There’s a new kind of food lover’s festival in town, and it’s looking pretty delicious. The Emporiyum, an artisan- and chef-driven marketplace, pops up at Union Market on Saturday, November 15, and Sunday, November 16. The extravaganza has attracted a large roster of well-known local and national names, including NYC’s Momofuku Milk Bar—coming soon to DC—Jack Rudy Cocktail Co., the upcoming Thip Khao from the Bangkok Golden team, Black Seed Bagels, Austin chef Paul Qui, Toki‘s Erik Bruner-Yang, and many more.
While anyone can snag tickets to spend the weekend browsing, shopping, eating, and drinking, we have a pair of VIP tickets to give away for each day. The passes earn early access from 10 to 11 (general admission is 11 to 4), a special gift bag, a variety of free snacks and beverages while you shop, and samples from select vendors. Note that VIP admission is already sold out to the public for Saturday, and is worth $40 per person.
So how can you score entry for you and a shopping buddy? In the spirit of the pre-holiday season, tell us about the best culinary gift you’ve ever received in the comments below. It could be a kitchen or bar tool, a meal, a cookbook, an ingredient, spirits, anything. As always, thoughtful answers get extra points. The first place-winner will receive passes for the sold-out Saturday spot, while the runner-up can enjoy the same stellar lineup on Sunday.
We’ll announce the winners on Twitter at noon on Monday, November 10, so make sure to follow @Bestbitesblog.
Contest question: What is the best culinary gift you’ve ever received? Leave your answer in the comments below.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
