Weekend Pick: Metro Cooking DC Show

Several Northern Virginia specialty food businesses will be among the more than 400 booths displaying their wares as the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show returns to Washington, DC this weekend.

The show, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, is a two-day festival of the latest in cookware, snacks, entertaining ideas and ingredients.

The other highlight – celebrity chef demonstrations. Among those on the schedule: Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis and Jeff Mauro; Jacques & Claudine Pépin; The Chew's Michael Symon and Carla Hall and Top Chef's Gail Simmons and Tom Colicchio.

In addition, local and regional chefs all honored as James Beard Foundation winners, nominees or as guest chefs at The James Beard House, will take the Food Lion Cooking Stage honoring the James Beard Foundation.

Local businesses with booths include Custom Cake Bites of Fairfax, A Bit More Sweets and Specialities of Springfield (longtime vendors at the Reston Farmers Market at Lake Anne), Grace's Pastries of Herndon and Kaldi Tastes sauces and olive oils of Lorton, among others.

Throughout the event there will be ongoing tasting and entertaining workshops from knife skills to holiday entertaining. There will also be a beer, wine and spirits pavilion that will highlight local mixologists.

Ticket packages are available, including a two-day pass that offers access to all celebrity theater presentations as well as VIP tickets affording meet-and-greet receptions with some of the stars and a lively “Sandwich and Beer” event with “The Sandwich King” Jeff Mauro and Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s beer director Greg Engert.

The show is 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.

Ticket prices: General Admission - $24.50 in advance; $27 at the door

Children 4-12 - $12.50 in advance; $15 at the door

Children under 4 free

For more information and a complete schedule of events: www.MetroCookingDC.com