The Taste of WGBH: Food & Wine Festival Volunteer Opportunities

Calling All WGBH Food-unteers,

The Taste of WGBH Food & Wine Festival will return this October 10-13, 2019. Here’s your chance to volunteer during one of the largest food and wine festivals in New England, where variety truly is the spice of life! The multi-day festival will feature chef tastings; cooking demos; specialty craft beer and wine; LIVE music; beautiful décor; chef competitions and more. Thousands of guests are expected to join us for a weekend full of delicious festivities.

Please review all festival volunteer opportunities listed below and email me at jaime_reese@wgbh.org no later than Monday, September 30, if you would like to help. Please make sure to include the following information in your email response:

• Your full name (first and last)
• Best email address to receive email confirmation and shift reminders
• Preferred activity and event/s (including date)
• Preferred shift (if there are multiple)
• Prior related experience (e.g. volunteer work, customer service, food service, TIPS certification, etc.)

Volunteers should be comfortable standing for 4-6 hours. Set-up and breakdown volunteers must be 16+, and event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.

Wednesday, October 9 and Thursday, October 10: Chef’s Gala Set-Up
Position: Set Volunteer
Two Shifts Available: (Wed, 10/9) 2-5pm and (Thu, 10/10) 12-4pm
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set Volunteer include setting up tables, steaming tablecloths, deploying materials to different vendor stations and placing signage around Calderwood Studio. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Thursday, October 10: Chef's Gala
Positions: Registration, Ticket Taker,
Greeter, Glass Distributor, Floor Service
(keep areas tidy, empty trash, dump buckets, distribute ice, pour water), Wine Pourers (must be TIPS certified), Volunteer Photographer and Photographer Assistant. *Event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.
Shift: 5-10:30pm (Floor Service volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to the Artisan Taste on Sat, 10/12 from 2-4pm.)
Event Description: Our Chef’s Gala is the most opulent of all festival events. Guests will join us on an international journey featuring the cuisine of award-winning chefs. We’ve rolled out the red carpet for this magical evening, featuring select pairings with wineries and exclusive breweries for each enticing dish. Attendees will enjoy sweet surprises tucked among the linen-clad tables, beautiful décor and dazzling lights, hosted by WGBH’s very own Jim Braude and Margery Eagan.

Thursday, October 10: Chef's Gala Breakdown
Position: Breakdown Volunteer
Shift: 10pm-12am (Breakdown volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to the Artisan Taste on Sat, 10/12 from 2-4pm.)
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Breakdown Volunteer include folding and stacking tables, removing tablecloths, returning materials to the catering kitchen, taking down signage around Calderwood Studio, etc. Breakdown volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Friday, October 11: Artisan Taste Set-Up
Position: Set Volunteer
Two Shifts Available: 2-6pm or 6-10pm
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set Volunteer include setting up tables, steaming tablecloths, deploying materials to different stations and placing signage and festive décor around the Artisan Taste tent in the back lot. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Saturday, October 12: Artisan Taste Set-up and Vendor Welcome
Positions: Set & Greet Volunteer
Shift: 9am-1pm
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set & Greet Volunteer include last-minute set-up tasks and greeting and leading Artisan Taste exhibitors and volunteers to their designated area within the tent. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Saturday, October 12: Artisan Taste
Positions: Ticket Sales/Will Call, Bag Check, Glass/Program Distributor, TIPS Certified Pourer/ID Check, Table Runner (refill water pitchers, replace ice, clear trash around booths), VIP Lounge Assistant (restock magazines, replenish water station, keep area tidy), Volunteer Photographer and Photographer’s Assistant, WGBH Prize Wheel,
Photo Station Line Manager, Merchandise.
Shift: 12-5pm
Position Description: Guests will encounter more than 27,000 square feet of delicious surprises on the WGBH Studio lot. Competition for the WGBH Culinary Stewardship Award will be stiff this year and attendees will get to taste the crème de la crème of chef dishes before the winner is announced. The event will feature sips and bites from New England's best restaurants and international beverage producers in the Grand Tasting Pavilion; LIVE cooking demos, panel discussions, and talks featuring national and local celebrity chefs in the Culinary Theater; unique tastings in the VIP Lounge for All-Access pass holders; and LIVE musical guests on the Sound Stage curated by Front Row Boston. *Event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.

