Marcus Samuelsson, Ted Allen, Lee Schrager Dish on the NYC Wine and Food Fest

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The New York City Wine and Food Festival is around the corner. The festivities last from October 17-20 and take over the Big Apple with events all over town, indoors and out, uptown and downtown, and everywhere in between. Household name chefs host dinners, demos, tastings, and brunches, and basically get to hang out with each other and their biggest fans.

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So we caught up with three major players at this year's festival—Marcus Samuelsson (a Fodor's Travel Tastemaker), Ted Allen, and Lee Schrager, the man behind the event (as well as its sister event in South Beach)—to get their insider tips for attending, the events they're most excited about, and what makes a good Bloody Mary.
WHAT EVENTS ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT AT THIS YEAR'S EVENT?

Ted: I'm most excited about the Chopped brunch, of course! I see our judges all the time, but we're almost never able to get together all at once, so I'm really looking forward to that. Something people may not realize about their favorite chefs is that they work 24/7/365; these festivals are a rare opportunity for them to kick back with their peers after their cooking demos are done. I'm also excited to see some of our favorite Chopped winners come back and cook for us, and to spend a lazy Sunday chilling out on the pier.

Marcus: I just picked up the Jerusalem cookbook so I'm really looking forward to the Yotam Ottolenghi dinner. I have to stop by and see my guy Andrew Zimmern do Oktoberfest and of course I want to see how my friend Geoffrey Zakarian dresses for brunch for the New York Times event.

Lee: There are 100 + events this year, and I'm looking forward to all of them but am especially excited about two of our newest additions—Jets + Chefs: The Ultimate Tailgate hosted by Joe Namath & Mario Batali, and La Sagra Sunday Slices sponsored by Time Out New York and hosted by Anne Burrell & Adam Richman.
WHAT'S YOUR BEST INSIDER TIP FOR PEOPLE ATTENDING THE FESTIVAL?

Ted: Comfortable shoes! And carry a backpack or small shoulder bag with a bottle of water, camera, energy bars, etc. And, if you get sweaty, please don't hug the chefs; go in for a fist bump.

Lee: Whatever events you choose, make sure you check out the locations in advance and plan for enough time to travel from one venue to another. Also, check the weather and look at our website to see if an event is indoors/outdoors. Plan your wardrobe accordingly and, yes, wear comfortable shoes.

Marcus: Have a lot of patience, wait your turn, and know that we chefs want to meet all of you but the rules of the playground still apply: No shoving allowed.
TELL US ABOUT THE PHILANTHROPIC ELEMENT OF THE NYC WINE AND FOOD FEST.

Lee: We launched NYCWFF in 2008, based off of the success of its sister Festival, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by FOOD & WINE. Now in its 6th year, it mirrors the charitable component of South Beach by benefiting the hunger-relief programs of Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign.

Ted: Having the opportunity to pitch in here and there for Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry is a privilege. People may not realize that thousands of children in New York City—and in every American city—go to bed hungry almost every night. It's a natural fit for us Food Network folks.

Marcus: This is absolutely an important part of why I love working with the NYC Wine and Food Festival. Coming from a small African village where food was always scarce, I never take what I have for granted. It's because we chefs are in this place that we have a responsibility to teach others how to give and share.
MARCUS, SINCE YOU'RE SPEAKING AT THE FOOD MEMORIES PANEL...WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR FAVORITES?

I have so many that involve my grandmother who taught me how to cook, but one of my favorite memories is having lunch with my father and uncle in our fish shack in Smogen after a great day on the boat.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RESTAURANTS YOU'RE MOST EXCITED ABOUT LATELY?

Ted: The best meals I've had in the past couple of weeks were at The Dutch, in Soho, and Hanjan in Chelsea.

Marcus: I am super excited to see what Danny Bowien's take on Mexican will be [with Mission Cantina], and can't wait to welcome Jamie and Ken to New York with the opening of Toro.
WHAT'S YOUR GO-TO IN-FLIGHT SNACK?

Ted: I bring my own cheese and a hunk of crusty bread. Good cheese.

Marcus: I don't like to eat heavy meals on a flight so it's probably just some nuts and an apple. I save the gorging for when I'm back on terra firma.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD BRUNCH?

Ted: The only things that matter to me about brunch is that there must be a great Bloody Mary—I usually order them virgin in the morning—and there must be a classic Eggs Benedict, which is one of my favorite dishes in the world.

Marcus: Your best friends and a great playlist.
ANY SECRETS TO CRAFTING THE PERFECT BLOODY MARY?

Ted: Tons of freshly ground horseradish.

Marcus: Make your own mix and make sure to have more than just one.

