Pat Evans

Another one of the Taste of the Sample Circuit's hosts includes KARE 11's Pat Evans. He joined KARE 11 News in 1994 and has played many roles during his time at the station. Currently, he co-anchors KARE 11 NEWS @ 4:00pm weekdays on television and online with Diana Pierce. He is also considered a valuable part of the weather team. Evans was recently awarded a Regional Emmy for his "Guthrie On The River" news special. He is also a contributing writer for Twin Cities Luxury + Fashion Magazine. Evans earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science from the University of San Francisco. In his free time, he loves to walk the lakes of Minneapolis. More importantly, he enjoys being an active community volunteer.

Jill Forster

At 7:15 pm, Jill Forster, the Imported Cheese Specialist of Kowalski’s Markets will be holding a demonstration at the Taste of the Sample Circuit. Jill is Kowalski’s Imported Cheese Lead Organizer, a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute, and cooked at some of the best restaurants in the country before moving to Minnesota. Her long time passion for cheese makes her ideally suited for her position at Kowalski’s. Kowalski's Markets have an incredible selection of artisan cheese from over 50 countries. With over eight stores and a ninth slated for opening in Eagan in November, you should always be able to satisfy all your fromage desires.

Z-Wines

The multitude of VIP demonstrators at the Taste of the Sample Circuit include Roy Goslin and Dianne Ferrandi of Z-Wines. They grew up in the winelands of South Africa. Family vineyards, hands on experience, and friendships with winemakers provided them with access to some of the finest wines made in the Cape. Z-Wines selections win the attention of wine connoisseurs and novices alike. They’re not about high volumes of product, nor about wine snobbery. They’re about friends sharing excellent wines with delicious food. We represent lifestyle wine lovers and want to share our passion.

About Z-Wines (from their Web site.)

The Love Affair

A day without wine is like a day without sunshine – French proverb

"We live to eat – our daily meals consist of food simply prepared from the freshest ingredients we can find along with a glass of wine. Much of what we do in life is ultimately connected to our love of food and wine.

We entertain at home; pulling the treasures that we have discovered from our cellar; preparing food and breaking bread with friends; and, sharing good conversation. On many evenings we will whip up a few courses that would pair well with one or two of our wines and sit and enjoy one another’s company. Our gifts to friends and our community are centered around the food and wine theme.

When we travel, the journey always includes a destination where the focus is a food and wine experience. We seek out the places where the local people like to gather and eat; we ask about the wines that they enjoy and then search out the wineries – we will often end up in the cellar with a local winemaker sampling new wine from the barrel.

Many of our fondest memories are woven from the threads of these moments – and, this is how we have found the wines that constitute our initial portfolio!

South Africa

Growing up in the winelands of South Africa we were blessed with many opportunities to experience food and wine as the foundations of a sound lifestyle. We lived amidst some of the world’s most beautiful scenery; there were many natural foods available to harvest from the wild; our meals were always made from fresh ingredients and were unhurried affairs often shared with extended family and friends. And, we were introduced to the appreciation of wine at an early age.

Both of our families had connections to the wine and food industries. Dianne’s parents owned vineyards and she thus learnt a great deal about vineyard management through her close relationship with her father. Roy spent several years working on the production side for one of South Africa’s largest wine producers and several mentors helped shape his interest and knowledge. Friendships with winemakers provided us with access to some of the finest wines made in the Cape. In hindsight it seems inevitable that these influences along with our business experience would guide us to devoting our energies to launching a venture like Z Wines USA."

Chef George P. Snyder, III

Demonstrating at 5pm in the Taste of the Sample Circuit's VIP section will be Chef George P. Snyder, III. A self taught, multi-talented chef who began his career in the early 80’s at Commander’s Palace in New Orleans, Snyder worked under prominent chefs Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme, perfecting his culinary skill and developing his signature style with diners. George returned home to Minnesota to round out his resume working at The Fort Snelling Officers Club, Palomino/Kincaid, Table of Contents, and The Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Plymouth. George proudly exhibits his award winning food at McCormick and Schmick’s Fresh Seafood in downtown Minneapolis.

Asher Miller

At 5pm Chef Asher Miller will be a VIP demonstrator at the Taste of the Sample Circuit. A New Hampshire native, received his culinary training at the Art Institutes International in Minneapolis and has since brought his passion for food to kitchens around the Twin Cities. One of his first projects was assisting in the creation of Fermentations, a wine bar and bistro outside Northfield, Minnesota. After two years at Fermentations, Chef Miller joined Barbette in Minneapolis as sous chef, finding his space in the close-knit culinary community of the Twin Cities. Since he joined 20.21 and Wolfgang Puck Catering, he has fine-tuned his leadership and work philosophy in the kitchen.

Sample Circuit Recommends...

Daniel Green

Daniel Green is scheduled to be the Taste of Sample Circuit's VIP Host on October 29th. He is a world renown chef who has hosted television shows on Discovery, BBC, ITV and Sky. He is currently the in-house chef for ShopNBC in the USA, as well as filming several series in Asia. In addition to his television work, Chef Green has hosted cooking events around the world including the Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-LA, and the set up of the major London nightclub, Nells. Forever staying busy and wanting to share his passion with others, he finds time to share is recipes to the world through his four published cookbooks.

Chef Paul Lynch

A demonstration at 7:45 pm for the Taste of the Sample Circuit will include Chef Paul Lynch of Fire Lake Grill House. He is a Texas native who moved to Minnesota in 1999 and has embraced the local ingredients of his area in the food he serves at his restaurants. A father of two, he is an avid gardener and passionate supporter of local and regional farmers. Read his bio here.

At FireLake, Chef Lynch has delved into the regional cuisine of the heartland and reinterpreted it with a creative and often whimsical flair. His menu at FireLake features a wide range of regional products, from artisinal cheeses, many of them from Minnesota cheese makers, to fresh organic produce from nearby farms. He has sought out local beef, buffalo and elk, as well as freshwater fish. His Texas roots are evident in his signature rotisserie dishes. By using several different hard woods, including hickory, alder, mesquite and apple, he creates diverse and rich flavors to perfectly compliment his ingredients.

Chef Lynch has received numerous accolades, including the prestigious Carlson Fellows Lifetime Achievement Award for creativity and innovation. In 2007, he was named one of the “Restaurateurs of the Year" by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and was the recipient of the 2006 Beef Backer Award, presented by the Minnesota Beef Council. Chef Lynch received top honors at the 2005 Minnesota Taste of Elegance competition and was named “Best Newcomer” by Where Magazine in 2004, shortly after opening FireLake. His culinary talents have been recognized in numerous national and regional publications including Bon Appetit, Chocolatier, Delta’s Sky, Minnesota Monthly, Lavender, Midwestern Living, Minneapolis St. Paul magazine and The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

Sneak Preview

Stay tuned through the next following weeks in order to get sneak previews about the talents and personalities who are going to present at Taste of the Sample Circuit! We're excited to give you a Sample ...

Join Us Online!

The Sample Circuit now has a presence on Facebook! You can join the Sample Circuit group (where you'll be able to participate in conversation about Sample Circuit's events, meet people that have been to Sample Circuit events to get reviews, and network with those you meet at the events.)

You can also 'Become A Fan' of the Sample Circuit, which will allow you to view the beautiful event photos, read reviews, and stay updated on Sample Circuit's latest happenings.









All of our online photos are currently housed at the Flickr Web site. Add us as a contact to be notified when new Sample Circuit photos are posted, as well as being able to browse through photos from different restaurant events throughout the season!

See you there!