Last year, I had the most amazing time at the Food and Wine Conference, therefore, when the opportunity presented itself to serve as part of the Food and Wine Conference Planning Committee, I jumped on the chance to give back to this incredible event.  For my effort and my contribution to the committee, I received a full conference pass which was worth every morsel.

Multiple Brands and Bloggers Mixers

For two years now, Isabel Lasseig of Family Foodie and Founder of the Sunday Supper Movement brings some of the best brands in the business to the Food and Wine Conference. Upon our arrival on Friday, we were greeted by a ginormous spud semi and piles and piles of gourmet potato dishes presented by the Idaho Potato Commission.  And that was just the starters!

Later that evening, Gallo Family Vineyards hosted a Blogger Blend to showcase their newest Reisling. As we swooned over the generous pourings of Gallo Family Vineyards Reisling, we also had the chance to connect and toast many of our blogger friends, including the Sunday Supper team.

Networking and Connecting

As previously mentioned, the Food and Wine Conference offers a chance for the Sunday Supper bloggers to connect in the real world. Every Sunday, this team serves an incredible assortment of themed-recipes and many of the bloggers have been online friends for years.

When the Sunday Supper team enters the scene at the Food and Wine Conference, there is this amazing energy and love similar to a family reunion with Isabel as the matriarchal figure and Renee of Magnolia Days playing the role of Aunt Renee.

This year, I reconnected with many of the new-to-me bloggers I met last year, including In the Kitchen with KP, Go Epicurista and Pescetatrian Journal and we were like old friends.

Of course, several Tampa Bay Bloggers were there, such as Casa de Crews, XioMeeks and Never Have I Ever.

During the breaks and down time, I chatted with my newest Sunday Supper friends, Desserts Required, KimChi Mom  and Foodie Stuntman and picked the brains of the blogging field experts. Not to mention, the conference also offered the opportunity to chat with numerous celebrity chefs like Whitney Willer and Emily Ellen.

Presentations on Best Practices

Whether you’re a beginner blogger or a veteran blogger, you are guaranteed to fill your brain with some incredible new knowledge on the business of blogging. This year’s conference offered a two-track option on Sunday at the Rosen College of Hospitality: Food Demonstrations and Hands-on Workshops.

The Rosen College of Hospitality provides excellent space for these types of presentation. With an open room floorplan, large multi-media screens, mirrors and a mini-cooking station for a podium, every seat in the house offers a great view for numerous presentations by brands and celebrity chefs. As the smells drift through the air, your senses come alive during each cooking demonstration.

Across the courtyard at the Rosen College of Hospitality, the Hands-on Workshops took place simultaneously in a stadium-seating classroom. There, we learned how to stage mouth-watering food photographs, create a media kit, how to build a better blog with WordPress tricks and improving our writing skills. Although the workshop attendees missed out on the food demonstrations, we walked away with multiple tasty tips to enhance our blogs.

Food

Months prior before the event, several recipe contests are sponsored by the brands that support the conference. The winners of the recipes contests are showcased during the meals and all the attendees have to chance to taste these award-winning dishes.

From Taste of Shingle reception to the family-style Sunday Supper, attendees certainly have their fill of outstanding meals at the Food and Wine Conference. Honestly, you shouldn’t expect anything but simply the best from a conference that says as much in its name.

Accommodations

It should also be noted that the conference is held at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando which offers the most beautiful luxurious accommodations at an affordable price.  The rooms are spacious and gorgeous, the perfect place to rest your brain and belly after a fun-filled foodie day.

Don’t miss out on this incredible conference and plan to be there July 17-19, 2015!

Purchase your conference pass and book your hotel ASAP to SAVE!

As the official Food and Wine Conference photographer, amazingly talented Ashlee Hamon Photography granted me permission to use a her photographs. View more of Ashlee’s incredible photos of the Food and Wine Conference here.