2026 Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival Brings Together Food, Entertainment and Culture
The Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Invesco QQQ (NYCWFF) is preparing to return to New York City from October 15–18, 2026, bringing four days of culinary experiences, entertainment, music and cultural celebrations to venues throughout the city.
Now entering its 19th year, the annual festival will once again bring together leading chefs, restaurateurs, food personalities, entertainers and cultural figures. The 2026 edition will feature more than 50 events, ranging from intimate chef dinners and large-scale tasting experiences to rooftop parties, live performances, culinary demonstrations and late-night celebrations.
With New York City serving as its backdrop, this year’s festival is designed to showcase the diversity of the city’s food and entertainment scene while creating opportunities for guests to experience collaborations that extend well beyond traditional culinary events.
Star Power Across Four Days
The 2026 NYCWFF lineup combines familiar Festival favorites with new personalities and collaborations. Among the headline appearances is Rachael Ray, who will host the city’s major burger competition with comedian Bert Kreischer serving as special guest co-host.
Music and entertainment will also play a central role throughout the weekend. DJ D-Nice will provide the soundtrack for the New York After Dark celebration, while rapper and entertainer Method Man is scheduled to perform during The Cookout. EGOT winner Whoopi Goldberg will also make an appearance at the event.
Another new addition to this year’s Festival is Morning Buzz, a non-alcoholic experience hosted by mgk (Machine Gun Kelly) of 27 Club Coffee. The event expands the Festival’s programming into the growing alcohol-free beverage and social experience category.
Together, the lineup demonstrates the Festival’s increasingly broad approach to food culture, bringing culinary talent together with music, entertainment and lifestyle programming.
Intimate Chef Experiences and Special Dinners
Alongside its larger events, NYCWFF will offer a series of more intimate culinary experiences featuring chefs and food personalities from New York and beyond.
The Festival’s Chef’s Corner will be hosted by chef and creator Olivia Tiedemann, known online as @oliviatied, together with Italian food personality Nonna Gracie, known as @realnonnagracie.
The dinner program will also feature a series of chef collaborations. Angie Mar, chef and owner of Restaurant Le B, will join celebrated chef, restaurateur and James Beard Award winner Charlie Palmer for a special culinary experience.
Additional programming will include Byron Puck alongside Cedric Vongerichten, chef and co-owner of Wayan.
The Festival will also introduce its first non-alcoholic dinner, hosted at The Maze NYC, a Manhattan-based alcohol-free members club focused on community and connection. The dinner will feature James Beard Award-winning chef Jonathon Sawyer and Gautier Coiffard, co-founder of Brooklyn bakery L’Appartement 4F.
Additional dinners scheduled throughout the weekend will bring together acclaimed chefs and culinary personalities from across the country, giving attendees opportunities to experience menus and collaborations created specifically for the Festival.
Invesco QQQ Festival Campus Expands at the Seaport
The Seaport will remain a major hub for the 2026 Festival, with the expanded Invesco QQQ Festival Campus serving as the setting for several of the weekend’s signature experiences.
A major addition this year is the Norwegian Cruise Line Rooftop Series at Pier 17, which will bring NYCWFF programming to a rooftop overlooking the New York City harbor.
The series begins Thursday, October 15, with the Blue Moon Burger Bash presented by Pat LaFrieda Meats. Hosted by Rachael Ray, the event will feature Bert Kreischer as special guest co-host.
Celebrity judges for the burger competition include Anthony Anderson, Ana Navarro, Cedric the Entertainer, Jet Tila, Andrew Rea of Binging with Babish and Sophie Flay.
The rooftop series continues Friday, October 16, with Steak & Whiskey, hosted by brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio.
On Sunday, October 18, the rooftop programming will conclude with Morning Buzz, the Festival’s new non-alcoholic event hosted by mgk of 27 Club Coffee.
New York After Dark Brings Food, Music and Culture Together
On Saturday evening, October 17, the Rooftop at Pier 17 will become the setting for New York After Dark, hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi of Tatiana.
Inspired by Onwuachi’s forthcoming cookbook, All Hours, the event will celebrate New York’s food, music and cultural scene through an after-hours experience. DJ D-Nice will provide the music for the evening, creating a setting that combines culinary programming with nightlife and entertainment.
The weekend will conclude on Sunday with The Cookout presented by Mike’s Amazing, hosted by JJ Johnson and Angela Yee.
The event will feature a special performance by Method Man, along with an appearance by Whoopi Goldberg, bringing together food, music and entertainment for one of the Festival’s closing celebrations.
Festival Favorites Return
While the 2026 Festival introduces several new experiences, a number of established NYCWFF events will also return.
Among them is Oyster Bash presented by Modelo, hosted by television personality and food expert Andrew Zimmern. Guests can also look forward to Tacos & Tequila, hosted by chef Aarón Sánchez.
The Grand Tasting will once again provide one of the Festival’s largest culinary showcases. This year’s event will be hosted by Marcus Samuelsson, Andrew Rea, Ayesha Nurdjaja and Michael Symon.
The Grand Tasting will feature Culinary Demonstrations presented by Bosch Home Appliances at the Invesco QQQ Festival Campus in the Seaport. The demonstrations will give festivalgoers an opportunity to see chefs and culinary creators prepare dishes and share techniques in a live setting.
Among the featured demonstrations will be an appearance by Nigel Ng, also known as Uncle Roger, alongside Rachael Ray. Another demonstration will bring mgk together with Michael Symon.
The combination of returning favorites and new programming is expected to give the 2026 Festival a broad range of experiences for visitors, from hands-on culinary demonstrations and chef dinners to large-scale entertainment events.
Supporting Sustainability and the Culinary Community
In addition to its entertainment and culinary programming, NYCWFF continues to emphasize its charitable mission.
Net proceeds from the Festival will support the Event Zero Foundation and its work to advance sustainability and environmental responsibility throughout the events industry. Funds will also benefit the James Beard Foundation, which works with chefs and the wider culinary community to promote excellence and strengthen the food and hospitality industry.
Over the past 18 years, the Festival has generated more than $15 million in net proceeds for its charitable causes.
The Festival’s sustainability focus is part of a broader effort to connect major food and hospitality events with environmental responsibility and industry development.
A Four-Day Celebration of New York Food Culture
The 2026 Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival will bring together an extensive mix of culinary talent, entertainment personalities and cultural figures across four days in October.
From burger competitions and chef dinners to rooftop celebrations, non-alcoholic experiences, live music and culinary demonstrations, the Festival’s programming reflects the broad range of experiences associated with New York City’s food culture.
Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits will serve as the exclusive provider of wine and spirits at the Festival.
The Festival has also received recognition from BizBash, which has named NYCWFF the #1 Food & Restaurant Industry event in New York for 10 consecutive years.
The 2026 edition will take place across New York City from October 15 through October 18, with the Seaport and Pier 17 serving as important locations for the Festival’s expanded programming.
Attendees can follow Festival updates throughout the year through NYCWFF’s social media channels on Facebook and Instagram at @NYCWFF and on TikTok at @NYCWineFoodFestival.
Tickets and additional information are available through the official NYCWFF website at nycwff.org.
As the Festival enters its 19th year, its 2026 program combines established culinary traditions with new forms of entertainment, alcohol-free experiences and chef collaborations, creating a weekend centered on food while extending into music, culture and the broader hospitality community.
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