As the second half of our name would suggest, the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Festival highlights some of the best food in the area. Since it’s inception in 2001, our food festival has featured lots of unique gourmet specialty food vendors. You can find everything from farm fresh cheeses, farm raised meats, salsas, BBQ sauce, pasta, pasta sauce, dip mixes, drink mixes, soup mixes, pastries, baked goods, maple syrup, candy, nuts, granola, olive oils and more. In addition, we host some of the region’s most unique Food Trucks & food concessions, we have fantastic Cooking Demonstrations that go on throughout the food festival weekend.
Cooking Demonstrations
Learn the culinary secrets of some of the region’s best Chefs. In the past, our guests have included veterans from Hell’s Kitchen, Chef Wanted, Chopped, Iron Chef and other culinary television programs. We’ve also featured the Executive Chefs from the Hudson Valley’s best restaurants. We offer cooking demonstrations all weekend and access to the demos is included in your Food Festival admission.
Participating for 2020
Chef Marcus Giuliano
Chef Marcus Giuliano is the Chef/Owner of Aroma Thyme Bistro a Hudson Valley Farm to Table restaurant in Ellenville, NY. Chef Marcus has mastered the ability to turn natural, whole food into something beautiful and flavorful. Aroma Thyme Bistro offers an innovative menu of focused, natural cuisine that will reflect balance and well-being. Guiliano’s consistent objective is to create meals that achieve impact through focusing on pure ingredients and limiting manipulation.
Aroma Thyme bistro opened in 2003 in Ellenville, NY. Being green minded since day one, Aroma Thyme was the first Certified Green Restaurant in upstate New York. The restaurant is all about supporting local, but beyond that they pride themselves in small independent brands from all over the globe. Marcus Guiliano is an award winning chef who was named “One of the Five Top Food Activists Making a Change” from One Green Planet. This award, along with many others, is evident from the gourmet sustainable socially responsible cuisine Aroma Thyme serves. The restaurant has also been flooded with wards ranging from “Best New Restaurant”, “Best Organic Restaurant”, “Best Beer Events”, Wine Spectator “Award Winning Wine List” and Trip Advisors number one restaurant in their area. You can keep up with Chef Marcus on his blog ChefonaMission.com.
Chef Dana Johnson
Chef Dana Johnson’s love of food and attraction to the kitchen began during childhood, raised by a mom that loved to cook and entertain. At the age of 24, Johnson was still in search of a career when a friend’s words, “Get paid to do what you love.” encouraged her to begin her culinary journey.
In 2000, Chef Dana Johnson did just that as she began a private education under Chef Larry Chu in New Paltz, NY, where she spent the next four years refining her culinary techniques while her cooking skills flourished and her style developed. At the age of 29, Johnson took the leap into ownership, opening her first café, and has since owned and operated restaurants in both Columbia and Greene counties for the past 15 years.
In 2017, Johnson took a break from the everyday grind and established Chef D’s Private Chef and Consulting Company, allowing her to pursue her creativity outside of the restaurant atmosphere. During this time, Johnson explored retailing the spice blends she uses to compliment her culinary creations. She began Chef D’s Spice Blends (a small-batch operation), filling jars with global flavors, and helping to excite home cooks to add worlds of adventure to their meals.
2020 brought a renewed vision as Chef Dana Johnson, was missing the excitement of the kitchen, and the buzz of a crowded dining room. Relish Delights was designed, built, and opened in Hudson, NY. Johnson presents dishes in her rustic style, sourcing honest ingredients and melding them with global inspiration, as she infuses food with love.
Follow her on: ChefD623.com & RelishDelights.com
Facebook – Instagram – YouTube ChefD623
Chef Kevin DesChenes
Executive Chef, “Private Chef to The Stars” & Author of “Beyond My Chef Coat” Kevin Des Chenes has over 24 years of experience in the Hospitality industry.
He was named “Top Chef” by Las Vegas Food & Wine and is the winner of “Top Celebrity Chef Showdown” He has been a Chef Expert for Gordon Ramsey and appeared as a Featured Chef on Food Network’s Chef Wanted, Beat Bobby Flay & Great Food Truck Race, as well as The Today Show, Nationally Syndicated Better Show, CT Style, Pickler & Ben, Fox Morning Show & The Rhode Show among others. He is also an advocate for such charities as Boston Children’s Hospital & The Light Foundation. Chef Kevin’s creativity in the kitchen & on the screen has not gone unnoticed. Having served as Executive Chef at such New England landmarks as 156 Bistro, Centro Martini & Washington Square Tavern, He has since Launched a successful Event Production, Consultant & Private Chef Company and become one of the most sought after Chef’s in the industry, working with some great people including; John Legend, Giuliana Rancic, Kathie Lee & Hoda, Isiah Thomas, Jim Courier, Little Big Town, Various New England Patriots & Red Sox players and coaches, among others. You never know what he’ll do next so keep your eyes peeled for this seasoned Chef, and if you find him in a city near you take your taste buds on an Epic Journey with Chef Kev D!
