Join Ray Isle, wine editor, Food & Wine; author of “The World in a Wine Glass” for a 20 minute Tasting Session featuring Champagne Collet Blanc de Blanc from Champagne France!   This delightful champagne will be paired with Sturia Caviar, sourced from France, talk about a perfect pairing.  Ray’s books features an entire chapter on Champagne.   As a finish to this Tasting Session, a limited release package, the Mittens Trio, from Wine Chips, will be savored with your final sips of Champagne.

Join Gina Ferwerda, Chef, author of Meals from the Mitten, for a 20 minutes perfect finish to your Cheers for Charity VIP Night experience.  Gina will share her love of entertaining and creating in the kitchen featuring a way to impress your holiday guests with ideas to elevate espresso martini’s featuring Stock ‘da Bar Vodka, Schuil Coffee, and some sweet treats from Frederik’s by Meijer.

Brian has been working in the restaurant and product development industry for over 25 years. Working in Michigan, New York, Florida, Alabama and North Carolina, including Hot and Hot Fish Club, Café Dupont and Upstream. Most recently as Product Development Manager for Meijer Inc. Leading Product Development for Fresh, Bakery and Dairy.

6:30pm Meijer Food Stage 

Jen studied human nutrition at Michigan State University and is a registered dietitian; shortly after graduation, she pursued her dream of becoming a chef by studying culinary arts at Kendall College in Chicago. Since becoming a chef, Jen has worked as a recipe developer, grocery store dietitian/chef and private chef. Currently, she is working for Meijer as a research and development chef, collaborating closely with the fresh assembly plant as well as the nut roasting facility.

6:30pm Meijer Food Stage 

Ray is the longtime executive wine editor for Food & Wine, as well as the wine and spirits editor for Travel + Leisure. His writing has also appeared in Departures, Wine & Spirits, Time, the Washington Post, and many other publications. He has won the IACP Award for Narrative Beverage Writing three times, the American Food Journalists Award for Beverage Writing, and the North American Travel Journalists Association Gold Award, and has been nominated three times for a James Beard Award in Beverage Writing. Ray regularly appears on national television and in other media, and speaks at wine and food events around the globe.In November, 2023 Ray’s book, The World in a Wineglass: The Insiders’ Guide to Artisanal, Sustainable, Extraordinary Wines to Drink Now was published by Scribner Books.  He lives in Brooklyn, New York.

7:45pm Meijer Food Stage 

With over three decades in the hospitality industry, Gina is a seasoned cookbook author, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Her journey has taken her from owning hotels, RV resorts, and a marina boat rental, to launching her own spice line, Silver Spices, which has become a staple in her culinary demonstrations. As a regular on TV for over 10 years, she has shared her passion for food on shows like Good Morning America and Daytime TV. Her love for community shines through as the co-founder of 100 Women Who Care of Oceana County, and she is honored to host the upcoming 100 Who Care Alliance Leadership Conference in Grand Rapids, MI, in the fall of 2025. Her story is one of flavor, entrepreneurship, and giving back, always striving to make every moment as impactful as a well-spiced dish.

8:30pm Meijer Food Stage