Food-Lover's Road Trip: Barcelona to Basque Country

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Few cities rival Barcelona for sheer chic and panache. From its sinuous sensuous Gaudí architecture to the stunning seaside setting, the Catalan capital seduces travelers with consummate style. A mere 4-5 hours away by car (one by air) lies the equally alluring San Sebastian, with its own beauteous beaches and dynamic dining, including a terrific troika of 3-star Michelin restaurants and numerous 1- and 2-star establishments that enshrine the Basque stronghold in the foodie firmament. The ideal itinerary allows at least a week to appreciate both cities. But assuming you spend an extra day or two upon arrival in or departure from Barcelona, you can cram the sights, sounds, and smells into a memorable 5-day/4-night jaunt.
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Though Iberia flies from Barcelona in an hour, we recommend driving. There are two routes: one over the Pyrenees into France via the glorious walled town of Carcassonne then back again into Spain, the second skirting the vineyards of Rioja, one of the world's great wine regions.
DAY ONE. LUNCH IN BARCELONA

Walk through the charming, twisting Barri Gòtic toward the Picasso Museum. After developing an appetite viewing the masterworks, repair down the block to the sleek but not slick Tapeo—think ultra-contemporary cafeteria, appropriately with a tapestry of tapas on tap. Indulge in anything from lip-smacking honey-mustard glazed ribs to a gossamer burrata, washed down with fine regional wines at 3 euros/glass.
DINNER IN BARCELONA.

After the obligatory pilgrimage to Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece,Sagrada Familia, followed by a stroll through the superb Fundacio Joan Miro museum, you're ready for more Catalan fare with flair. Tickets, in the trendy Eixample neighborhood, is the theatrical offering from top toque Ferran Adrià (of the late lamented elBulli) and his brother Albert. You can try molecular morsels like spherical olives and liquid ravioli, best appreciated at the food bars where you can watch Tickets chefs stage the dishes. Make sure to request reservations on the website well in advance.
DAY TWO. LUNCH ON THE COSTA BRAVA.

Though there's a splendid three-star eatery, Celler de Can Roca in Girona north of Barcelona, stick to the route roughly paralleling theCosta Brava, a wild tango of surf and rock, then detour to Cadaquesjust off the French border. The fishing village tiptoes dramatically around several tiny coves; the must-see is the delectable Salvador Dalì Museum-House. Double back a few miles to Roses for the one-star Michelin Els Brancs, featuring sensational terrace views (closed mid-October-April).
DINNER IN CARCASSONNE, FRANCE

If you have time, detour into the delightful village of Banyuls-sur-Mer, just over the French border, and visit the wineries whose vineyards tumble down to the sand (the rich Port-like dessert wine, Banyuls, makes the ideal chocolate pairing). Continue to the majestic medieval walled city of Carcassonne, which out-Disneys Disney. Stay within the citadel itself at the Hôtel de la Cité, feasting in grandeur at La Barbicane, its Michelin-starred restaurant, where you can practically imagine knights, damsels fair, and troubadours as your fellow diners.
DAY THREE. LUNCH IN A BASQUE FISHING VILLAGE.

After a quick stroll through the old town, head back onto the highway, crossing the Pyrenees into Spain. Follow signs to Hondaribbia, a typically pretty Basque fishing village. Alameda is a Michelin-starred third-generation eatery where the three Txapartegi brothers (Mikel, Kepa, and Gorka) hold sway, turning out classic cocina vasca that they call "an emotional tribute to our grandmothers," emphasizing fresh local products.
DINNER IN SAN SEBASTIAN.

Despite its compact size, San Sebastian boasts three 3-star Michelin restaurants: Arzak, Akelarre, and Martin Berasategui, plus another (Mugaritz) that many consider their equal despite its "humble" two-star status. We salivate over all four, but tonight start with a tapas (orpintxos as they say in the Pais Vasco) crawl. Don't miss the deceptively basic La Cuchara de San Telmo, with sinful grilled foie gras, veal cheeks, and goat cheese for a few euros each, washed down with bracing txacolí white wine.
DAY FOUR. LUNCH IN SAN SEBASTIAN.

We recommend a side trip to Bilbao (a short car or train ride) to admire the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim, but return to San Sebastian in time for lunch. Akelarre means "coven of witches" in the Euzkadi language; Pedro Subijana's cooking will indeed have diners in a trance. The enchantment begins with the exquisite setting, overlooking the bay; the painterly presentations (seafood reigns supreme) and sophisticated taste and texture counterpoints are equally bewitching.
MICHELIN-STARRED DINNER IN SAN SEBASTIAN.

Spend late afternoon admiring the fin-de-19e-siècle neoclassical architecture fronting the bay. For dinner, the eponymous restaurant of Martin Berasategui offers arguably the city's most traditionally elegant dining experience, replete with fireplaces and antiques. Or Arzak, set in a lovely 19th-century edifice, arguably the original bastion of Basque cuisine, where Juan Mari Arzak's daughter has seamlessly joined him in the kitchen. Either restaurant provides a fitting coda to savoring innovative cocina vasca.
DAY FIVE. EN ROUTE TO RIOJA.

The alternate route, entirely within Spain, back to Barcelona is rather boring unless you make short detours into the wine region of Rioja. Going via Pamplona (where we're bullish on Koldo Rodero's namesake restaurant) is a bit more direct. But we recommend winetasting, dining (and, if you decide to enjoy one more San Sebastian meal, departing after lunch) overnighting at the amazing Gehry-designed "City of Wine" at the Marques de Riscal winery. The adjacent hotel of the same name, a visual feast of zigzags and walls tilting like Don Quixote at windmills, offers superb fare at its Michelin-starred eatery, as well as the state-of-the-art Vinotherapie® Spa by Caudalie.