Keep up with Chef Kev D at www.chefkevd.com or on Twitter @Chefkevd
2020 Food Trucks & Concessions
- Batter & Bubbles – Food Concession Made-to-order Liege waffles
- Chopping Block Catering Fried Brussel Sprouts w/ Garlic aioli
- DJay’s Grill on the Run - Fish n' Chips, Fish Sandwich, Fried Shrimp n Chips, Chicken Tenders n Chips, Tacos (Grilled Fish, Shrimp, Chicken)
- Flores Food Truck Tacos/Quesadillas (Pork Carnitas, Smoked Brisket, Chipotle Chicken, Braised Short Rib), Mexican Street Corn, Chips and Salsa, Guacamole
- Flores Food Truck – Food Concession Tacos/Quesadillas (Pork Carnitas, Smoked Brisket, Chipotle Chicken, Braised Short Rib), Mexican Street Corn, Chips abs Salsa, Guacamole
- Janek’s European Specialties Homemade Polish products - pierogies, kielbasa and more
- Lombardo’s Concessions Italian sausage or Kielbasa with peppers and onions, Chicken fingers & fries, Philly Cheese Steak, French fries & loaded fries and fried appetizers (mushrooms, pickles, green beans, cheese sticks, pizza logs, ravioli)
- Meatoss Truck Steak, chicken & chorizo sandwiches
- Nancy's of Woodstock – Food Truck Handmade artisanal ice cream
- Noshi’s Coney Island – Food Concession Gourmet Hot Dogs
- Off the Hook Food Truck Lobster Rolls, Clam Chowder, Garlic Shrimp, Lobster Bisque, Fried Calimari
- Reggae Boy Jamaican Food Jamaican Food
- Ruggiero's Gourmet Pizza, Lemonade & Fried Dough
- Sherri's Crab Cakes Crab Cake sandwiches
- Three Little Pigs BBQ Truck Pulled Pork, Turkey Legs, Beef Brisket, Ribs and sides
- Timi's Greek & Middle Eastern Food Greek & Middle Eastern fare - vegetarian and gluten-free friendly
2020 Gourmet Specialty Foods
- Auntie Liana's – Booth 93 Cake balls
- B's Cheese – Booth 41 Local cheese
- Berkshire Mountain Gourmet / Seven Barrels – Booth 110 25 Year Barrel Aged Balsamic Vinegars & Infused Extra Virgin Olive Oils
- Caramella MOO – Booth 91 Thin toffee
- Cheese Filled – Booth 126 Cheese filled pepperoni, cheese/pepperoni spreads, cheese filled pickles, pickled pepperoni
- Chocolate Moonshine – Booth 23-24 Handmade fudge
- Corey’s Pickles – Outdoor Gourmet pickles
- Crosswinds Farm & Creamery – Booth 159 Artisan Cheese & Meat
- Cynful Bliss – Booth 64 Gourmet custom desserts
- Finger Lakes Harvest – Booth 39 Shrub (vinegar, fruit drink mix), Wine Cake
- For the Love of Toffee – Booth 98 All natural toffee
- Gary's Pickles – Outdoor Pickles
- Gourmet Creations – Booth 45 Dip and drink mixes
- Grandpa Pete’s Sunday Sauce – Booth 55 Homestyle spaghetti sauces and pasta
- Gusto Della Vita Gourmet – Booth 38 Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, olive spreads, pasta and sauces
- Hubba Hubba Foods – Booth 145 Spice rubs and herb blends
- Italy in a Jar & Fantini Cafe USA – Booth 158 Italian olives/spreads/coffee
- Kicking Horse Coffee – Booth 178 Organic, Fair Trade Coffee
- LeBeau Chocolates – Booth 48 Chocolates & confections
- Luscious Little Dessert Co. – Booth 88 Southern dessert-cakes, pies & cookies
- More Good Organic handcrafted syrups and mixers
- Ms. Vee's Sweet Treats – Booth 12 Cupcakes
- Olive U – Booth 102 Imported olive oil & balsamic vinegars
- Planted Organics – Booth 135 Handmade salad dressings and marinades
- Sal’s Italian Specialties – Booth 96 Cured Meats, Specialty Cheeses, Specialty Breads
- Salsa di Parma – Booth 26 Salsa di Parma cheese dip
- Soukup Farms – Booth 140 Maple syrup, candy, cream, hot sauce, cotton candy and maple drops
- The Jerky Hut – Booth 133-134 Beef Jerky
- The Peanut Principle – Booth 37 Gourmet nut & seed butters
- Turmeric Store – Outdoor Tumeric and other spices
- Winosaurs – Booth 66 Gummy candy made with real wine
- Worldlings Pleasure – Booth 29 Locally made gourmet cheese spreads & dips, artisan baked goods