At the 32nd WSRE PBS Wine & Food Classic, local chefs will contribute their time and resources to support public television during a weekend of culinary events. This year, two events are scheduled to take place in downtown Pensacola: a walkabout tasting on Saturday, Oct. 15, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the SCI Building Plaza on Garden St., and The Great American Brunch on Sunday, Oct. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Museum of Commerce.
This year’s La Fiesta del Vino y la Comida walkabout tasting will celebrate Hispanic heritage.
Participating chefs, competing for Best Chef and People’s Choice honors, will be serving dishes influenced by Latin American and Caribbean cuisines. Guests will also enjoy live music by the band Nobius and have the opportunity to meet PBS host Alejandra Ramos. Tickets are $50.
Chefs participating in Saturday’s walkabout tasting include Kenny Anderson, Juan’s Flying Burrito; Jason Duckworth, Seville Quarter; Patricia Rojas Figueroa, Viva Chile Cafe; Jennifer Lowry, Conchitas Catering; Paulette Martin, Nouveau Catering; Keith Pardue, South Market; Jose Perez, Joe’s Caribe; Manuel Rodriguez, Innisfree Hotels; Jarred Snyder, Kitty Mitchell; Jesse Sproules, Scenic Hills Country Club; Mike Tilton, Legends Café; Chris Tingle, McGuire’s Irish Pub; and Josh Warner, The District.
The Great American Brunch—themed after Ramos’ PBS show, “The Great American Recipe”—will showcase food prepared by Chef Brian Kaderavek of Pensacola’s Kingfisher restaurant and will feature a presentation by Ramos. Tickets to the brunch are $100 and include a signed copy of “The Great American Recipe Cookbook.”
Longtime event partner Republic National Distributing Company will provide beverages for both events, including wine and signature cocktails at Saturday’s walkabout tasting and bubbly at the Sunday brunch.
Proceeds will support WSRE’s local productions and the delivery of PBS programming and educational resources.
Julian and Kim MacQueen are honorary event chairs.
“For 55 years, WSRE has served as a vital educational and cultural resource within our community. We cannot imagine our local media landscape without the station’s trusted and powerful content, which is free and accessible to everyone,” said Julian MacQueen. “That’s something to preserve and support by taking part in this annual fundraiser.”
Tickets and details for both Wine & Food Classic events are available online at wsre.org/wfc.
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About Alejandra Ramos: Food and lifestyle expert Alejandra Ramos is known for her vibrant, playful culinary point of view, and her passion for style both in and out of the kitchen. From simple weeknight recipes and clever cooking hacks to creative entertaining advice and must-have product ideas, her ability to inspire in a way that is fun and approachable has made her a favorite with audiences nationwide.
A native New Yorker of Puerto Rican descent, her Latina heritage proudly informs her work, providing a fresh and authentic perspective across platforms. Alejandra’s joyful approach to food can be seen regularly on NBC’s “TODAY Show,” where she serves as a contributor, and on the new PBS cooking competition series, “The Great American Recipe.”
As a Latina woman in the media industry, Alejandra is a believer in using her platform and resources to help others also rise, making it her mission to promote diversity and authentic representation in all aspects of her work.