It turns out that Epcot had a few weeks on the calendar without a festival of some sort, so now comes the debut of the Epcot International Festival of the Arts. It will run weekends (Friday to Monday) through February 20, just in time to get out of the way of the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, which opens March 1.
It says Festival of the Arts, and certainly the media that come to mind — painting, sculpture and such — are part of it. But the festivaleers are also emphasizing performing arts and, to our interest, the culinary arts, as well.
Epcot executive chef Michael Deardorff said that he and his culinary team found out about the new fest while the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival was going on, so they had a short time to come up with a plan. As Deardorff explains in the video, the food they’re offering is different from some of the other festivals in that it’s a bit more complex. Some of it will take more time to plate — you know, to make it all arty and all — so you may have to wait in line a tad longer.
Be sure to check out the Pan-seared Scallops with Chorizo and Roasted Red Pepper Coulis and the Trio of Savory Croissant Doughnuts.
Some of the food options will be in kiosks and special venues, such as Odyssey, which is the festival’s headquarters, and others will be offered at restaurants throughout the park. Here’s a full list of the food sites:
The Painter’s Palate, Odyssey
Decadent Delights, Showcase Plaza (yes, beginning of World Showcase coming from Future World)
E=AT (squared) Showcase Plaza
Pop Eats, Showcase Plaza
El Artista Hambriento , Mexico
Cuisine Classique, Germany
The Artist’s Table, American Adventure
Masterpiece Kitchen, Canada
Kabuki Café, Japan — Futomaki Sushi
Tangierine Café, Morocco – Falafel with pickled beets and turnip, tomato salad and tahini sauce
Les Halles Boulangerie-Patissserie, France – Opera Cake
