Food & Wine Classic in Charleston Reveals Full 2026 Schedule

Charleston’s culinary calendar is about to get even busier.

The Food & Wine Classic in Charleston has revealed its complete 2026 schedule and expanded talent lineup ahead of its return from November 13–15. The third annual festival will bring nationally recognized chefs, beverage professionals, cooking demonstrations, Grand Tastings and exclusive Lowcountry experiences to venues across downtown Charleston.

Hosted by Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure and Southern Living and presented by Explore Charleston, this year’s Classic will feature more than 40 chef demonstrations and beverage seminars, four Grand Tastings and nine additional ticketed experiences.

Weekend passholders can begin registering for their preferred seminars on Wednesday, August 26.

What Is Included With a Weekend Pass?

A weekend consumer pass includes admission to all four Grand Tastings and the opportunity to select five cooking demonstrations, beverage seminars, workshops or panel discussions.

The Grand Tastings will take place at the Charleston Visitor Center at 375 Meeting Street. More than 100 chefs, restaurants, winemakers, distillers and exhibitors from the Lowcountry and beyond are expected to participate throughout the weekend.

Passholders will also receive exclusive access to purchase tickets for additional culinary experiences curated by the editors of Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure and Southern Living.

All Food & Wine Classic events are restricted to guests 21 and older, including cooking demonstrations, seminars and Grand Tastings.

Celebrity Chefs and Culinary Personalities Coming to Charleston

The newly announced lineup includes several nationally recognized chefs and media personalities:

• Nyesha Arrington
• Maneet Chauhan
• Tyler Florence
• Carla Hall
• Andrew Zimmern
• Eric Ripert
• Nancy Silverton
• Martin Yan
• Melissa King
• Rick Martinez
• Katie Button
• Susur Lee
• Dan Pashman

Charleston’s culinary scene will also be represented by local chefs and personalities including Mike Lata, Amethyst Ganaway, James London, Shuai Wang, Hector Garate and Tia Clark.

Twelve presenters will make their Food & Wine Classic in Charleston debuts, including Carla Hall, Martin Yan, Nancy Silverton, Rick Martinez, Katie Button, Ana Castro and Justin Pichetrungsi.

Notable Cooking Demonstrations and Conversations

The newly released seminar schedule includes programs covering everything from fried chicken and baking to barbecue, Mexican cuisine, Chinese cooking and wine pairings.

Featured sessions include:

• “Crispy Business: Legendary Fried Chicken and All the Fixin’s” with Tyler Florence
• “Carla Bakes: Sweet, Savory, and From the Heart” with Carla Hall
• “Tacos Without Borders” with Ana Castro and Justin Pichetrungsi
• “Yan Can Cook, King Can Too” with Martin Yan and Melissa King
• “American Smoke: Pitmasters on the Future of Barbecue” featuring Shuai Wang, Hector Garate and Clay Williams
• A live recording of The Sporkful hosted by Dan Pashman
• A fireside conversation with Eric Ripert and CNBC’s Scott Wapner
• “Celebrating 20 Years of Pizzeria Mozza” with Nancy Silverton

A new Best New Chef Kitchen series will bring together Food & Wine Best New Chef honorees from different generations to discuss their careers, techniques and culinary influences.

More Than 20 Beverage Seminars

Wine, beer, bourbon and cocktail enthusiasts will have more than 20 beverage sessions to consider when registration opens.

The schedule includes:

• “The $20 vs. $200 Bottle Battle: Can You Taste the Price?”
• “Better With Beer: Local Snacks, Global Brews”
• “Fried Chicken & Fine Wine”
• “Pearls & Pours: The Greatest Wines for Oysters”
• “Champagne Talks: Great Stories and Exceptional Sparklers”
• “Chefs vs. Somms Showdown: Who Has a Better Palate?”
• “Crushable Wines for Game-Day Tailgates”

The Classic is also introducing its Makers Series, which expands the programming beyond food and drinks with workshops such as fall floral arranging and “Biscuits and Bubbles.”

Pearls of the Coast Oyster Roast

One of the weekend’s signature events will be the Pearls of the Coast Oyster Roast, featuring live-fire roasted oysters, a raw bar, cocktails, wine and live music.

The participating lineup includes Mike Lata, Trey McMillan, Shuai Wang, Terrell Burg Brown, Hector Garate and Nyesha Arrington.

Tickets for the oyster roast and other exclusive experiences are limited and available to Food & Wine Classic passholders.

Southern Living Lowcountry Tailgate Moves to Cistern Yard

The Southern Living Lowcountry Tailgate will return with a new location at the College of Charleston’s historic Cistern Yard.

The college-football-themed celebration will feature Southern barbecue, cocktails, live game viewing and music from Penelope Road. The culinary lineup includes Maneet Chauhan, George Motz, Robbie Robinson, Elliott Moss, Lewis Donald and Kwame Onwuachi.

The Lowcountry Tailgate is scheduled for Saturday, November 14 from 6–9:30 p.m. Tickets are currently listed at $295 and are available to festival passholders.

Crabbing With Tia Returns as a Sea-to-Table Experience

Travel + Leisure will host three Sea to Table excursions led by local food and beverage expert Tia Clark of Casual Crabbing With Tia.

Each experience begins with a hands-on crabbing expedition along the Ashley River before continuing to an intimate chef-led lunch:

• Friday: Alec Gropman of By The Way
• Saturday: Malcolm McMillan of Costa
• Sunday: Lamont Ferrebee of 82 Queen

Tickets are listed at $375, plus the cost of a required South Carolina saltwater fishing license.

Additional ticketed options include a Lowcountry oyster farm tour and specially curated Charleston history, architecture and cultural experiences.

What Attendees Should Know

Dates: November 13–15, 2026
Grand Tasting location: Charleston Visitor Center, 375 Meeting Street
Seminar registration: Opens August 26 for passholders
Age requirement: All events are 21 and older
Weather policy: Events take place rain or shine
Tickets: Weekend passes and special-event tickets are available through the Food & Wine Classic in Charleston website

Because seminar registration reserves a preferred session but does not guarantee admission for late arrivals, attendees are encouraged to arrive at least 15 minutes before their scheduled programs.

Charleston’s Culinary Spotlight Keeps Growing

The Food & Wine Classic has quickly become one of Charleston’s biggest culinary weekends, combining the city’s established food traditions with nationally recognized talent and experiences built specifically around the Lowcountry.

From live-fire oyster roasts and Southern barbecue to crabbing excursions, chef demonstrations and guided beverage tastings, the expanded 2026 schedule gives visitors—and Charleston residents—several ways to experience the city’s culinary culture.

Passholders can explore the complete seminar schedule before registration opens August 26.