DETROIT — The Detroit Lions are hosting the inaugural Taste of the Lions at Ford Field on May 7. The strolling wine and food event features 22 of Metro Detroit’s top restaurants and an opportunity to meet the 2013 Detroit Lions.
Lions players — including QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson — along with coaches and alumni will be in attendance for meet-and-greet opportunities. Exclusive merchandise for autographs will be available for purchase during the event; outside items will not be permitted into the building.
Food and Beverage participants include: Forest Grill, Town Tavern, Bacco, Slows To Go, Andiamo Italia, Cuisine, Levy Restaurants, Root, Rattlesnake Club, Detroit Beer Company, Billy Sims BBQ, Henry’s, Tria, The Sardine Room, Lazy Bones BBQ, Russell Street Deli, 2 Unique, Garden Fresh, Schoolcraft College, Sweet & Savory Bake Shop, Treat Dreams, Zingerman’s Bakehouse, EJ Gallo, Atwater Brewery, and Sugar House.
Chefs will prepare a signature dish from their restaurant for guests to sample and will suggest a pairing with wines provided by E&J Gallo Winery. VIP guests will enjoy a private cocktail reception, featuring Sugar House mixologists, in the Detroit Lions locker room and have early access to each of the chef stations.
General admission tickets ($150) and VIP tickets ($250) can be purchased through Detroitlions.com and Ticketmaster.com. Both options include a Taste of the Lions tray, wine glass and gift-bags.
Guests will also enjoy live entertainment from the Jill Jack Band and a silent auction throughout the night. Silent auction items include ultimate Lions Game Day experiences, Lions memorabilia, luxury suites for upcoming Ford Field concerts, and an exclusive winery trip to northern California, provided by E&J Gallo Winery.
Taste of the Lions extends the league’s own Taste of the NFL program which began in 1992. The NFL’s annual event, held the night before the Super Bowl in the hosting city, brings together the country’s top chefs to raise funds for local food banks.
Taste of the Lions chefs will be led by Brian Polcyn, acclaimed chef and proprietor of Birmingham’s Forest Grill, who has been representing Detroit at Taste of the NFL for 20 years, including Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Chef Polcyn is a professor of culinary arts at Schoolcraft College and his award-winning restaurants and cooking have led him to become a staple in many communities and restaurants around Metro Detroit.
Proceeds from this event benefit Living for the City partner Eastern Market and their fight against Detroit’s food access crisis. As the regional food hub for metropolitan Detroit area, Eastern Market supports the economic and social health of our city. Eastern Market’s collaboration with the Detroit Lions leverage the bounty of regional agriculture to build a healthier Detroit by improving access to fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved areas.
For more information and updates on Taste of the Lions, visit www.detroitlions.com/tasteofthelions.
