On Monday, May 8, Walter Scheib of The American Chef, and formerly the executive chef at the White House under both Clinton administrations and the first Bush administration will be preparing some of his specialties and talking to guests in the dining room.
Scheib will be serving his special dishes in conjunction with Tom Purcell, national director of marketing for Merryvale Vineyards in Napa Valley, who will be going table to table in the restaurant pouring samples for guests to taste.
On Tuesday, May 9, Sharon McCarthy, wine educator for Castello Banfi, one of the most prestigious Tuscan wine estates, will be offering tastings through a broad assortment of their wines.
"These wine tastings serve as the theme for the week," said Bill Kohl president and CEO of the Harrisburg Hotel Corporation, which operates multiple properties including the Harrisburg Hilton.
"It will give people an opportunity to let people taste a breadth of wines at no risk. They can then buy the wine by the glass or bottle. Part of our mission here at BRICCO will be to educate the public about wine through events such as these on an ongoing basis," said Kohl.
On Wednesday, May 10, Dave Dahme, wine educator for Pio Cesare, a very prestigious Italian importer with wines representing the Tuscany and Piedmont regions, will be offering table-to-table tastings.
On Thursday, May 11, Joseph Darien, portfolio manager for the small prestigious Italian estates represented by Frederick Wildman and Sons, will be pouring wines from both the Tuscan and Veneto regions.
"BRICCO is a very attractive restaurant for wine dignitaries and celebrity chefs to come and visit because of the teaching aspects here with the students. Wine and food celebrities are very interested in coming and getting in front of the restaurateurs of the future and always enjoy bringing their wines into the restaurant so people can taste them with food as wine is meant to be enjoyed," said Kohl.
"As we continue to develop that corner at Third and Chestnut Streets, we want to make sure there will always be something exciting there. Wine tastings like these will give guests a chance to explore a little, play a bit, and try an array of wines they might not otherwise get to try.
"BRICCO really brings a Philadelphia/New York feel to Central Pennsylvania - the food, the service, the room. It will become the standard for dining out in Harrisburg," said Kohl.
BRICCO is a collaboration between HACC's Olewine School of Culinary Arts and Harrisburg Hotel Corporation, which manages several properties including the Hilton Harrisburg. In BRICCO's kitchens HACC's chefs and restaurateurs of the future perfect their skills alongside some of the brightest professionals in the industry today.