Saturday, October 12: Food Fight Set-up and Vendor Welcome
Positions: Set & Greet Volunteer
Shift: 3:45-7pm
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set & Greet Volunteer include last-minute set-up tasks and greeting and leading Food Fight exhibitors and volunteers to their designated area within the tent. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Saturday, October 12:
Food Fight: Head 2 Head Challenge
Positions: Ticket Sales/Will Call,
Ticket Taker, Bag Check, Glass/Program Distributor, Certified TIPS Pourer/ID Check, ID/Wrist Band Greeter, Table Runner (refill water pitchers, replace ice, clear trash around booths), VIP Lounge Assistant (restock magazines, replenish water station,
keep area tidy), Volunteer Photographer and
Photographer’s Assistant, WGBH Prize Wheel,
Photo Station Line Manager, Merchandise.
Shift: 6-10pm
Event Description: If our Chef's Gala takes you down the red carpet, our Food Fight moves you with a magic carpet! Diverse and talented chefs will transport guests through the streets of Bangkok, alleyways of Oaxaca, and the dusty roads of the East Bank to enjoy delicious bites from 20 chefs competing in multiple categories. Our panel of pro judges onsite will choose the winner in each category, culminating in awarding one chef the title of champion, chosen as the "Best Bite" of the day. *Event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.

Saturday, October 12: Food Fight Breakdown
Position: Breakdown Volunteer (Food Fight breakdown volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to the new Cider Session event on Sun, 10/13 from 4-6:30pm.)
Shift: 9:45pm-12am
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Breakdown Volunteer include folding and stacking tables, removing tablecloths, returning materials to the catering kitchen, taking down signage, etc. Breakdown volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Sunday, October 13: Brunch Bar Set-Up and Vendor Welcome
Position: Set & Greet Volunteer (Brunch Bar set-up volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to the new Cider Session event on Sun, 10/13 from 4-6:30pm.)
Shift: 8-11am
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set & Greet Volunteer include last-minute set-up tasks and greeting and leading Brunch Bar exhibitors to their designated area within the tent. Volunteers will also help Brunch Bar volunteers find their assigned station once they arrive. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Sunday, October 13: Brunch Bar
Shift: 10am-2:30pm
Position: Ticket Sales/Will Call, Glass/Program Distributor, Certified TIPS Pourer/ID Check, Bag Check, Food Prep, Table Runner (refill water pitchers, replace ice, clear trash around booths), VIP Lounge Assistant (restock magazines, replenish water station,
keep area tidy), Volunteer Photographer and
Photographer’s Assistant WGBH Prize Wheel,
Photo Station Line Manager, Merchandise.
Event Description: Boston loves brunch, and this popular event sells out quickly. Brunch Bar will feature sips and brunchy bites from New England's best restaurants and international beverage producers in the Grand Tasting Pavilion; live cooking demos, panel discussions, and talks featuring national and local celebrity chefs in the Culinary Theater; unique tastings in the VIP Lounge for All-Access pass holders; and LIVE musical guests on the Sound Stage curated by Front Row Boston. *Event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.

Sunday, October 13: Cider Session Set-Up and Vendor Welcome
Position: Set & Greet Volunteer (Cider Session set-up volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to the Cider Session event on Sun, 10/13 from 4-6:30pm.)
Shift: 1:45-4pm
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Set & Greet Volunteer include last-minute set-up tasks and leading Cider Session vendors and event volunteers to their designated area within the tent. Set volunteers must be able to lift at least 10-15 pounds and be on their feet throughout their shift.

Sunday, October 13: Cider Session
Position: Ticket Sales/Will Call,
Glass/Program Distributor, Certified TIPS Pourer/ID Check, Bag Check, Food Prep,
Table Runner (refill water pitchers, replace ice, clear trash around booths), VIP Lounge Assistant (restock magazines, replenish water station, keep area tidy), Volunteer Photographer and Photographer’s Assistant, WGBH Prize Wheel,
Photo Station Line Manager, Merchandise.
Shift: 3-7:30pm
Event Description: The newest event in the WGBH Food and Wine Festival lineup, the Cider Session, is not to be missed! Guests will sample hard cider, taste Fall fare and enjoy live Celtic music. A Celtic Sojourn's Brian O’Donovan invites you to join him for this evening of discovery and delight. *Event volunteers must be 21+ years of age.

Sunday, October 13: Cider Session Breakdown
Position: Breakdown Volunteer
Shift: 6:15-10pm (Breakdown volunteers will receive a FREE ticket to attend an upcoming Stories from the Stage event.)
Position Description: Responsibilities of a Breakdown Volunteer include folding and stacking tables, removing tablecloths, returning materials to the catering kitchen, taking down signage, etc. Breakdown volunteers must be able to lift at least 20 pounds and be able to be on your feet for extended time.

Our annual Taste of WGBH Food & Wine Festival helps to support the great educational and cultural programming on WGBH. We hope you’ll be able to join us this year!

Bon Appetit!
Jaime Reese
Senior Manager, WGBH Member Engagement
tel: 617-300-4211