Well, it’s over. The Food & Wine Classic in Aspen that is. What an intense weekend. Literally about four days of work and schmoozing in my case. For those of you not familiar with the event, let me enlighten you. It all started 28 years ago when Food & Wine magazine in the US devised a festival to bring together celebrated chefs, sommeliers, restauranteurs, food industry figures and wineries with the general public–in a spectacular setting.

Certainly, Aspen is a huge part of the draw. I was enchanted by the place and its isolation and the laid back, chic, natural lifestyle. Let me take you there.

I flew from Denver over the Rockies on a tiny jet into Aspen, nestled amid the folds of the verdant mountains and jagged peaks, still covered from a random dusting of snow the week before. As we banked to the left on approach, I caught a glimpse of Maroon Bells, quite possibly the most photographed mountain in North America. Aspen is a tiny town, developed in the 1940s, with a permanent population of 6,000 residents. This figure doubles during ski season and the F&W Classic. Posh and boasting many celebrity residents during high season, it’s obvious why people are smitten with the place. Clean air, panoramic vistas, nature, hiking, biking, skiing in the winter, rafting and golf in the summer, and thousands of miles of trails are a way of life. The sheer beauty of the place and freakishly amazing summer weather had me sold say, um 10 minutes. Seriously, imagine 80F with sun, no clouds, 10% humidity and a cool breeze. But oh, that’s Chile in the summer too…Although situated at 8,000 feet above sea level, I didn’t notice the altitude other than having to drink copious amounts of water, being slightly winded on some vertical hikes, and having one memorable margarita hit me like a 2×4.

Back to the festival, honestly, I think the attraction for many is the celebrity chefs and the chance to mingle, learn, sip, taste, and have a damn good time with them. This year the line up read like a gastronomic Who’s Who: Mario Batali, Giada de Laurentis, Thomas Keller of Per Se and The French Laundry (in photo below), Gail Simmons (host Top Chef), Tom Colicchio, Jacques Pepin, among others. Divided up into seminars on everything from Bordeaux to cheese and cooking demos, in between the crowds made a bee line for the “Grand Tastings” in the tent. Combined with the parties each night, literally you could eat and drink non-stop until you dropped if you wanted to (I got seriously burnt out by end of Day 2).

My reason for attending the Classic was part of my collaboration with Emiliana Orgánico winery acting as their “culinary ambassador” (read: chef/ food pairings) in the US. Emiliana belongs to the Banfi group, importers of many great wines from Argentina, Italy along with Concha y Toro who had a big presence at the Classic. Keep posted as I will be sharing some upcoming wine pairing videos we produced in my kitchen with Emiliana too.

I teamed up with the great cheerleader/export manager, Fernando Pavón and honestly, we seriously rocked the Emiliana stand pouring out the fresh, clean unoaked Natura Chardonnay and Carmenere paired with my play on a tortilla rescoldo, Chilean tortilla, in miniature made with fresh corn and cornmeal. I topped it with a seared avocado pebre, a sort of pico de gallo. A total hit always with a line and one of the few healthy, vegetarian “bites” at the event to my surprise (more on that in another post). Chilean wines in general made a big splash at this event with EIGHT wineries present.

After the day’s fun, everybody got primped up and pimped out to schmooze at the many parties. From the Publisher’s party at sunset atop Aspen Mountain to the Best New Chefs on Saturday night where young chefs whipped up crazy creations (some tasty, others plain icky and weird) and the private ones like Riesling party after with the sommelier of Le Bernandin in NYC, Aldo Sohm served the memorable Donhoff Riesling. There was always action somewhere. The consumers partied hard, rubbed elbows with their culinary idols. The professionals, trade, and press marketed and networked. The last day I had free to soak it up and enjoy. But I was so tired, my liver in shutdown mode from lack of green veggies, champagne for breakfast (again) and too many carbs , that all I could muster was a few sips and a big nap by the pool before a long walk on the Rio Grande trail.

And Aspen…the grand seducer. Next time, I want a week to explore more and detox there, not in Florida. Seriously thought, it is spectacular. No wonder they keep coming back to do a repeat every June.