Now gearing up for its fifth year, the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE pays homage to one of the greatest dining cities in the world. It is the only festival in New York to bring together both legendary culinary icons from around the globe and America’s most beloved television chefs.
The Festival began as a one-night event, SWEET, in the fall of 2007. In 2008, Festival Founder and Director, Lee Brian Schrager (Vice President, Corporate Communications and National Events at Southern Wine & Spirits of America) launched the inaugural Festival that has quickly grown to mirror the success of its sister festival, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE.
Echoing the charitable component of South Beach, the New York City Festival benefits the hunger-relief programs of Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength. One hundred percent of the net proceeds from the Festival go directly to these community-based organizations.
In 2012, the Festival weekend will run from Thursday, October 11 through Sunday, October 14, 2012 and bring together the world’s greatest chefs, winemakers, spirits producers and personalities to educate palates and entertain patrons in high style—all while helping to fight hunger.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
