The most hyped part of the Food and Wine Classic is the culinary competition that takes place on the last day of the festivities. The Classic Cook-Off pits the reigning Top Chef winner — this year it was Hung — against master French chef Jacques Pepin and his BFF Jean-Claude. The chefs were given a whole salmon, a bunch of ingredients leftover from the previous day's demos, and 18 minutes to create a dish and a cocktail. While Hung created a delicious-looking salmon and a frothy coconut-milk cocktail, the Frenchmen wowed the crowd with their salmon appetizer, salmon entree, wasabi cocktail, and souffle dessert. To catch a glimpse of the competition, check out our exclusive video below!

For more pictures of the cook-off challenge, including images from the second competition that featured Michael Symon and Tom Colicchio vs. Roy Yamaguchi; and a look at the celebrity chefs who were in the audience, read more

This Saturday is the Summer solstice, and if you're looking for a way to enjoy the longest day of the year, there are still oodles of food festivals happening all over the country. Strawberry season is in full force, peaches are popping up in Alabama, and a massive barbecue competition is going down in our nation's capital. Take a look at some of the best fests happening in the next week.

• Costa Mesa, CA: Summer Food & Wine Festival — June 19
• Cincinnati, OH: National Homebrewers Conference — June 19-21
• Brooklyn Park, MN: Tater Days — June 19-22
• Fort Wayne, IN: BBQ Ribfest — June 19-22
• Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Cranberry Blossom Festival — June 19-22
• Norfolk, VA: Bayou Boogaloo and Cajun Food Festival — June 19-22
• Burgaw, NC: North Carolina Blueberry Festival — June 20-21
• Glenwood Springs, CO: Strawberry Days — June 20-22
• Clayton, NY: Great New York State Food and Wine Festival — June 20-22
• Champaign, IL: Taste of Champaign-Urbana — June 20-22
• Long Grove, IL: Long Grove Strawberry Festival — June 20-22
• Clanton, AL : Chilton County Peach Festival — June 20-28
• Washington, DC: Safeway 16th Annual National Capital Barbecue Battle — June 21-22

More local food events, so read more

With the arrival of British Burger King's bling burger, the world just got a little more ridiculous. At £95 (about $200), this burger puts New York's $175 burger to shame. The burger will enter the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's most expensive hamburger.

Japanese wagyu beef, white truffles, pata negra ham, onion rings made from Cristal batter, pink Himalayan rock salt, and an organic white-wine-infused mayonnaise are the ingredients that make this burger incredibly pricey. While it's obviously excessive, all the proceeds will be donated to charity so what do you think of the bling burger?

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Besides icy-cold beer and white wine at all of my dinner parties, I like to offer guests one refreshingly potent cocktail. Serving guests a drink right after they've walked through the door gives them something to do, puts them at ease, and sets the party mood. For a solstice dinner, select a cocktail that is quintessentially Summer. Made with chunks of ripe watermelon, fresh lime juice, and white rum, this watermelon cooler is thirst-quenchingly perfect.
To check out the recipe, read more

During the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, I attended Ming Tsai's "East-West Vegetarian" demonstration. I had been a mild fan of Ming's before, but after seeing him live I was sold. He was hysterical — seriously he'd be successful as a stand-up comedian — as well as informative. He taught us the secret to perfect potstickers, and tricks on how to successfully cook garlic. To see what he had to say, read more

There's no denying that Jen was portrayed as the villain on this season's Hell's Kitchen. The energetic young chef wasn't afraid to lie and cheat to get to the top, and was vehemently disliked by her competitors. I was relieved to see her go, but I wasn't excited to interview her. However, it was interesting to hear what she had to say. An optimistic Jen knows she's hated and she's perfectly okay with it. To find out what happened when we spoke yesterday, read more

During the Summer it's important to take advantage of the bounty of fresh vegetables. In this vegetarian dish, the pure flavor of eggplant is highlighted. The simple recipe combines canned beans with a garlicky pasta sauce and breaded, sautéed eggplant. Salty feta cheese is a lovely garnish to this delicious dinner.

This recipe is a must make, so get it now when you read more