The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine and Travel + Leisure magazines began as a one night event, SWEET, in the fall of 2007. In 2008, Festival Founder and Director Lee Brian Schrager of Southern Wine & Spirits of America, launched the inaugural Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival on Columbus Day weekend making SWEET the centerpiece of the Festival. The first annual Festival consisted of over 80 events held throughout the Meatpacking District and beyond. Events ranged from extravagant walk-around tastings like the Burger Bash presented by Blue Moon, SWEET, and the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite among others, to educational wine and food pairing seminars led by the industry's biggest names, to kids-oriented interactive cooking experiences, to local events incorporating the businesses in the host area, the Meatpacking District.
The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival is the only festival in New York to bring together both legendary culinary icons from around the globe and America's most beloved television chefs. Mirroring the charitable component of its sister event, the Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival presented by Food & Wine magazine, the New York City festival benefits the hunger relief organizations Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength. 100 percent of the net proceeds from the festival directly benefit these community based initiatives.