82 Queen offers royal treatment

Patrons who order one appetizer, two entrees and a dessert at 82 Queen will be provided with the managers' choice of a complimentary bottle of wine.

Mention this "secret" offer to your server. This offer is valid during dinner service, 5:30-10 p.m.

To reserve, call 723-7591. This offer disappears after Sept. 1.

'Barolo'

Chef Ken Vedrinski and "Barolo" author Matthew Gavin Frank will host a four-course dinner highlighting the food and wine of the Piemontese area of Italy and Barolo, the city from which the book takes its name.

The evening begins at 6 p.m. Aug. 6 at Trattoria Lucca with a book signing and reception with dinner at 7 p.m.

Dinner and pairings are $75, excluding tax and gratuity; reservations are required.

Trattoria Lucca is at 41-A Bogard Street. www.luccacharleston.com. To reserve, call 973-3323.

Tomata-Lata

Chef Mike Lata of FIG Restaurant will travel to Atlanta on Aug. 8 to participate in the second annual "Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival," a benefit for Georgia Organics, a nonprofit organization working to integrate healthy, sustainable and locally grown food into the lives of all Georgians.

Lata and 26 other award-winning Southern chefs will team up with local Georgia farmers and mixologists to produce an afternoon of tomato-inspired dishes.

The chef with the winning dish will be crowned "Tomato Queen/King" of the festival.

The festival will take place 1-5 p.m. Aug. 8 at JCT Kitchen & Bar at 1198 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. 404-355-2252. www.jctkitchen.com.

Glass Onion

The Glass Onion restaurant will celebrate its featured Robert Pecota Sauvignon Blanc with a sampling Aug. 2.

From 5 to 9 p.m., servers will offer a taste of this Napa Valley white to all interested diners.

The restaurant is at 1219 Savannah Highway. www.ilovetheglassonion.com.

Butchers

Taste Network is back at school with Protein University and the national "Who's Your Butcher?" contest.

Each week videos will feature dedicated chefs and butchers responsible for keeping the art of butchering alive.

To enter, go to www.proteinuniversity.com, fill out the form and upload a short video clip of your butcher technique.

All videos will be broadcast on ProteinU's YouTube Channel. On Aug. 10, the ProteinU Advisory Board will announce the Top 20.

Critics dinner

Five of Charleston's top food writers have come together to create the Ultimate Critics Dinner, sponsored by The Cottages on Charleston Harbor, Sept. 1.

The inaugural event will benefit the 2011 BB&T Charleston Wine + Food Festival's signature charity.

The dinner will begin at 6 p.m.

Chefs include Jeremiah Bacon of Carolina's; Sean Brock of McCrady's (Chef Chair); Craig Deihl of Cypress; Mike Lata of FIG; Frank Lee of Slightly North of Broad; Michelle Weaver of Charleston Grill; and Lauren Mitterer of WildFlour Pastry.

Critics and food writers include Jeff Allen of City Paper; Holly Herrick, a local author and writer; Robert Moss of City Paper; Deidre Schipani of The Post and Courier; and Marion Sullivan of Charleston magazine.

Tickets are $200. Guests who would like to attend both the Ultimate Critics Dinner and the Sept. 2 Charleston Wine + Food Festival Ticket Launch + Benefit Party are encouraged to reserve tickets at the same time to save $15.

Advanced reservations are required by calling 727-9998, ext.1 or by e-mailing jessica@charlestonwineandfood.com by Aug. 30.

Poster art

For all the poster artists out there, now is the time to get inspired. Take your muse to the Julia Santeen Gallery, 188 King St., and become poster-inspired for the 2011 BB&T Wine + Food annual poster contest sponsored by Charleston Magazine.

The winner will receive $1,000. Submission deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 17.

The official poster will be unveiled Dec. 5 at Wine Under The Oaks at Boone Hall Plantation.

For details, go to charlestonmag.com or e-mail art@charlestonwineandfood.com

The BB&T Wine + Food Festival takes place March 3-6.

WOK wonk

WOK has hired new chef Kichuel Sunoda, who comes to the green restaurant at 349 King St., via Chicago, L.A. and New York. He has made changes in the menu that include the addition of sushi.

Table service is now offered at dinner. A new patio opened up in early summer making green the operative word. Take-out and delivery are available. Visit www.worldorientalkitchen.com or call 577-7776.

Annual pig roast

The folks at Montreux Bar and Grill in Summerville will host its inaugural Pig Roast on Aug. 7. The music will be live, the beer cold and the pig smokin'.

Montreux's is at 127 W. Richardson Ave., Summerville. Visit www.montreuxbarandgrill.com.

Cuoco Pazzo

Cuoco Pazzo Restaurant at 1035 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Mount Pleasant, has added a tenor to the menu.

Riccardo Francese performs at the restaurant at 7-9 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

For those suffering from Robert's withdrawal, get an opera fix at Cuoco Pazzo. Visit www.cuocopazzo.com or call 971-9034.