News Releases

Washington, D.C. (April 2010) – Brian McBride, executive chef of the award-winning Park Hyatt Washington & Blue Duck Tavern, has invited five acclaimed U.S. chefs to participate in the first Washington-based Park Hyatt Masters of Food & Wine event to be held June 17 – 20, 2010.  

More than two decades ago, Park Hyatt began the tradition of hosting an annual food and wine festival.  To build on the continued success of the event, Park Hyatt announced the expansion of the Masters of Food & Wine to  three premier Park Hyatt locations including Buenos Aires (April 28 – 30, 2010), Washington D.C. (June 17 – 20, 2010) and Paris (October 10 – 17, 2010).  The Masters of Food & Wine events in Washington D.C. will focus on the commitment to working with local farmers and to supporting sustainable agriculture.  Participants will enjoy tea tastings, wine tastings, guest speakers, and a visit to Virginia’s esteemed Chapel Hill Farm and the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market.  

Participating chefs and sommeliers include:

• Michael Santoro, chef de cuisine, Blue Duck Tavern, Washington, DC
• Peter Davis, executive chef, Henrietta’s Table, Cambridge, MA
• Joseph Lenn, chef de cuisine at The Main House, Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN
• Spike Gjerde, executive chef, Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore, MD
• Pascal Coudouy, executive chef, 8100 Mountainside, Beaver Creek, CO
• Nate Ready, master sommelier, Antica Terra, Dundee, OR

MASTERS OF FOOD AND WINE WASHINGTON PROGRAM AT A GLANCE

Thursday, June 17, 2010
VIP Opening Reception
Blue Duck Tavern Outdoor Terrace
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
*By invitation only
Winemaker Dinner with Dan Duckhorn of Duckhorn Vineyards
Blue Duck Tavern Chef’s Table & Semi-Private Area
8:00 pm
$215 per person, inclusive

Friday, June 18, 2010
Educational Panel led by Ann Yonkers, founder of FRESHFARM Markets
Park Hyatt Washington
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
$40 per person, inclusive

Chardonnay Wine Tasting with Master Sommelier Nate Ready
Park Hyatt Washington
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm
$60 per person, inclusive

Retrospective Wine Tasting with Dan Duckhorn of Duckhorn Vineyards
Park Hyatt Washington
4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
$60 per person, inclusive

“Taste of America” Dinner with Michael Santoro & Joseph Lenn
Blue Duck Tavern
6:00 pm first seating; 8:30 pm second seating
$140 per person, inclusive

Saturday, June 19, 2010
Rare Tea Tasting led by Chas Kroll, Certified Tea Master
Park Hyatt Washington
10:00 am to 12:00 pm
$50 per person, inclusive

Summer Picnic at Chapel Hill Farm with Brian McBride, Spike Gjerde & Pascal Coudouy
Berryville, VA
12:30 pm to 9:30 pm
$325 per person, inclusive with roundtrip transportation

Sunday, June 20, 2010
Harvest Breakfast with Farmer’s Market Tour and Chef’s Demo with Brian McBride
Blue Duck Tavern Outdoor Terrace & Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market
9:00 am, breakfast; 10:30 am, farmer’s market
$50 per person, inclusive

“Taste of America” Dinner with Brian McBride & Peter Davis
Blue Duck Tavern
6:00 pm first seating; 8:30 pm second seating
$140 per person, inclusive

Winery partners include Antica Terra, Brewer-Clifton, Caymus, Domaine Serene, DuNah, Duckhorn, Ferrari-Carano, Hope & Grace, Le Mistral, Melville and Ramey.  Festival sponsors include American Airlines, Steelite International, Waiwera Artesian Water, BLS Limo Group, Washington Life, and Flavor magazine.

For those participants who wish to be true masters of local food and wine, a four-day overnight package at Park Hyatt Washington is available to reserve.  The Masters Package includes:

• Overnight accommodations for four nights (June 17 – 21) in a signature Premier Park Deluxe Room (with option to upgrade to a Park Suite)
• Roundtrip ground transportation to and from area airport
• Summer picnic at Chapel Hill Farm in Berryville, VA, including roundtrip transportation
• Harvest breakfast and walking trip to the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market to meet local artisans and participate in a chef’s demo with Brian McBride
• Choice of wine tasting class to learn how to taste like an expert
• Ten-percent credit on additional Masters of Food & Wine events held by Park Hyatt Washington and Blue Duck Tavern, based upon availability
• Seasonal welcome amenity

The Masters Package is priced at $2,400 (single occupancy) and $3,000 (double occupancy).  Prices are inclusive of tax and gratuities.  For an upgrade to a Park Suite guestroom, the package price is $3,400 (single occupancy) or $4,000 (double occupancy), also inclusive of tax and gratuities. The package is available to reserve by visiting www.parkhyattwashington.com or by calling +1 800 233 1234.For additional information on the Masters of Food and Wine events held by Park Hyatt Washington and Blue Duck Tavern,  please call +1 202 419 6768, email masters.phwashington@hyatt.com or visit www.mastersfoodandwine.com.

About Park Hyatt Washington

Park Hyatt Washington combines dynamic modernism with classic American style.  Located in the fashionable West End Georgetown neighborhood, near Embassy Row and the Smithsonian Museums, Park Hyatt Washington affords guests convenient access to the shopping, dining, and cultural attractions of the nation’s capital. With a Tea Cellar offering rare and vintage tea selections, the largest deluxe rooms in the city with spa-inspired bathrooms, and a signature fragrance designed exclusively for the hotel by artisan perfumer Blaise Mautin, Park Hyatt Washington offers guests a truly unique experience. The hotel is home to the award-wining restaurant, Blue Duck Tavern, an elegant neighborhood tavern offering menu selections focusing on the freshest ingredients available from regional purveyors. Park Hyatt Washington offers flexible meeting and event space and seasonal catering from celebrated chef Brian McBride.

To make a reservation for Park Hyatt Washington in the U.S. or Canada, please call +1 800 778 7477 or visit www.parkhyattwashington.com.

About Park Hyatt

Intimate and residential in style, Park Hyatt hotels promise elegant and gracious service on a personal scale, and are further distinguished by prime locations and exceptional interior design.  Hyatt Hotels & Resorts and its subsidiaries operate 24 Park Hyatt brand hotels.  Current locations include: Baku, Beaver Creek, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Canberra, Chicago, Dubai, Goa, Hamburg, Istanbul, Jeddah, Melbourne, Mendoza, Milan, Moscow, Paris, Saigon, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, DC and Zurich.

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