We spoke with Tony Porcellini, Director of Food & Beverage and Woody Mitchell, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at Hammock Beach Golf Resort & Spa to catch a glimpse into what takes place behind the scenes at their annual Food and Wine Classic.
When asked what inspired the Food and Wine Classic, Tony explained, “When you look across Florida, you’ll see some fantastic food and wine events in cities like Miami and Orlando. But up here in Northern Florida, there wasn’t much happening. St. Augustine has tried, but it hasn’t really taken off, and there’s nothing in Jacksonville or Palm Coast. So we thought, why not create a premier food and wine event right here on the ocean at this stunning resort?”
We asked Tony how the event has grown from year 1 to year 2. “It’s been like watching a baby grow. Last year was one night, and we were aiming for 300 people, but ended up with 250. This year, we expanded it to two nights, increased the number of wines to over 90 selections, and added a retail store for guests to purchase their favorite bottles. We’re expecting around 500 attendees this year. Next year, we plan to grow even more, aiming for 800 people with added activities like a golf tournament, a 5K run, and interactive food and beverage seminars.”
We also asked about the process of planning the menu and selecting the wines. “Planning starts early. We’ll have our first meeting for the 2025 event on September 17th! The first step is always selecting the wines because that’s what people come for. We choose high-end wines from top producers like Justin Reserve, Silver Oak, and Foley Reserve. Once we’ve got the wines, we focus on pairing them with gourmet dishes. Every food booth represents one of our resort’s outlets, from Delfinos Italian Chophouse to Atlantic Grille and Pizza & Gelato. We want each station to offer signature bites that complement the wine selection.”
Tony also explained how events such as the Food and Wine Classic give back to the community. “Events like this create a culture around food and wine. They bring art and creativity into the mix, attracting people from outside the area who might not have known about Palm Coast. It really helps put the region on the map, bringing in visitors who fall in love with the area and want to come back.”
In order to ensure guests have a memorable experience, Tony said, “We focus on creating “wow” moments. Whether it’s offering an unexpected dish, pouring a secret drink, or interacting with guests directly, we strive to leave a lasting impression. Our managers are on the floor during the event, engaging with attendees and getting firsthand feedback. Last night, we had members shaking our hands, telling us how incredible the event was. That’s the best feeling in food and beverage—when you know you’ve nailed it.”
According to Tony, key elements of a successful festival comes down to three things: entertainment, wine, and food. “Our entertainment is top-notch, with a soulful guitarist followed by a live band. The wines have to be high-quality, with recognizable labels like Quilt and Foley that make people go, “Wow!” And the food has to match that quality. On top of that, the atmosphere has to be fun and inviting, like a street festival. Even though we had to move indoors due to the weather, we kept that vibe alive by setting up food tents throughout different rooms.”
When asked how he measures the success of the Food & Wine Classic, Tony answered, “It’s all about the feedback we get from our guests. When people are leaving with smiles on their faces, high-fiving us, and telling us they can’t wait for next year, we know we’ve succeeded. Last year, we had 200 attendees. This year, we’re over 500. Next year, we’re aiming for 800. That growth is the ultimate measure of success, and it’s why I love what I do. We’re looking at the weekend after Labor Day, so keep your eyes peeled! We’ll have everything finalized by the end of September and start promoting the 2025 event in October.”
Woody Mitchell, Assistant Director of Food & Beverage, shared with us how the service staff prepares for events such as the Food & Wine Classic. “With an event of this scale, it requires the effort of everyone. This isn’t something that one or two people can handle. We begin planning a year in advance. As a matter of fact, we’ve already scheduled our first meeting for the 2025 event on September 17th.”
He went on to explain, “We have eight different restaurants on the property, plus our banquet and catering departments. For the event, all of them are involved. We’ve got 10 food tents tonight, and every outlet has a specific role. We talk about our vision for the event, what the Food and Wine Classic means to us, and what we want it to mean to the surrounding area. There’s a lot of thought and passion that goes into the experience we’re creating. From a front-of-house perspective, we work closely with the service staff. Months in advance, we discuss how many people are expected, where they’re coming from, and what they’ll be expecting from the resort. For many guests, this will be their first time at Hammock Beach, so it’s a huge opportunity to make a lasting impression. We ensure our team knows about the wineries we’re representing and are prepared to answer any questions about the property and its restaurants.”
We asked Woody how the staff trained and prepared for the Food & Wine Classic. “It’s a lot of sit-down conversations where we cast the vision for the event. Throughout the year, we host various trainings—wine classes, spirits classes, and food training—because Tony and I are both passionate about learning more about the industry and hospitality. But for an event like this, it’s all about making sure everyone shares the same mindset. We want the entire team to be focused on creating a welcoming experience and a remarkable atmosphere for our guests. Leading up to the event, we pull in every department—rooms, reservations, housekeeping, engineering, sales and marketing, and of course, food and beverage. Everyone has a role to play. On the day of the event, we’ll have 18 to 25 people working the front-of-house alone. In the back, we’ve got 20 chefs and culinarians in action. Every manager is on duty, and every salaried chef is on call. It really does take an army to bring this together.”
