Food Network And Gaylord Opryland Resort Present: The Southern Food & Wine Festival At Gaylord Opryland

This premiere event will be held at the South's iconic resort July 31-August 2, 2009. It will include a variety of exhibitors, food and wine samplings and food competitions, plus live cooking seminars and exclusive opportunities to meet celebrity chefs including Alton Brown, Bobby & Jamie Deen, and The Neelys.

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The Neelys

as a way to get dates

Nashville, Tenn. (Vocus) May 15, 2009

Follow your nose to Nashville, Tenn., this summer and see your favorite Food Network stars at the Food Network Southern Food & Wine Festival at Gaylord Opryland Resort. This premiere event will be held at the South's iconic resort July 31-August 2, 2009. It will include a variety of exhibitors, food and wine samplings and food competitions, plus live cooking seminars and exclusive opportunities to meet celebrity chefs including Alton Brown, Bobby & Jamie Deen, and The Neelys http://www.foodnetwork.com/.

"We are thrilled to partner with Gaylord Opryland Resort and bring this fantastic wine and food experience to Food Network fans. This is another great example of how Food Network provides a multitude of ways for our viewers to have fun, interactive moments with our stars and our network," said Sergei Kuharsky, General Manager, Scripps Networks Enterprises (a division of Scripps Networks Interactive, parent company of Food Network).
Mingle with the stars. You've seen them create amazing recipes on TV; here is your chance to actually smell what they are cooking and then shake their hands afterwards. Appearing at the festival from the Food Network are:

Alton Brown. A long-time friend to Gaylord Opryland, Alton Brown's flair in the kitchen developed early with guidance from his mother and grandmother, a budding culinary talent he skillfully used later "as a way to get dates" in college. Switching gears as an adult, Alton spent a decade working as a cinematographer, but realized he spent all his time between shoots watching cooking shows which he found to be dull. Convinced that he could do better, Alton left the film business and moved to Vermont to train at the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt. Soon after, Alton tapped all of his training to create Good Eats, a smart and entertaining food show that blends wit with wisdom, history with pop culture and science with common cooking sense. Alton not only writes and produces the shows but also stars in each offbeat episode. Alton Brown's first book, I'm Just Here for the Food won the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Cookbook in the Reference category and has sold more than 300,000 copies to date.
Bobby & Jamie Deen. Hundreds of patrons line up everyday in front of The Lady and Sons restaurant in Savannah for just a glimpse of Paula Deen, but her sons Bobby and Jamie Deen, who manage the restaurant, are now stars in their own right. Whether appearing on their mother's show Paula's Home Cooking or co-authoring her bestseller Just Desserts, Bobby and Jamie have developed their own fan base.
Pat and Gina Neely. Pat and Gina Neely from Food Network's Down Home with the Neelys own and operate some of Tennessee's best - and most devilishly delicious - BBQ restaurants. So, it's no surprise that when they are relaxing at home in Memphis, they love to create tasty dishes their whole family can enjoy. They're ready to share secrets from their famous restaurant dishes along with their tastiest family recipes when they take the stage at the festival.

Learn secrets and recipes from award-winning Gaylord Opryland chefs. Watch live demonstrations and competitions in the Food Network Southern Food & Wine Festival's Ryman Exhibit Hall performed by some of Gaylord Opryland's finest chefs including:

Add a dash of summertime fun. In addition to spending one-to-three days at the action-packed Food Network Southern Food and Wine Festival, there are many other things to enjoy at the resort.

Eat and shop at the more than 20 restaurants and shops at Gaylord Opryland.
Swim in one of the five sparkling swimming pools.
Stroll in the comfortable 72 degree atriums filled with 9 acres of lush gardens and splashing waterfalls.
Enjoy SummerFest 2009 activities on Delta Island including free nightly line dance lessons and fountain shows choreographed to country music or evening country cruises along the indoor Delta River in a fun, lighted boat with music from the Grand Ole Opry.

There are seven different levels of packages available for the Food Network Southern Food & Wine Festival at Gaylord Opryland Resort starting at $135 per person*. To make your reservations call 1-888-999-OPRY or go to http://www.gaylordopryland.com.

*Per person based on double occupancy and availability plus tax, daily resort fee and parking. Entertainment/artists and pricing subject to change without notice. Some events additional admission required. Atrium Garden, add $65 plus tax per night. Extra nights available at prevailing rates. In applicable packages, meet and greet must be used for corresponding chef event. Restrictions apply.

Media Contacts:
Kim Keelor, (615) 458-2877
Rob Regg, (615) 458-2882

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