This year marks the Fifth Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival, and though time is short, there are still select tickets available to dine with some of the world?s top chefs and winemakers at this unparalleled gathering of culinary talent at the famous The Inn at Spanish Bay in California?s spectacular Pebble Beach.
It?s not all about gorging on gourmet fare, though. There will be a celebrity golf tournament, plenty of receptions and after-hours parties, wine tasting and pairing experiences, a Belgian beer lunch, various cooking demos and classes, blind tastings, and plenty of face time with some of the country?s most accomplished chefs.
Some of the events on order include:
Tribute to a Legend: One of the entire weekend?s centerpiece events, this dinner pays homage to a man who has changed the face and reputation of American cuisine as we know it: Thomas Keller. Twenty years ago, he launched his iconic restaurant, The French Laundry, and since then, he has become the only American chef with not one, but two simultaneous three-Michelin-star restaurants to his name (The French Laundry and Per Se). Just as impressive as the contributing chefs ? who include Daniel Boulud, Nancy Oakes and Michael White ? are the wines that will be paired with the meal including some of the world?s most sought-after labels like Champagne Louis Roederer, Chateau Cos d?Estournel, Chateau Giraud, Colgin Cellars, Domaine Dujac and Gaja.
Farewell to Foie Gras: That?s right, 2012 will be the end of foie gras in American restaurants, and in honor of the famed fancy food, Michael Ginor of Hudson Valley Foie Gras will bring his beloved duck livers to a feast prepared by top chefs including Andre Bienvenu (Joe?s Stonecrab) and Chris Cosentino (Incanto) for a farewell luncheon honoring the luscious delicacy.
A Celebration of Place: Burgundy?s Domaine de la Vougeraie will host a wine tasting at The Inn at Spanish Bay dedicated to talking about the concept terroir and how it influences Clos Vougeot, a Grand Cru and the largest vineyard in the Cote de Nuits. This is a unique vertical survey of vintages not to be experienced elsewhere, and designed to showcase the exceptional terroir of this remarkable wine to its fullest. The tasting will be hosted by the winery?s proprietor, Jean-Charles Boisset, as well as Ray Isle, the Executive Wine Editor at Food & Wine, and Raj Parr, the Wine Director of the Michael Mina Group.
Pretty in Pink: This is a tongue-in-cheek tasting of up-and-coming sparkling rosé wines from around the world including California, Oregon, French and Italian varieties ranging from a dusty peach color to a shocking pink that guests will have the opportunity to taste under the guidance of a panel of experts.
The final event is the Grand Finale Dinner featuring Dom Perignon Champagne. The organizers are billing this meal as a ?best of the best? of the festival?s participants, with courses all paired with the legendary champagne. The meal will be prepared by a quartet of culinary masterminds that includes Josiah Citrin (Melisse), Rick Tramonto (R?evolution), Sherry Yard (Spago) and celebrity favorite, Tyler Florence (Wayfare Tavern), while Dom Perignon oenologist Vincent Chaperon will be on hand to discuss the wines with guests.
Among the other activities that will take place over the weekend are cooking demonstrations by Michael Chiarello, who will dazzle guests with his take on Italian cuisine; a wine-and-cheese pairing seminar by the James Beard Award-winning cheese expert, Laura Werlin; a class in everyday cooking by celebrity Chef Todd English; an Iron Chef dinner; a chocolate-tasting with Lindt Master Chocolatier, Ann Czaja; and a look back at six decades as a master chef by the renowned Jacques Pepin and his daughter Claudine, among many, many other experiences.
Those are just some of the highlights. You can find a full roster of events at PebbleBeachFoodAndWine.com. Guests will be treated to meals prepared by a who?s who of big-name chefs including Jason Berthold (RN74), Roy Choi (Kogi, Chego, A-Frame), Michael Chiarello (Bottega), Michael Cimarusti (Providence), Jason Fox (Commonwealth), Ray Garcia (FIG), David LeFevre (MB Post), Jeremy McMillan (Bedford Post), Brian Ng (The Spice Table), Nancy Oakes (Boulevard), Cindy Pawlcyn (Mustard?s Grill), Charles Phan (The Slanted Door), Guy Fieri, Richard Reddington (Redd), John Sedlar (Rivera), Nancy Silverton (Mozza), Michael White (Marea), Roy Yamaguchi (Roy?s), Sang Yoon (Lukshon), and Ricardo Zarate (Picca), plus heavy hitters anchoring the constellation of culinary stars such as Daniel Boulud, Todd English, Masaharu Morimoto, Jacques Pepin and Thomas Keller.
All in all, the event will bring together over 75 prominent chefs and 250 acclaimed wineries for four days of culinary alchemy. Ticket prices per person range from $100 for a single event pass to $4,750 for a VIP four-day pass with access to all events and exclusive after-hours parties with the chefs and winemakers. To purchase tickets to Pebble Beach Food & Wine, or for more information on ticket packages and a full line-up of events, visit PebbleBeachFoodAndWine.com, or call 866-907-3663.
