Baja Pavillion at the SD Wine and Food Festival
Mexico is part of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival
'Vino-Tourism' by Steve Dryden
Baja California wineries and gourmet food establishments will be featured this year in Southern California's largest food and wine event, the San
Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. The festivities will take place from November 18th through the 22nd, along the beautiful seaport area near the San
Diego Convention Center and the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel.
The Baja California pavilion will host some of Mexico's best wine, beer, spirits and gourmet cuisine. Last year international food and wine lovers
were treated to Mexican culinary delights from Villa Saverios Restaurant / Casa Plascencia Restaurant of Tijuana, La Querencia Restaurant of Tijuana,
El Olivo Restaurant of Ensenada, and Asao Restaurant of Tecate. Several wineries, distillers, and micro-breweries poured samples of premium wine,
spirits and beer from Baja California. If you live in the region and want to expose your palates and senses to 170 wine and spirit purveyors, and
sample over 700 different wines, don't miss this event.
In addition, 70 of San Diego's top chefs will present tasteful samples of gourmet cuisine from the region's best food establishments. And, if you
still need more food and beverage, additional culinary samples will be offered by 30 regional gourmet food companies.
According to Michelle Metter, the festival's co-producer, "we are very excited to have some of the worlds most well-known and renowned chefs and
winemakers join us for our Sixth Annual Festival. There is no shortage of star power participating in this year's event, with talent ranging from
television celebrities to cookbook authors, winemakers and James Beard Award-winning chefs. Food and wine lovers will have several opportunities to
meet the chefs and winemakers up-close and in-person and experience culinary excellence at its finest."
Information provided by Evan Klein, media specialist for World of Wine Events, explains the diversity of chefs and the dynamic cooking classes being
offered at this year's festival. "Legendary food and wine experts participating in the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival include the likes of
James Beard Foundation Award winner for "Best American Chef, Southwest," Chef Alex Stratta of the two-star Michelin rated ALEX at the Wynn Las Vegas,
Cooking Light Magazine's Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski, Peter Mondavi Jr., of Robert Mondavi Family Wines, James Beard Foundation Award winner for
"Best Chef," Chef Paul Bartolotta of Bartolotta at the Wynn Las Vegas, celebrity television star Sam Zien of "Sam the Cooking Guy," among many others.
The 2009 Festival will host several action-packed cooking and wine tasting classes taught by the country's finest chefs, sommeliers, winemakers, and
culinary personalities."
Some of the cooking presentations are: Totally Truffles, featuring 2007 "Chef of the Fest" winner Chef Gary Thompson of Viejas Casino; For the Love of
Risotto, featuring 2008 "Chef of the Fest" winner and Wolfgang Puck protégé Chef David McIntyre; Holiday Brunch (November 19), featuring multiple Emmy
Award winner and television star Sam Zien of "Sam the Cooking Guy"; Sake & Sushi Tasting (November 19), featuring Liloa Papa of Sake One; Brandt
Beef Big Red Wines (November 19), featuring John Alonge, founder of the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center; The Bubbly Girl's Ultimate Party Plan
(November 19), featuring cookbook author and food writer Maria Hunt; Get Modern & Creative with Seafood (November 20), featuring Cooking Light
Magazine's Executive Chef Billy Strynkowski; Top Chef All Stars (November 20), featuring Bravo's "Top Chef" contestant Chef Brian Malarkey of The
Oceanaire, along with a panel of "Top Chef" contestants; Making Fresh Pasta (November 20), featuring James Beard Foundation Award winning celebrity
chef Alex Stratta, chef owner of ALEX at the Wynn Las Vegas; Seafood, Vegetables, and Olive Oil (November 20), featuring James Beard Foundation Award
winning celebrity chef Paul Bartolotta, chef owner of Bartolotta at the Wynn Las Vegas; Charles Krug Winery Vertical Tasting (November 20), featuring
Peter Mondavi Jr., of Robert Mondavi Family Wines; Master Sommelier Blind Tasting (November 20), featuring nationally acclaimed Master Sommelier
Joseph Spellman; and AIWF Celebrity Chef Luncheon (November 22), featuring Chef Bernard Guillas, Chef Kenny Gilbert, and Chef Thierry Rautureau.
I've attended many national and international wine and food events from Baja California to British Columbia, but this one is my favorite. The location
along the scenic San Diego harbor, the near-perfect weather, all enhanced with some of the world's best wine and culinary delights is overwhelming and
quite satisfying. And due to the fact that I've attended all of these events in the past, it's almost like a family reunion among other lovers of the
wine and food culture.
For example, I seek out Executive Chef Thomas McAliney of Brandt Beef to explore his newest gourmet wonders with his phenomenal beef, track down
mouthwatering dessert delights passionately assembled by the lovely ladies of Sweet Cheeks Bakery, and enjoy the divine nectar in the ports created by
Bart Barthelemy of St. Barthelemy Cellars winery of Napa.
I won't share my other event secrets, but I can tell you that I anxiously wait all year for this wine and food extravaganza, marking the beginning of
my Thanksgiving celebration. Furthermore, I usually fast a few days before the event, thus making room for the abundance of premium food and wine.
Don't worry, there is so much to eat and drink here that you'll have a wonderful time discovering the many bottled treasures of delight and gourmet
treats that you'll become another family member of our booming food and wine culture.
There are three events I'll attend that I highly suggest.
On November 20, 2009 (Friday), the Reserve & New Release Tasting, featuring an AIWF Silent Auction, held at the historic Wonder Bread building at
14th and L Street. This event is "an exclusive and elegant evening for collectors of fine wine." The Reserve and New Release Tasting sets the stage
for wine enthusiasts to taste the pride of the vine from 160 wineries and spirits' producers. Guests enjoy cuisine from ten gourmet food companies and
more. Exciting silent auction items such as large format bottles, libraries, and decanters will take the spotlight this year with proceeds benefiting
the American Institute of Wine & Food culinary arts scholarship programs.
The Grand Tasting Event held on Saturday, November 21. This magical afternoon, characterized by great refinement of style, features 170 wineries, 70
of San Diego's top fine dining restaurants, 30 gourmet food companies, the action-packed "Chef of the Fest" competition, live entertainment, and more.
This is an amazing afternoon with palate pleasing explorations of international wine, beer, spirits and gourmet food delights. How can you beat the
location along the shores of San Diego Bay, live entertainment, with tons of options to energize your senses and spirit?
This year I'm really looking forward to meeting Peter Mondavi Jr., of Charles Krug winery. I met his brother Marc at a wine event aboard the cruise
ship "The World" in Ensenada this year. Their historic family winery (founded in 1861) was the first Napa Valley winery – and was instrumental in
creating wine that establish California as a leader in making world class wines. Don't miss this golden opportunity to expand your wine consciousness
at the Charles Krug Winery Vertical Tasting (November 20) – featuring Peter Mondavi Jr., of Robert Mondavi Family Wines. 12 noon - 1 p.m.
The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival offers a weeklong celebration of the good life, with many exciting events, oceans of wine and spirits,
along with mountains of gourmet culinary wonders. For more details, schedule of events, prices and ticket purchases please visit their web site at www.worldofwineevents.com
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