New York City is gearing up for a major fall festival, and guess who’s leading the charge? None other than Sofía Vergara and her son, Manolo Gonzalez Vergara. This dynamic mother-son duo is set to host a special event at the city’s biggest autumn food festival.
Sofía, 53, and Manolo, 34, are teaming up for the Grand Tasting: Daytime Edition. This event is a key part of the 18th annual New York City Wine and Food Festival. You can catch their specific event on Saturday, October 18, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The full festival experience runs from Wednesday, October 15, to Sunday, October 19. It all takes place at the new Invesco QQQ Festival Campus, nestled in Lower Manhattan’s historic Seaport district.
Sofía shared her excitement about the event. According to reports from Us Weekly, she called it “a lot of fun” because it also helps a good cause. She added, “I’m really looking forward to being there with TOMA. But I also want to see what other food is there!” Manolo completely agreed with his mom. He told Us Weekly that it’s a “wonderful event.” Manolo, a big fan of Food Network, joked, “Anything Food Network related, I say, ‘Yeah, we’re there. We’re going to do it. Let me see Bobby Flay!'” He also sees this as a huge chance for their brand, TOMA. “TOMA doesn’t really have a big presence in New York,” he explained. “So this is a great opportunity for New Yorkers to try us for the first time. We’re going to hand out thousands of samples that day. So come check it out!”
TOMA is the family’s Latin culinary brand, started by Manolo and Sofía in June 2024. They offer tasty treats like empanadas, pandebono, and ham croquettes. In just over a year since launching, TOMA has expanded. You can now find their products in a thousand Walmart stores, various restaurants, and other shops. Manolo proudly describes TOMA as “the best of Latin America, the best of Latin cuisine.” He shared their creative process. “We picked our favorite dishes from different South American countries. Then, we created our own versions and launched the brand a little over a year and a half ago. We are growing really fast right now!”
This year’s festival isn’t just about good food and drinks; it’s also for a great cause. It supports both the Event Zero Foundation and the James Beard Foundation. Over the past 18 years, the festival has raised more than $14.8 million for charity. A press release highlighted the Grand Tasting as “the crown jewel” of the New York City Wine and Food Festival. It’s described as a “total party of food and drink.” This all-day celebration brings together the city’s best flavors with its biggest culinary stars.
If you grab a ticket for the Grand Tasting: Daytime Edition, get ready for a treat. Here’s what you can expect:
- Try hundreds of top wines and spirits from Southern Glazer’s exclusive collection.
- Enjoy endless, delicious dishes from an amazing lineup of restaurants.
- Look forward to tasty choices from all five boroughs, showing off New York’s best food scene.
- Watch live cooking demos with today’s top food stars and famous chefs, including faces from Food Network.
- Meet your favorite chefs and take home signed copies of their newest cookbooks.
- Grab free gifts from fantastic food companies.
Past festivals have seen stars like Blake Lively, Snoop Dogg, and Martha Stewart join the fun. This year promises an even bigger crowd of talent. Over five days, more than 500 chefs, food experts, drink makers, and creators will be there. The impressive guest list includes Brooklyn Beckham, Ja Rule, DJ Cassidy, Bobby Flay, Maneet Chauhan, Alex Guarnaschelli, Michael Voltaggio, Brooke Williamson, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, José Andrés, Alain Ducasse, Alice Waters, and Kwame Onwuachi. Tickets for the festival are available for those who want to join the culinary celebration.