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A few weekends ago was an embarrassment of riches; it was one of those truly indulgent weekends in which all my activities–and I mean all–centered around food. Needless to say, there is no other way I’d care to spend my time.

Seckel Pear Duck Liver Mousse

As a native Delawarean, I was thrilled to attend the MidAtlantic Wine and Food Festival—a 4-day event with over 40 demos, lectures, and dinners that span the entire length of the state. Rodney Square was turned into a tent city as Festival Village, a gathering of chefs and vendors, made its way into the city. While there were plenty of celebrity chef appearances and collaborations, the festival focused on local chefs who are doing progressive cuisine and are pushing the culinary envelope in a state whose own dining scene has often been overshadowed by that of nearby Philadelphia, New York City, and Washington, DC.

Saffron Bourse Robiola

On Friday night, 6 local chefs proved their kitchen prowess at a multi-course dinner called Pop-Up Restaurant 2020 at Vicmead Hunt Club in tony Greenville. The night was a veritable who’s-who of Delaware elite with some of the area’s most notable and distinguished residents in attendance, all eager to dine on the chefs’ take on food of tomorrow. The night welcomed some of the region’s most progressive chefs, including Bill Hoffman (The House of William and Merry), Eric Aber (Home Grown Cafe), Mike Kelly (Vicmead Hunt Club), Patrick D’Amico (Harry’s Savoy Grill) and Robbie Jester. As the dinner’s title implies, the menu fast forwarded guests 7 years into the future with whimsical and, often times, forward-thinking dishes; each course included a wine pairing and an astute lecture by various members of the Delaware Wine Guild. The general consensus of the night was if this is what the future holds, we can’t wait to ring in 2020.

Images: Iris McCarthy

Iris McCarthy - LWP Blogger BadgeIris McCarthy is a freelance food writer and blogger in the Greater Philadelphia region with a passion for writing and food culture. Iris lives in the Philadelphia suburbs, but spends much of her time eating, working and playing in the city. When she’s not attending local food events, scoping out new ice cream spots to satiate her sweet tooth, or covering the Philly food scene, Iris can be found checking out the latest community theaters and museums. Follow Iris as she dines around Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs on her popular food blog The Palate Princess and via Twitter @PalatePrincess.