Epcot Center News Feed
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Walt Disney World guests can sip great wines, savor new tastes and enjoy live entertainment all day long as the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival celebrates 15 years of Delicious Discoveries Oct. 1-Nov. 14, 2010.
The six-week outdoor festival at Disney’s Epcot theme park serves up authentic cuisine; wine, beer and spirits; entertainment; and cultural exhibits of more than 25 international regions. Exotic marketplaces from South Korea to Belgium offer exciting taste treats. The festival is the largest food and wine event of its kind in the world, beginning at the Festival Welcome Center in Future World and fanning around the promenade encircling World Showcase Lagoon.
Here are some facts about the 15th annual event:
· More than 300 national and international wines
· 45 fabulous days long
· More than 75 kinds of international foods, each appetizer-sized portion priced $3-$8
· More than 270 chefs including America’s most celebrated culinarians and Walt Disney World chefs
· 405 wine and beer seminars
· More than 1,200 fireworks rockets exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in“IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth” grand finale to the festival
· 135 Eat to the Beat! concerts performed
· 33,000 bottles of wine and champagne
· 690,000 sumptuous samplings
· 338,000 wine glasses
· 100,000 desserts including freshly baked waffles with berry compote and whipped cream (Belgium marketplace), pear streusel pudding cake (Desserts & Champagne marketplace) and chocolate cannoli (Italy marketplace)
· 3,000 gallons of soup, including best-selling cheddar cheese soup (Canada marketplace), chicken soup with rice (Puerto Rico marketplace) and bison chili with wild mushrooms (United States marketplace)
FW10FUNFACTS/8-27-10:jh
Via Napoli: a new casual pizzeria in the Italy pavilion at Epcot, features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Nick Valenti, CEO of The Patina Restaurant Group, which also runs the Tutto Italia restaurant the Italy pavilion at Epcot, created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy. The architecture and design of the new pizzeria is based on a mix of traditional Italian styles and features the detailed touches for which Disney is famous.
SAVORY SEAFOOD: The Lobster and Scallop Fisherman’s Pie is a favorite at the Ireland marketplace during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The 15th annual festival, Oct. 1-Nov. 14, 2010, adds an “extra helping” of international flavors to World Showcase promenade with marketplaces featuring samplings of cuisine, wine tastings, celebrity chefs, special events and lively entertainment. The global gathering features many events that are included in regular park admission.
DECADENT DESSERT: Freshly baked waffles with berry compote and whipped cream paired with Godiva chocolate iced coffee are on the menu in the new Belgium tasting marketplace during the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Throughout the 1.3 mile World Showcase promenade more than two dozen international kiosks showcase savory samplings. The annual festival overflows with global cuisine, celebrated chefs and special entertainment Oct. 1-Nov. 14, 2010.
TOTALLY TOMATO: Tapas-sized tastings from 27 regions and six continents create a global buffet during the 15th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The United States pavilion goes from garden to table with a sampling of heirloom tomatoes with Oregon blue cheese, red onions and fresh basil. The festival runs Oct. 1- Nov. 14, 2010 and features celebrity chefs, global cuisine, lively entertainment and special events.
TOTALLY TOMATO: Tapas-sized tastings from 27 regions and six continents create a global buffet during the 15th annual Epcot International Food & Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The United States pavilion goes from garden to table with a sampling of heirloom tomatoes with Oregon blue cheese, red onions and fresh basil. The festival runs Oct. 1- Nov. 14, 2010 and features celebrity chefs, global cuisine, lively entertainment and special events.
VIA NAPOLI: Executive Chef Charlie Restivo poses with Mickey Mouse and a special Mickey-shaped pizza Aug. 5, 2010 during the grand opening of the authentic Neapolitan pizzeria in the Italy pavilion at Epcot World Showcase. Via Napoli, operated by Patina Restaurant Group, features wood-burning ovens – and will use water from a source that most resembles the water in Naples, Italy, home of some of the world’s best pizza dough. The 300-seat pizzeria features a menu inspired by the famous pizzerias of southern Italy. The menu also features pastas, salads, sandwiches and Italian wines. (Gene Duncan, photographer)LAKE BUENA VISTA, FL – August 5, 2010 – Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse arrived in a horse-drawn carriage to help cut the “grapevine” ribbon today on the newest restaurant at the Walt Disney World Resort. Via Napoli is the first authentic Italian pizzeria to ever open in Epcot. Located in the Italy pavilion at Epcot World Showcase, Via Napoli is operated by Patina Restaurant Group and sits adjacent to Tutto Italia Ristorante, also operated by Patina. A trio of wood-burning ovens are a unique feature at Via Napoli, named for the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and the volcanic island of Stromboli. Each oven is sculpted with a giant “face of the volcano” -- reflecting the gods whose mythology surrounds each volcano’s history. Restaurateur and longtime Patina Restaurant Group CEO Nick Valenti created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy. “I have always loved the beauty of a simple Neapolitan pizza,” Valenti says. “It’s a perfect food, something beloved by both Italians and Americans. At Via Napoli we will make pizza the traditional Neapolitan way: with a textured, soft and charred crust.” Via Napoli will feature a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Famed Pizzaiolo Charlie Restivo serves as executive chef at Via Napoli, crafting pies with San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, handmade fresh mozzarella, Parma Cotto, crumbled sausage and water calibrated specifically to the pH and mineral content found in Naples and Italy’s Campania region.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Patina Restaurant Group has opened a new casual pizzeria, called Via Napoli, adjacent to Tutto Italia Ristorante, its restaurant in the Italy pavilion in Epcot World Showcase at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. This becomes the first authentic Italian pizzeria to ever open in the park.
