Chef Michael to Host Fall Flavours – Prince Edward Island

Charlottetown – Chef Michael Smith is an Island original and Host of Food Network’s new series Chef Abroad. From September 30 – October 5th, 2008 he’s inviting food lovers to visit his home, in Prince Edward Island, to enjoy over 100 interactive culinary events as part of Fall Flavours – Prince Edward Island.

“Fall Flavours is a new Island-wide fine food festival set amidst a sea of sunflowers,” says Kim Green, CEO of Tourism Charlottetown.

Take in one of many Interactive Taste Workshops like pickling & preserves or the fine art of cheese and wine pairing. On October 4 and 5, The Culinary Institute of Canada will offer 4 Taste Workshops including Culinary Boot Camp, Breads of the Old World, and Smoking and Curing at Home, as well, Chef at Home Live with Chef Michael Smith. These are just a taste of the education opportunities in store during the Festival.

You can also join local hosts and pick potatoes, dig clams, catch lobsters or harvest oysters as part of our Island Direct to the Source Product Experiences. Festival organizers teamed up with Experience PEI to create twelve unique experiences that will be launched during Fall Flavours. “It’s our hope that many of these experiences will be offered in the future throughout the summer to visitors as part of an overall culinary experience,” adds Green.

“Prince Edward Island is a chef’s paradise,” boast Chef Michael Smith. “We have a lot to be proud of and the new Fall Flavours Festival is our chance to share our best with the world. I am proud to be a part of it and look forward to welcoming foodies from everywhere to our beautiful island paradise!”

Visitors will also be treated to fine Island cuisine with featured Fall Flavours Menus at select restaurants across Prince Edward Island. Our chefs and food artisans will create Table D’Hote menus that will offer a unique and interactive dining experience. All menus will showcase PEI products and producers, with wine pairing options. Participants will also have the opportunity to interact with the local artisans to learn more about our food and producers. Eighteen restaurants have been selected to participate.

Sunflowers are among the most recognized and popular flowers in cultivation and are a sure sign of the beginning of autumn and the fall harvest. A Sea of Sunflowers will greet visitors to Fall Flavours. There will also be harvest displays in the downtown, with corn stalks, hay bales and lots of pumpkins. Along with private gardens, sunflowers will be on display all over Charlottetown on city property.

One of the more impressive sights will be along the Water Street Parkway, one of the main entrances to the city, with over 23,000 feet of sunflowers. And at the end of September, flower baskets and planters will be replaced with barrels full of miniature sunflowers.

The Shops of Confederation Court Mall and the Urban Eatery will be a featured venue during Fall Flavours. “We know from research that there is a strong connection between culinary tourism and shopping,” says Tanya O’Brien, General Manager of The Shops of Confederation Court Mall. “The mall will be offering live Island entertainment and culinary demos on the Flavours Stage upstairs at the Urban Eatery during lunchtime daily, as well as a cookbook signing session with Chef Michael Smith and other local authors, Island Photo Exhibit and other programming that is still in development.”