Let's face it: Some food and wine festivals are merely drunken oink-outs. Others pit chefs against each other in friendly... or serious... competition. Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine of the popular Food Network show Restaurant: Impossible has a different vision for how food should be celebrated, and he lends his culinary muscle to the inaugural Savor event. Lucky for New England foodies, this two-day food and beverage showcase--with a bigger mission--will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Connecticut, April 10-11, 2015.


"I wanted to make Savor special. It's about giving back," Irvine said of the event's concept: a collaboration of regionally and nationally known chefs to raise funds that change lives. A portion of the proceeds from Savor will be donated to charities via the non-profit Robert Irvine Foundation, established to benefit causes the host chef supports including enriching the lives of military personnel and their families through programs like Helmets to Hardhats.

When I had the chance to sit down with Chef Irvine at the kickoff for Savor in November 2014, he told me he has a few other aims in mind, as he redefines "the way food and wine festivals happen." During Savor's three main events--Sip, Savor & Stroll Grand Tasting sessions on Friday night from 7 to 10:30 p.m. and Saturday afternoon from noon until 4 p.m. and the Savor In Style Charity Gala Saturday evening from 7:30 to 11 p.m.--Irvine says: "I want to surprise" and overdeliver, and he also promised "a lot of silliness."

Participating chefs who are sharing their talents for the cause and preparing signature dishes include celebrities like Mary Ann Esposito, host of Ciao Italia--television's longest-running cooking show, and top Connecticut chefs including:

 

• Tyler Anderson, chef-owner of Millwrights, who is a semifinalist this year for the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Northeast distinction;  
• Prasad Chirnomula, self-made restaurateur and two-time winner of the Elm City Iron Chef competition, whose inventive Indian cuisine draws fans to his four Thali restaurants and who also impresses at his Mexican eatery, Oaxaca Kitchen;
• Billy Grant, whose expanding restaurant empire reflects his status as one of Connecticut's best-loved chefs; and
• Jeffrey Lizotte of ON20, downtown Hartford's premier restaurant, who Food & Wine magazine named a finalist in their 2014 The People’s Best New Chef competition.

During the Grand Tastings, attendees can watch culinary luminaries in action on the Kitchen Demonstration Stage. Savor also features opportunities to sample a variety of sought-after wines, craft beers and elite spirits. Irvine stressed that education is an important part of Savor's mission. "People are so intimidated by wine, and it is an amazing beverage," he said of the opportunities guests will have to taste and learn in an environment where the emphasis is on making memories and having fun.

Irvine was also quick to credit event director Vicky Cirilli, whose efforts have brought Savor from idea to reality. "Her enthusiasm and her passion are so infectious," said the famous chef, who explained that when she suggested the event idea to him, he immediately responded: "Whatever you do, I'm in."

If you want to get in on the deliciousness, you'll save money and guarantee entry by purchasing your Savor tickets online in advance. Prices start at $110 for your choice of one of the two Grand Tasting sessions ($125 at the door) and $150 ($165 at the door) for the gala. Multi-event ticket packages are also available.