TC's new 'Food and Wine' event to highlight region's culinary flair

The food scene in the Grand Traverse Bay region has exploded in recent years.

Restaurant offerings have grown and the types of cuisine available have become more diverse, from tacos in Interlochen to Indian food in downtown Traverse City to high-end Italian dining at the Grand Traverse Commons.

This past year, The Cook’s House in Traverse City was a finalist for the prestigious James Beard Award.

Now, the region’s tourism agency wants to show all of that off.

Famous chefs are coming to town this week … and area restaurants are offering special events as part of "Traverse City Food & Wine," a five-day showcase of the region’s culinary scene.

"We've got more businesses engaged across a wider swath of the region," she said. "We're really taking a moment to spotlight all the different agritourism and agricultural opportunities."

Farm tours, boating trips with a winemaker or chef and other events are all on the schedule.

But the celebration's main event is Saturday afternoon's "Grand Tasting," from noon to 4 p.m. at the Open Space in Traverse CIty. It includes cooking demonstrations, food samples and local restaurants, wineries and breweries with offerings.

Listen to IPR's conversation with Whitney Waara, chief operating officer of TC Tourism, which is behind the event.

Full disclosure: Waara also serves on IPR's Community Advisory Council. Decisions on what to cover are made independently by newsroom staff.