Food Network’s Guy Fieri and local favorite José Andrés will be headlining the 12th annual MetroCooking DC, the region’s largest two-day culinary showcase. It will be held at DC’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Saturday, Dec. 9, and Sunday, Dec. 10.
Show-goers will be able to shop from hundreds of specialty food products, including holiday gift options and a Natural Products and Healthy Living Pavilion, experience live demos from award winning chefs, participate in interactive workshops, and attend book signings from authors from throughout the country.
In addition to Fieri and Andrésm the James Beard Foundation Cooking Stage will host many top local chefs including Erik Bruner-Yang of Maketto; Vikram Sunderam of Rasika and Bindaas; and Amy Brandwein of Centrolina, along with other regional Beard honored winners and nominees. In addition, chefs from L’Academie de Cuisine will lead hands on cooking classes.
Other scheduled activities include a Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden that will be open both days. On Saturday, there will be a BBQ Bash hosted by chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley of DC’s Smoked & Stacked and Top Chef. It will feature the area’s top barbecue restaurants and pitmasters offering food samples and giving grilling tips and trends. On Sunday, more than 50 restaurants will serve up signature sweet and savory bites at the 5th annual Grand Tasting Pavilion benefiting SOME (So Others Might Eat).
General admission tickets are priced at $21.50 (in advance), which includes admission to the James Beard Cooking Stage and the Exhibitor Marketplace. The L’Academie de Cuisine cooking classes, Beer, Wine & Spirits Garden, BBQ Bash and the Grand Tasting are special ticketed events and sold separately. VIP ticket packages are also available, which will afford a backstage meet and greet with Guy Fieri and José Andrés, plus access to additional ticketed special events. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting metrocookingdc.com.
