Local notable participants in Flavors of Fort Lauderdale — Photo courtesy of Flavors of Fort Lauderdale

South Florida culinary aficionados take note: Flavors of Fort Lauderdale debuts November 8-11. This premier event is certain to be the launch of an annual celebration of the city's success as a culinary landmark. The four-day food and wine extravaganza is designed to celebrate local cuisine, specialty foods and beverages, gourmet shopping, as well as promoting the sustainable seafood movement, and also supporting the hunger relief efforts of Feeding South Florida.

Participants will delight in the different culinary activities that take place in various venues. Day one begins with Dine Around Fort Lauderdale, an event dedicated to the city's finest restaurants, hosted by the area’s top executive chefs, sommeliers and celebrities. Day two is the Flavors Kick-Off Party, a VIP gathering hosted poolside by the Westin Beach Resort & Spa, offering a gourmet selection of tastings, created just for the event by Executive Chef David Hackett, and paired with select spirits and wine, entertainment and more. This is followed by Late-Night Flavors, which promises to be a lively and entertaining after-hours celebration. Day three is Flavors After Dark, an evening of entertainment and theme beverages, action stations and food trucks. The final night is Flavors Grand Tasting, featuring food and beverage purveyors, local restaurants and lifestyle organizations and offering samples of the best the city has to offer.

“As the ‘Venice of the America’ with the Intracoastal flowing through Fort Lauderdale, the city is uniquely positioned for an event such as this, while providing the amazing seafood we are so fortunate to enjoy,” said Chef Allen Susser, the event's Ambassador of Flavor. “For this reason the vision for Flavors of Fort Lauderdale is to not only celebrate the area’s culinary offerings, but to drive awareness for sustainability, which is one of the most important initiatives within the food and culinary world.”