Celebrity chefs will be at ilani with tips, there will be grand tasting events, and a barbecue contest for weekend grillers, too
Paul Valencia
ClarkCountyToday.com
A lot of great food will be on the grill at ilani this weekend.
The annual ilani BBQ Fest returns Aug. 24 and 25 for a weekend filled with amazing events and experiences. From tastings and dine-arounds to world-class chef appearances and more, ilani BBQ Fest has something for everyone.
Most of this year’s event will be held on the rooftop of ilani’s parking garage.
Headlining the events are an impressive lineup of celebrity chefs and pitmasters, including Alton Brown, a James Beard Award and Peabody Award winner; Rodney Scott, a featured chef on Netflix’s Chef’s Table BBQ and James Beard Award winner; Tiffani Faison, television star and award-winning restaurateur; and Kevin Bludso, barbecue legend and television star.
These culinary celebrities will be accompanied by a vast cast of notable chefs, pitmasters, and personalities. They will take the main stage throughout the weekend, offering tantalizing dishes and interactive cooking demonstrations.
There are also Grand Tasting Events on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and then again from 4 to 8 p.m. As well as Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Those events are on the rooftop.
Party with the Pitmasters is 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, in the Cowlitz Ballroom.
There is also a Smokin’ Hot BBQ Championship for the weekend griller. One does not have to be a celebrity chef to win cash. This competition gives amateurs a shot at some of the $15,000 in prize money.
Among the many big-name chefs to participate this weekend will be Rick Browne, a former Clark County resident who hosted 91 episodes of Barbecue America on PBS and has written more than a dozen books on the art of barbecue. The former Ridgefield resident was a frequent guest on many of the national morning shows. He is also one of the founders of the ilani BBQ Fest.
For ticket information and a full list of events, go to: https://ilaniresort.com/ilani-bbqfest/
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