26th Annual Bern's Winefest Returns With 8 Exclusive Events

TAMPA, FL — Presented by Laxer Family Foundation, Bern’s Winefest returns April 15 through April 23 for its 26th annual wine and food event benefiting the Laxer Family Foundation and the Bern Laxer Memorial Scholarship, in collaboration with the James Beard Foundation.

Tickets for the popular event that sells out quickly are now on sale exclusively through Eventbrite.

Bern’s Winefest is a celebration of the Laxer Family Brands, which includes Bern’s Steak House, Haven, Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirits and the Epicurean Hotel as well as acclaimed wineries around the world that represent that brand’s continued dedication to procuring one of the country’s largest, privately owned wine collections.

This year’s event boasts eight happenings scheduled across eight days with special guest chefs this year including Brenda Villacorta of Sucre Table (Tampa); Chris Edwards of 1921 (Mount Dora); Michael Collantes of Soseki Modern Omakase (Winter Park); Michael Schwartz of Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink (Miami); and Pushkar Marathe of Stage (Palm Beach Gardens).

The schedule is as follows:

April 15 — Blending Seminar & Wine Country Picnic: Kick-off Bern’s Winefest at the Epicurean Hotel featuring wines from Beaulieu Vineyards with special guest speaker and Chief Winemaker Trevor Durling. An expert panel of Bern’s Steak House sommeliers will guide guests through blending next year’s special bottling release, while they learn about the nuances of the art of winemaking. After the seminar, guests will head to the terrace for a wine-country picnic prepared by Chef Jonathan Atanacio and his team of culinary artisans from Élevage SOHO Kitchen & Bar. The cost is $200 per person.

April 16 — Art Bubbles & Bern’s Brunch with CASS Contemporary will be hosted at Bern’s Steak House for the second time in over six decades. The seated four-course brunch will be prepared by Executive Chef Chad Johnson and his team of culinary experts. In partnership with local art gallery, CASS Contemporary, Bern’s Family Restaurant Group has commissioned a large-scale painting to be unveiled during the festivities. After the unveiling, guests will be welcomed into the famous Cameo dining room to enjoy a steakhouse brunch paired with selections from sponsors at Kobrand Fine Wine & Spirits and Champagne Taittinger. The cost is $350 per person.

April 17 — Haven’s Florida Chef’s Dinner will return with its celebrated collaboration dinner featuring chefs from around the Sunshine State including Pushkar Marathe (Stage, Palm Beach Gardens), Michael Schwartz (Michael's Genuine, Miami), Chris Edwards (1921 Mount Dora, Mount Dora), Michael Collantes (Soseki Modern Omakase, Winter Park) and Brenda Villacorta (Sucré Table, Tampa). It will include multiple courses of savory and sweet dishes expertly paired with wines handpicked by event host Blake Wood, director of Vineyard Operations for Constellation Brands. The cost is $400 per person.

April 18 — For the Bern’s Steak House Bordeaux Dinner with Cazes Family Wines, Bern’s Steak House Executive Chef Chad Johnson and Chef de Cuisine Brent Hunt will marvel guests with five perfectly paired savory courses, which will conclude with a decadent dessert course by Pastry Chef Hannah Thomas. Attendees can enjoy the intimate setting of the original Bern’s Steak House dining room, the Bordeaux room, as a team of sommeliers guides them through the dining experience, along with Kinou Cazes-Hachemian, co-Owner and North America brand ambassador for Château Lynch-Bages. The cost is $650 per person.

April 19 — For the Krug & Shellfish Experiencehe, Epicurean Hotel’s Executive Chef Jonathan Atanacio will host a four-course dinner seminar in the theater celebrating bubbles paired with shellfish. The evening will include four premium champagnes served in harmony with the flavors of the dishes and the evening’s bright plays on classic food pairings. The cost is $350 per person.

April 20 — Bern’s Steak House Legacy Dinner, the most exclusive event of Bern’s Winefest, treats guests to an extravagant five-course dinner at Bern’s Steak House in the Harry Waugh Dessert Room. This seated experience will feature hand-picked selections from the Bern's Steak House cellar. Each rare vintage is thoughtfully curated and paired with a dish from each one of the family restaurants’ esteemed chefs including Brent Hunt (Bern’s Steak House), Chad Johnson (Bern’s Steak House & Haven), Hannah Thomas (Bern’s Steak House), Jon Atanacio (Epicurean Hotel) and Martin DeJesus (Haven). The cost is $1,500 per person.

April 21 — Haven’s Winemaker Dinner is a five-course dinner celebrating the wines from one of America’s most passionate, family-owned wineries, Cakebread Cellars. Special guest speaker Aaron Fishleder, vice president of operations at the winery, will guide those present through paired courses by Executive Chef Chad Johnson and Haven’s chef de cuisine, Martin DeJesus. The cost is $425 per person.

April 23 — The Grand Tasting Experience gives ticket-holders an opportunity to enjoy this year's wine fest as they taste their way through the grand event, savoring their favorite wines and libations from all over the globe paired with regional fare and sweet treats imagined by the culinary teams. Spend the afternoon enjoying a collection of passed hors d'oeuvres that range from luxurious caviar and indulgent sweets to more playful riffs. Guests can sway to the beats of live music from Electric Avenue along with other surprise musicians while enjoying interactive art that will encompass all the senses. The cost is $550 per person.

Bern’s Winefest is one of Central Florida’s premier food and wine-tasting experiences, indulging guests in a week of entertaining events celebrating wines from around the world, the Bern’s family’s culinary roster and guest chefs from around the state. The festival supports the Laxer Family Foundation and the James Beard Foundation Laxer Memorial Scholarship Fund. Created in the spirit of Bern Laxer, the scholarships aim to assist students who are interested in careers in culinary, hospitality management or viticulture.

The Laxer Family Foundation is founded and led by David and Christina Laxer. As a recognized 501C3, the foundation supports and enhances the lives of at-risk and aspiring youth as well as honors U.S. veterans through personal giving and public assistance through fundraising events.