Picky eaters and lushes alike, your event is back. For the sixth straight year, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis will host the St. Louis Food and Wine Experience.

The Food and Wine Experience will take place on Saturday, Jan. 26, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 27, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel. The two-day extravaganza will feature special guest chefs and winery representatives.

“The food and wine show started six years ago as a fundraiser to replace an antique show,” said The Repertory Theatre’s Special Events Coordinator Liana Kopchak. “We wanted to do something that was appealing to everyone.”

In addition to the food and wine samples available throughout the event, chefs will be performing as well as giving tips to would-be food connoisseurs.

“Father Dominic Garrmone (public television’s “Breaking Bread with Father Dom”) will be back with us for another year,” said The Rep’s Public Relations Manager Brad Graham. “He’s quite a character on stage, something of an audience favorite.”

In addition to Father Dom, featured guests will include Ellie Krieger (The Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite”) and Christina Pirello (public television’s “Christina Cooks!”). The event will also feature local culinary experts, including Chef Kathy Gottsacker, director of food education and culinary arts for Schnucks; Chef Scott Drake, Schnucks’ executive chef; Chef Julie Ridlon, founder of Clayton Farmer’s Market; and Chanterelle Catering of St. Louis and Chef Mark Felix, who will highlight Missouri-raised and beer-braised beef short-ribs.

“We’ll have about 90 booths on the main floor. About two-thirds of them will have wine, and the rest will have miscellaneous foods,” Kopchak said.

With 450 wines to sample, the experience can seem overwhelming to some.

“It can be a little daunting to walk into the ballroom,” Graham said. “I certainly wouldn’t encourage someone to sample all 450 wines, but maybe people can be exposed to some entertaining ideas [about food and wine preparation].”

The proceeds from the event will be given to The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, to help aid their education programs.
“Ultimately, we would like to raise $100,000,” Kopchak said. “Mostly, though, we want to introduce the Rep to a larger audience.”

With a VIP section, numerous buffets and more wine samples than one person can consume in a single sitting, the Food and Wine Experience promises to have something for everyone.

“We have enough on the floor that we manage to always find something that someone’s never heard of,” Graham said.
Single-day admission tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door, while designated driver admission is $25 at the door. No one under the age of 21 will be admitted.