the weekend showcased a bonanza of cooking demonstrations and culinary and beverage tastings.

Kicking off the festival was the World Golf Hall of Fame Winemaker’s Dinner with celebrity chef Maneet Chauhan. Chauhan is an Indian American chef and television personality that has been an executive chef of serval notable restaurants and featured as a judge on the Food Network’s series, Chopped.

Five of the six courses were created by local chefs—Chef Chauhan crafted the dessert round. Each course was delicious and imaginative, paired with the perfect wine to complement each dish. The chefs then shared their inspiration for their creations and appreciation for the community’s support. Chef Maneet was a gracious host, praising the cuisine of St. Augustine with its global influences that are so firmly entrenched in its history. She remarked she was happy to be a part of the festival because food and wine always bring people together.

Epicurean Master Classes

Several Epicurean Master Classes were held as well. The off-site master class, Bourbon and Mixology 101, at St. Augustine Distillery, was hosted by Phillip McDaniel, CEO/Co-Founder, and Clark Gilmore, Brand Ambassador. The class began with a private tour of the distillery. During the hands-on workshop, we learned three things: exactly what bourbon is, how Florida bourbon differs from traditional bourbon, and how to make a balanced cocktail with bourbon using three flavor profiles.

Images [St. Augustine Distillery bourbon tasting & Image of St. Augustine Master Class with Clark Gilmore & founder Phillip McDaniel]

The World Golf Hall of Fame invited two retired world-class golfers who have both found new careers involving food and wine. Each of the golfers, Australians Greg Norman and Jan Stephenson, have continued to win awards with their signature wines. Each gave a master class with tastings that included foods to complement the vintages.

I attended Jan’s Master Class and tasted her Signature Series wines from her vineyard in California. She produces Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot, among other wines.

I took part in “Experience Grilling Urban Asado’s Argentine Inspired Live Fire Grills” with Chef Matt Brown and Asador Nick Carrera.
Chef Brown of Lena and Asador Nick Carerra of Urban Asado took us through the versatility of Live Fire Grilling. They demonstrated different styles from ember roasting, flame blistering, and slow roasting all over an open fire. We tasted a variety of delicious offerings from each live fire technique, along with a signature bourbon cocktail pairing. By the end of the demonstration, we became honorary Asadors!

Smoke on the Water Event

Smoke on the Walk on Friday afternoon was a BBQ Extravaganza of the southeast’s most celebrated pit and grill masters with wine, beer, and spirits along the Walk of Champions. Local chefs’ food stations with mouthwatering barbeque and fixings made for a happy crowd.

On Saturday, the Main Event at the World Golf Village was a rousing success with perfect weather and blue skies. It was a fun afternoon and evening of culinary and beverage tastings with live music in the beautiful surroundings of the Walk of Champions, the centerpiece of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Craft Brewers Fest at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park

The St. Augustine Craft Brewers Fest at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park, had a fun, casual vibe, and showcased small brewers and food trucks with live music entertainment. It was a fantastic crowd in the beautiful park. The weekend ended with The Jazz Brunch, featuring a hoppin’ local jazz trio, lavish brunch spread, and a host of beverage stations with mimosas and champagne.

The 2nd annual St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival

Following a successful inaugural food festival, the 2nd annual St. Augustine Food + Wine Festival is set for May 4-8th, 2022. The celebrity chef for this year’s event is none other than Cat Cora, world-renowned chef, author, and restaurateur—the first female Iron Chef. This culinary weekend celebration will include a Friday night barbeque extravaganza, Master Classes, and more. Don’t miss the St. Augustine Craft Brewer’s Fest on Saturday, May 7th, at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. Like 2021, the main tasting event will be held around the lake surrounding the World Golf Hall of Fame, the World Golf Renaissance Resort, and the World Golf Village.

If you enjoy learning about, trying new food and drinks, and talking with others who feel as you do, then St. Augustine should be on your calendar for May 2022.

Come join in the celebration taking place in one of the country’s most beautiful and historic cities.