For Epcot Food & Wine Festival guests, Culinary Demonstrations are opportunities to learn from talented chefs and to taste what they demonstrate.

This year, there were 124 Culinary Demos—two most days (12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.). I attended 14 of them.

, Curator of Yesterland, November 11, 2016

Here’s what happened at each Culinary Demo:

• Ticketed guests sat at tables with views of a kitchen stage and flat-screen monitors;
• Pam Smith (or Katie Farmand on Tuesday and Wednesday, Pam’s days off) expertly hosted;
• Guests were served a 3-ounce glass of wine (or a can of a Coca Cola product, if they preferred);
• A Disney chef or outside chef—but, unlike some sessions in earlier years, no longer a famous celebrity chef—presented a 45 minute cooking demo, while guests followed along (and often took notes) on a printed copy of the recipe;
• And—best of all—guests were served samples of what the chef was demonstrating, prepared by a culinary team backstage and served by friendly cast members.

Pam Smith, Thursday-through-Monday host of the Culinary Demos

Katie Farmand, Tuesday and Wednesday host of the Culinary Demos

Before 2009, the Culinary Demonstrations were free—but that could mean waiting in a long line—in the hot sun—with no guarantee of getting in. In 2009, Disney imposed a reasonable $8 fee (just $5 for advance tickets for those who qualified). The nominal fee was a blessing because it allowed guests to guarantee a spot.

Unfortunately, the price has essentially doubled to $15 (or $13, Monday through Thursday for Walt Disney World Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club Members, Tables in Wonderland cardholders, and Golden Oaks owners).

There was something missing this year, compared to the Demos that I attended from 2010 to 2013. In those years, each Demo began with a wine presenter for ten minutes or so. It was a good “opening act” for the chef.

This year, there’s still wine, but (with very occasional exceptions) no mini-seminar about it—and very little effort to provide variety or even careful pairings. Four of our Demos had the same “exclusive” Festival Chardonnay, a decent but unremarkable private-label wine.

The other disappointment was that there were only two traditional Culinary Demos per day. In the past, it was fun doing three on the same day. But now, the space is used for costlier ($49) hands-on “Mix It, Make It, Celebrate It!” workshops at 4:00 p.m.

Please don’t read the last few paragraphs as a bad review. The Culinary Demos continue to be one of the best offerings at the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. If you make it to the Festival during its final few days or next year, give them a try.

Guests being served samples of what the chef is demonstrating

Saturday, October 29, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Elliot Farmer, Farmer’s Gourmet Catering, Douglasville, Georgia

Grilled Curry Chicken with Lemon Gremolata

paired with
Iron Horse Estate Chardonnay (Iron Horse Vineyards, Sebastopol California)

Saturday, October 29, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal & The Wurst Kitchen, Providence, Rhode Island

Corned Duck Breast, Rye Spaetzle, Braised Kohlrabi and Spicy Brown Mustard

paired with
Iron Horse Estate Pinot Noir (Iron Horse Vineyards, Sebastopol California)

Monday, October 31, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Jerome Brown, Hot Grits LLC., Raleigh, North Carolina

Boudin Stuffed Quail over Bourbon Whipped Yams

paired with
Meiomi Pinot Noir (Meiomi Wines, California)

Monday, October 31, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Chris Prosperi, Metro Bis, Simsbury, Connecticut

Grilled Shrimp and Mixed Bean Salad

paired with
La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir (La Crema Winery, Windsor, California)

Tuesday, November 1, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Matt Lewis and Renato Pofialto, Baked, New York, NY

Ultralemony Lemon Bundt Cake with Almond Glaze

paired with
Zonin Prosecco (Casa Vinicola Zonin, Italy)

Tuesday, November 1, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Daniel Joly, Mirabelle at Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek, Colorado

Crab Two Ways: Crab Ravioli and Crab Spring Rolls

paired with
Festival Chardonnay (California),
made exclusively for Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Thursday, November 3, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Nanor Harboyan, Chef Mickey’s, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Florida

“Sarma”: Stuffed Holiday Grape Leaves

paired with
Festival Chardonnay (California),
made exclusively for Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Thursday, November 3, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Jennifer Bushman, Verlasso® Salmon, Miami, FL

Grilled Salmon Soft Tacos

paired with
La Crema Monterey Pinot Gris (La Crema Winery, Windsor, California)

Saturday, November 5, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Jose Camey, Café Tu Tu Tango, Orlando, FL

Moroccan Roasted Cauliflower

paired with
Natura Rose, Rapel Valley (Emiliana Vineyards, Chile)

Saturday, November 5, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Aphisek Yongsirikun, Japan, Epcot

Chicken Katsu Curry

paired with
Natura Rose, Rapel Valley (Emiliana Vineyards, Chile)

Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Patrick Walley, Aprons Cooking School, Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Pan Seared Snapper with Yuca Mash and Spicy Tomato Broth

paired with
La Crema Monterey Pinot Gris (La Crema Winery, Windsor, California)

Wednesday, November 9, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Yuhi Fujinaga, Morimoto Asia, Disney Springs

Peking Duck Soup Noodles with Kona Kampachi “Chashu”

paired with
Natura Rose, Rapel Valley (Emiliana Vineyards, Chile)

Thursday, November 10, 2016, 12:00 p.m.

Brian Mullins, Aprons Cooking School, Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Warm Spiced Seared Sea Scallops with Butternut Squash Puree and Sage Drizzle

paired with
Festival Chardonnay (California),
made exclusively for Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Thursday, November 10, 2016, 2:00 p.m.

Kathleen Blake, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL

Mahi Mahi with Green Tahini with Heirloom Tomato and Sweet Pickled Cucumber

paired with
Festival Chardonnay (California),
made exclusively for Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

The Best

And the winner for the best chef-presenter at a Culinary Demonstration that I attended in 2016 is… a tie!

Chris Prosperi

Chef Chris Prosperi, a gifted presenter, told an entertaining story about the origin of his Grilled Shrimp and Mixed Bean Salad, showed us how we could make it easily at home, and served a particularly delicious sample.

Kathleen Blake

Chef Kathleen Blake’s presentation and recipe both represented a Culinary Demo at its best. Who knew that there’s such a thing as Green Tahini, that it’s easy to make, and that it goes so well with Mahi Mahi?

Each of the other 12 chefs deserves an Honorable Mention. In 14 Demos, there were no duds.

Want to see more? Travel back to earlier years:

• Culinary Demos, 2013
• Culinary Demos, 2012
• Culinary Demos, 2011
• Culinary Demos, 2010
• Culinary Demos, 2009

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Updated November 21, 2016.