Emeril Lagasse Hosts 7th Annual Carnivale du Vin and Inaugural Boudin & Beer in the Big Easy This November

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Jennifer Bond
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Jeff Hinson
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Jeff.Hinson@emerillagasse.com

Emeril Lagasse Hosts 7^th Annual Carnivale du Vin and Inaugural
Boudin & Beer in the Big Easy This November
Nation's Top Chefs and Vintners Come Together for a Weekend Celebration of Food and Wine to Support Lagasse's New Orleans-based Emeril Lagasse Foundation

NEW ORLEANS - September 28, 2011 - Emeril Lagasse and an all-star line-up of the country's top chefs and vintners return to New Orleans for the Emeril Lagasse Foundation's 7th Annual Carnivale du Vin. The weekend kicks off Friday, November 11 with Emeril's first-ever Boudin & Beer, a new outdoor food and music event, presented by Abita Beer and co-hosted by chefs Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali and New Orleans' own Donald Link. Named one of the Top Ten U.S. Charity Wine Auctions by Wine Spectator, Carnivale du Vin will be held on Saturday, November 12.  The event raised nearly $2 million in 2010 and has invested more than $4 million in non-profits that support children's causes focusing on culinary arts, school food and nutrition, and arts and education programs.

"This year's Carnivale weekend is going to be better than ever thanks to all of our wonderful chefs, winemakers and loyal supporters, including my good friends Mario and Donald, co-chairs of our inaugural Boudin & Beer," says Emeril Lagasse.  "We're excited for everyone to get a taste of the best boudin with great live music and some of Abita's special brews. It's going to be an incredible event, but most importantly, we get to celebrate all of the children who benefit from our foundation's work."

Over 1,000 people are expected to attend Beer & Boudin, which brings together 20 of the region's hottest chefs and will feature boudin, artisan sausages and rustic Louisiana fare, boudin experts from the Southern Foodways Alliance, a live New Orleans and Cajun musical line-up, and craft beer from presenting sponsor Abita Brewing Company. 

Following the Foundation's Boudin & Beer is Emeril's highly-celebrated Carnivale du Vin on Saturday, November 12, a spectacular collaboration of the nation's top culinary artists.  The highlight of the evening is the four-course  wine dinner prepared by the "Krewe du Vin" chefs, paired with incredible wines from the country's most prestigious winemakers, including featured Honorary "Bacchus," Dan Kosta of Kosta Browne Winery and his Kosta Browne 2009 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. 

Guests will also experience the thrill and excitement of bidding in the gala's silent and live auctions, which will offer an array of rare wines, unforgettable travel experiences, and culinary packages with celebrity chefs.  The evening will close with patrons out of their seats and on the dance floor grooving to the sounds of musical legend Glenn Frey of the Eagles.

Major sponsors of Carnivale du Vin include the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, American Airlines, FlightOptions, Republic National Distributing Co., and Wine Spectator.

Major sponsors of Boudin & Beer include presenting sponsor Abita Beer, The Foundry, Presqu'ile Wine and Republic National Distributing. Supporting sponsors include Goldring Family Foundation, Viking Culinary Group and Rouses Markets.

2011 Carnivale due Vin Weekend Line-Up

Boudin & Beer

WHO:                    Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, and Donald Link along with a line-up of over 20 top chefs, including Frank Brigtsen (Brigtsen's), Aaron Burgau (Patois), John Currance (City Grocery, Oxford, MS), Mark Falgoust (Grand Isle Restaurant), Josh Laskay (NOLA Restaurant), Tory McPhail (Commander's Palace), Spencer Minch (Emeril's Delmonico), Alon Shaya (Domenica), Susan Spicer (Mondo, Bayona), Stephen Stryjewski (Cochon), plus many more.

                                Live music by Lost Bayou Ramblers, Gal Holiday & the Honkey Tonk Revue, and The Tin Men.

                                An array of brews provided by presenting sponsor Abita Beer, spirits from Republic National Distributing Co. and wines from Presqu'ile Winery.

WHEN:                 Friday, November 11, 2011

                              8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

WHERE:                The Foundry

                              333 St. Joseph Street, New Orleans, LA

COST:                    $75 per person

Carnivale du Vin

WHO:                    Emeril Lagasse and the Carnivale du Vin "Krewe du Vin" of chefs and vintners:

Mario Batali & Mark Ladner, Del Posto & Eataly

Michael Chiarello, Bottega Restaurant

Dean Fearing, Fearing's Restaurant

Jacques Torres, Jacques Torres Chocolate

Au Bon Climat

Foxen Winery & Vineyard

Kosta Browne

Levy & McClellan

Nicholson Ranch

Williams Selyem

Live music by Glenn Frey of the Eagles.

WHEN:                 Saturday, November 12, 2011

                                6 p.m. - till

WHERE:                Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center

                                La Nouvelle Ballroom

900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, LA

COST:                    $1,000 per person

For more information on Carnivale du Vin, Boudin & Beer and Emeril Lagasse Foundation, please visit http://www.carnivaleduvin.com/, http://www.boudinandbeer.com/  or http://www.emeril.org/.

About Emeril Lagasse Foundation
Established in 2002 as the realization of Chef Emeril's dream to improve the quality of young people's lives, Emeril Lagasse Foundation supports children's education and non-profit  organizations with a focus on the culinary arts, school food and nutrition, and important life skills programs that create new opportunities for children, especially for those from disadvantaged circumstances. Projects funded by the Foundation include an outdoor classroom, gardens, fresh foods cafeteria and teaching kitchen at Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, an accessible learning kitchen for special needs students at St. Michael Special School, and a culinary learning center for hospitality training for at-risk youth at Café Reconcile. In March 2011, Emeril dedicated the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Culinary Arts Studio, a four-year culinary arts program for high school students with master-apprentice curriculum at New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts. Each fall, the foundation hosts its primary annual fundraiser, Carnivale du Vin, which ranks among the "Top Ten U.S. Charity Wine Auctions" in Wine Spectator magazine. Since 2005, Carnivale du Vin has raised over $12 million for children's charities in the communities that are home to Emeril's restaurants.

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