presented by RBC
Hot + Spicy Food Festival presented by NOW Magazine

September 4 – 7

TORONTO, ON – The 12th edition of the Hot + Spicy Food Festival promises to be the most overwhelmingly mouth-watering and aurally indulgent festival yet. The final weekend in the World Routes summer series kicks off Friday September 4 with local Latin fusion artists Lady Son & Articulo Veinte who warm up the stage for SalsAfrica – a highly-charged, rhythmically-inspired group of musicians led by percussionist Luisito Orbegoso. Salsafrica features the heavyweights of Toronto’s Cuban, African and Jazz music scenes (including Donne Roberts, Adam Soloman, David Virelles, Mark Kelso and many more.) The Sauce Boss (aka Bill Wharton) cooks gumbo using his signature Liquid Summer hot sauce while singing and playing slide guitar.

The delectable offerings from Louisiana pepper the festival with live performances from the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’ - Grammy winning singer Irma Thomas who marks the 50th anniversary of her first recording session this year and an over 10 year hiatus from Harbourfront Centre. Fellow Grammy award-winning Zydeco artist Terrance Simien also performs and does a Creole for kidz workshop. Up-and-coming charming Canadian Beatboxing soul singer C.R Avery opens for Thomas. The Rebirth Brass band oil their valves up for a night of grooves and Village Voice writer Greg Tate leads the ever-chaotic free-Jazz multi-racial ensemble of musicians in The Burnt Sugar Chamber Arkestra using the Butch Morris's Conduction System for orchestral improvisation at the Late Night NOW performance area for two evenings of not-to-be-missed live music.

Festival attendees can light their tongues on fire at the returning Red Hot Market, featuring hot sauces, dips and marinades from around the world. The International Iron Chef Competition returns with Chef Ben Thibodeaux (Louisiana), Chef Kent Tran (New Mexico) and a specially voted Canadian Iron Chef competing for Hot + Spicy Food Festival glory. New this year is the Emerging Chef Competition, where local and recent graduates from Humber College Culinary School, Niagara-on-the-Lake Culinary School, Stratford Chefs School and the Liaison College of Culinary Arts go head-to-head. The winning Emerging Chef is bestowed an all-inclusive trip for two to the Breezes Runaway Bay Resort in Jamaica sponsored by Superclubs and itravel2000. Meet the Street Meats celebrates the newly sanctioned explosion of diverse street foods available to Toronto locals and visitors through a series of ongoing demonstrations throughout the weekend (presented with Toronto à la carte.)

Get a sneak peek of the local heroes from the 2010 Toronto Firefighter Calendar (all proceeds go to the Princess Margaret Hospital). 10 Tastes to Try Before You Die programs some of Toronto’s best chefs who take a favorite and turn it on its head. The selection of foods showcased includes everything from Curry Chicken Poutine from Ryan Smolkin from Smokes Poutinerie to Chili Chicken Orzo from The Food Network’s Roger Mooking (who hosts the show Everyday Exotic) to Mini Tuna Wasabi Burgers courtesy of Winlai Wong from The Spice Route. Two books of a culinary theme are launched within the festival – The beerbistro Cookbook (featuring beer pairings during the discussion courtesy of Molson Canada Ltd.) and The Settler’s Cookbook. Controversial activist/farmer Michael Schmidt joins the fest to screen his documentary feature Organic Hero or Bioterrorist .

Brazil’s dance culture is celebrated by Afro-Brazilian group Dance Migration and the martial artists of Capoeira Camará. Newly formed group Bracatum drums up sounds of North Eastern Brazil. Hoop Toronto and Circus Alchemy perform and teach workshops.

About World Routes
A series of FREE festivals that run from July through September, World Routes presented by RBC explores ideas in contemporary culture, bringing together rich, artistic traditions from around the globe. For complete information visit harbourfrontcentre.com or call 416-973-4000. Harbourfront Centre is located at 235 Queens Quay West, in Toronto.

Louisiana programming in the Hot + Spicy Food Festival is co-produced with the Office of Lieutenant Governor, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and Louisiana Office of Tourism.