Move over, Iron Chef. The latest hot culinary competition is the popular “Sommelier Smackdown,” which pits two wine experts in a palate-to-palate showdown at the Wine School of Philadelphia.
Armed with the same menu, the two contestants – an instructor and a sommelier from a local restaurant – purchase wines from local retailers to complement each dish. Attendees then decide the winner after tasting the food-wine pairings.
The October 30th challenge with Le Castegne's Anthony Masapollo is already sold out, but tickets are still available for the event on December 12th (7:30–9:30 PM; $53.99 per person; 2006 Fairmount Ave.; 215-965-1514; for more details, go to www.vinology.com).