Restaurateur and longtime Patina Restaurant Group CEO Nick Valenti created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York which was awarded the coveted certification of “La Vera Pizza Napoletana.” While in Naples, Valenti spent time studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon. At Da Ettore, he discovered the art of pagnotiello, a folded round of pizza dough filled with mozzarella, ham and mushrooms.
“I have always loved the beauty of a simple Neapolitan pizza,” Valenti says. “It’s a perfect food, something beloved by both Italians and Americans. At Via Napoli we will make pizza the traditional Neapolitan way: with a textured, soft and charred crust. I look forward to bringing it to Walt Disney World, where it should be a welcome addition to guests visiting Epcot.”
Via Napoli features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Famed Pizzaiolo Charlie Restivo serves as executive chef at Via Napoli, where he crafts the pies using simple and delicious Italian ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, handmade fresh mozzarella, Parma Cotto, crumbled sausage and water calibrated specifically to the pH found in Naples.
“We’re excited to be working with the Patina Restaurant Group once again on this significant expansion project,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “Via Napoli will certainly enhance the guest experience and the architectural landscape of World Showcase just in time for our 15th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival.”
A unique feature at Via Napoli is the wood-burning ovens, which are named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli. Each oven is sculpted with the “face of the volcano” -- reflecting the gods whose mythology surrounds each volcano’s history.
The architecture and design of the new pizzeria is based on a mix of traditional Italian styles, with the Florentine architect Stefano Nardini (of Magris & Partners) working in conjunction with Rick Swisher Architect to build it.
Restaurateur and longtime Patina Restaurant Group CEO Nick Valenti created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy and his time developing and overseeing the successful Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria in New York which was awarded the coveted certification of “La Vera Pizza Napoletana.” While in Naples, Valenti spent time studying the art of dough, crust, sauce and oven temperatures at the famous pizzerias Da Michele and Trianon. At Da Ettore, he discovered the art of pagnotiello, a folded round of pizza dough filled with mozzarella, ham and mushrooms.
“I have always loved the beauty of a simple Neapolitan pizza,” Valenti says. “It’s a perfect food, something beloved by both Italians and Americans. At Via Napoli we will make pizza the traditional Neapolitan way: with a textured, soft and charred crust. I look forward to bringing it to Walt Disney World, where it should be a welcome addition to guests visiting Epcot.”
Via Napoli features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Famed Pizzaiolo Charlie Restivo serves as executive chef at Via Napoli, where he crafts the pies using simple and delicious Italian ingredients such as San Marzano tomatoes, Caputo flour, handmade fresh mozzarella, Parma Cotto, crumbled sausage and water calibrated specifically to the pH found in Naples.
“We’re excited to be working with the Patina Restaurant Group once again on this significant expansion project,” said Dan Cockerell, vice president of Epcot. “Via Napoli will certainly enhance the guest experience and the architectural landscape of World Showcase just in time for our 15th annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival.”
A unique feature at Via Napoli is the wood-burning ovens, which are named after the three active volcanoes in Italy – Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius and Stromboli. Each oven is sculpted with the “face of the volcano” -- reflecting the gods whose mythology surrounds each volcano’s history.
The architecture and design of the new pizzeria is based on a mix of traditional Italian styles, with the Florentine architect Stefano Nardini (of Magris & Partners) working in conjunction with Rick Swisher Architect to build it.
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VIANAPOLI/8-5-10
A SLICE OF ITALY: Via Napoli, a new casual pizzeria in the Italy pavilion at Epcot, features a selection of classical Neapolitan pizzas, ranging from pizza bianca, quattro stagioni, piccante, ortolano and a traditional margherita. Nick Valenti, CEO of The Patina Restaurant Group, which also runs the Tutto Italia restaurant the Italy pavilion at Epcot, created the Via Napoli concept, based upon his travels in Southern Italy. The menu also boasts a wealth of culinary delights from appetizers like arancini (fried balls of rice with mozzarella and beef ragou) to entrees/salads such as Manzo (filet of beef) with greens. And don’t forget dessert with everything from hot, crisp zeppole di Catarina, ricotta cheese fritters with chocolate sauce and whipped cream to the over-the-top coppa di brutti ma buoni, a vanilla gelato with Amarena cherries and “ugly but good” cookies.This site has no affiliation to Disney World. All Copyrights, Trademarks, Characters, names are property of Disney or their respective copyright owners.