Aspen offers ultimate luxury hotels and luxury travel experiences. Mario Batali, Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, and Jacques Pépin are a few of the culinary superstars heading to the majestic Aspen mountains the weekend of June 19-21.

Mario Batali, Giada De Laurentiis, Bobby Flay, and Jacques
Pépin are a few of the culinary superstars heading to the majestic Aspen mountains the weekend of June 19-21.

This year's FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen features a star-filled line-up of trendsetters in both food and wine. They will share their favorite recipes, techniques, and trade secrets with 5,000 foodie followers.

The FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen offers over 80 cooking and wine seminars, 50,000 bottles of wine to sample at the Grand Tasting Tents, along with hundreds of exhibitors previewing their latest products. It is no surprise that the FOOD & WINE Classic is recognized as the top destination to discover the latest culinary trends.

As a change this year, the annual Classic Cook-Off will become the Classic Quickfire, as a riff on Bravo's Top Chef. The winner of Top Chef: New York Hosea Rosenberg will compete against Top Chef: Chicago winner, Stephanie Izzard. Top Chef judges Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons will preside over the judges' table,
alongside Editor in Chief Dana Cowin. The top bidder at a live auction, benefiting KitchenAid’s Cook For The Cure, will fill the fourth seat at judges’ table.

Select Cooking Demonstrations:
• Giada De Laurentiis presents Giada’s Kitchen
• Bobby Flay demonstrates how to make the perfect burger, fries, and shakes
• Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton share their love of mozzarella
• Tom Colicchio and Gail Simmons spill the inside scoop from the Top Chef Kitchen

Wine Highlights:
• Danny Meyer and Dan Phillips show how to pair our favorite pizzas with wine
• FOOD & WINE's Ray Isle showcases Burger Bonanza wines
• Mixologist Julie Reiner brings back classic cocktails with a modern spin
• Mark Oldman takes the mystery out of wine in his seminar Outsmart Wine 101

Weekend Highlights:
• 20th Anniversary of the American Express Restaurant Trade Program. The country's top chefs and restaurateurs share their secrets and tools for success.
• Meet the future culinary trendsetters at the exclusive 2009 F&W Best New Chefs dinner.

Tickets for the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen are $1,085 before March 15, 2008 and $1,185 thereafter. To register, call 877-900-WINE or visit www.foodandwine.com/classic. Two percent of all ticket sales will support 2009 Grow for Good beneficiary Wholesome Wave Foundation, founded by award-winning chef Michel Nischan, focusing on key programs that bring locally and sustainably grown food to the underserved.

In its 27th year, the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen is the epicurean magazine's signature event, bringing together 50 of the world's foremost authorities on wine and food at 80 sold-out cooking demonstrations and wine seminars. In addition, over 300 wines and luxury lifestyle brands gather together in the Grand Tasting Pavilion, the epicenter of the event, to pour over 50,000 bottles of wine and exhibit their newest products. 2009 sponsors including American Express, All-Clad, AT&T, Bombay, FIJI Water, Green & Black's Organic Chocolate, Grey Goose, KitchenAid, Lexus, McCormick, Stella Artois, and Wines from Spain. FOOD & WINE is the modern, stylish, trend-spotting, talent-seeking epicurean magazine. Published by American Express Publishing Corporation, the leader in luxury lifestyle magazines, FOOD & WINE has a circulation of over 950,000. Details about the event and the company are available at foodandwine.com.