Proceeds from the Cuvée Grand Tasting support student research at Brock University. Tickets are still available for the Feb. 27 celebration of fine wine and food.

The Cuvée Grand Tasting became a hot-ticket event because of wines — Cuvée is a serious examination of Ontario’s best vintages. But in recent years, gourmet food has been taking a bigger nibble of the action.

When Cuvée 2015 happens in Niagara Falls on Feb. 27 at Fallsview Casino Resort, more than a dozen top Ontario chefs will stage a culinary tour de force. This year, however, organizers have upped the cuisine ante by adding chefs from three Toronto restaurants to serve up their own signature dishes.

Cuvée attendees get to see chefs at work, then taste the fruits of their labour.

Organized by Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), Cuvée is one of the largest celebrations of Ontario wine, with proceeds helping fund student scholarships and research needs that are identified by the Ontario grape and wine industry.

These days, Cuvée is increasingly a destination of choice for foodies seeking a unique culinary experience, as participating chefs prepare and serve their delights to attendees gathered around at live cooking stations.

The Toronto culinary partners are:
• Centre for Wine and Food Experimentation featuring chef David Chrystian
• Crush Wine Bar featuring chef Trista Sheen
• Woods Restaurant featuring chef Carlos Deveyra

Niagara culinary partners include:
• Benchmark Restaurant and the Canadian Food and Wine Institute featuring chef Alex White
• Cave Spring Cellars – On the Twenty Restaurant featuring chef Frank Romano
• Dairy Farmers of Canada led by Gianna Ciancio
• Fallsview Casino Resort featuring chef Ray Taylor
• Le Clos Jordanne, Jackson-Triggs and Inniskillin Wineries featuring estate chef Tim Mackiddie
• Oliv Restaurant at Strewn Winery featuring chef Rob Webster
• Peller Estates Restaurant featuring chef Jason Parsons
• Ravine Winery Restaurant featuring chef Ross Midgley
• Vineland Estates Restaurant featuring chef Justin Downes

Gourmet desserts will be presented by Criveller Cakes chefs Giovanni del Priore and Leonardo Priore, and Italian Ice Cream chef Andrew Vergalito.

For more information about the Cuvée Grand Tasting visit cuvee.ca