27 Naples Winter Wine Festival

Naples, FL

Website: http://www.napleswinefestival.com/

Naples Winter Wine Festival, the most successful charity wine festival in the world, will bring together 16 celebrity chefs ? 15 U.S. culinary greats and a highly respected Milan chef - for the Jan. 25-27 festival in Naples, Fla. The star chefs will join world-renowned vintners to create intimate dining experiences the first evening of the festival, with each dinner uniquely choreographed to fit the festival's theme: When Stars Align. Participating chefs include Barbara Lynch, Lee Hefter, Christopher Lee, Marco Canora and Chef de Cuisine Michael Anthony.

"We are thrilled to welcome the leading lights of today's culinary world," said Karen Scott, chair of the festival's chefs committee with her husband Bob. "Their food styles are highly diverse and they come from different locales. Yet they all share our passion for raising funds at the festival for underprivileged and at-risk children." Bob added, "These chefs are in high demand: running top kitchens, opening new restaurants and writing cookbooks. We are truly grateful for their generous donation of time and talent for our cause."

Collectively, the chefs have won or been nominated for an astounding 64 James Beard Foundation Awards and earned stars from The Michelin Guide 23 times. Three chefs, Andrea Ferrero, Carmen González and Perry Hoffman, are first-time festival participants, while Tony Mantuano is back for the sixth time and Lee Hefter for the fifth time.

Trustees of Naples Children & Education Foundation, creators of the festival, host the three-day affair and open their homes for the chef-and-vintner dinner experiences. The dinners range from 24 to 40 guests and are created collaboratively by the hosts, chefs and vintners.