Schedule at a Glance

(times subject to change)

6:00pm–8:00pm Evening Welcome Reception

Arrive at your leisure but be prepared for a joyful evening at the Inn at Bellefield/Hyde Park. The Inn is our getaway for the next few days, and our experience begins with a bespoke evening welcome reception with on-site lounge, The Storyteller, serving exceptional bites and libations. Music, firepit, and of course, the opportunity to meet your hosts and fellow culinary explorers awaits.

Morning

• 6:30am–8:15am Breakfast at Inn at Bellfield: Breakfast at your leisure on the first floor of the Inn
• 8:30am–1:30pm Culinary Institute of America experience (includes lunch): Off to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), the training ground of some of the most storied chefs in history. This is a two-day affair because there is so much to do and see! Half the group will start their experience with a custom hands-on cooking program developed specifically for catering professionals (includes lunch); half the group will participate in a variety of private activities including campus tour, demos, followed by a catered lunch.

Afternoon

• 2:15pm–4:15pm Dassai Blue Sake Brewery: Visit Dassai Blue Sake Brewery where you will learn the craft of creating the highest quality sake brewed in the Hudson Valley, tour its 55,000 sq ft facility, and finish with an exceptional Yamada Nishiki rice sake tasting.

Evening

• 6:00pm–8:30pm Dinner at Brasserie 292: Enjoy a spectacular dinner at Brasserie 292, a stylish French brasserie in a restored Poughkeepsie storefront with copper tin ceilings and red booths. Owned by caterer and restaurateur Charles Fells, Brasserie 292 strives to source 90% of in-season ingredients from local vendors in the Hudson Valley. Attire: Business casual

Morning

• 6:30am–8:15am Breakfast at Inn at Bellfield at your leisure
• 8:30am–1:30pm Culinary Institute of America experience (includes lunch): Return to the CIA where the groups switch and those who toured will cook; those who previously cooked will tour! Don’t neglect a visit to the CIA bookshop—home to a plethora of items from recommended texts, cookbooks, and cook’s tools to tchotchkes and souvenirs.

Afternoon

• 2:15pm–4:15pm Millbrook Vineyards & Winery: Continue our exploration with a trip to Millbrook Vineyards & Winery. Called “the Hudson Valley’s flagship winery” by The New York Times, we’ll sip on a robust variety of recommended wines with views of the Catskill Mountains and 30 acres of vineyard to revel in. Ah, what a life.

Evening

The evening is a special one: we’ll set sail on the Pride of Hudson for a blissful late afternoon fete on the Hudson River, enjoying views of historic sites, the famed Walkway Over the Hudson, as well as bountiful bird activity.

At the Shadows Marina, we’ll set foot on land again for dinner in the Shadows on Hudson, and afterparty overlooking the Hudson. Great food, great libations, great music, and best of all, the property is owned by Michael Bonura of Bonura Hospitality, a member of the Leading Caterers of America.

• 5:45pm–6:45pm Hudson River cruise
• 6:45pm–7:30pm Pre-dinner cocktails
• 7:30pm–9:00pm Dinner at Shadows on the Hudson
• 9:00pm–10:30pm Shadows afterparty

Morning

• 7:30am–9:00am Walkway Over the Hudson
• 6:30am–9:30am Breakfast at Inn at Bellfield
• 10:00am–11:30am Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum or Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

For those who have it in them, let’s tackle Walkway Over the Hudson, the world’s longest elevated pedestrian bridge. This 1.28-mile-long steel cantilevered bridge (you can walk as far onto it as you’d like) offers views of the Catskills to the north, the Hudson Highlands to the south, and river views throughout. It’s also a great way to get some exercise after the eating extravaganza of prior days.

But should you choose to forego, have one last breakfast at your leisure before we head to your choice of:

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. This first presidential library is located on the grounds of Springwood, the Roosevelt family estate and holds the records of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The museum is a fascinating look at the FDR legacy throughout his many years, before, during, and beyond his presidency. Springwood, the home of four generations of Roosevelts, the Rose Garden, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt burial site, and other areas to explore make this an appealing choice.

-or-

The Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site. A masterpiece of American design built by one of the first families of wealth in the United States, the mansion and grounds are an absorbing dive into the upper echelon of late 19th, early 20th century wealth. Exotic wood paneling, imported marble, lush velvets, French tapestries, and, as was the custom, antique building components salvaged from the great houses of Europe deck this National Historic Landmark (an honor bestowed in 1940). Beyond the mansion, the formal gardens are spectacular and a stroll to the property’s Bard Rock allows you to observe the natural features of the Hudson River Valley.

Casual attire