The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival launched ticket sales for its 13th annual culinary classic held November 14—20, and announced an impressive lineup of new events and celebrity chefs. Featuring over 40 citywide tasting experiences, Southern California's largest food and wine festiva lwill welcome 10,000 eager epicurean enthusiasts to America's Finest City.
Celebrity chefs slated to headline events throughout the week include: Rick Moonen of rm Seafood and Rx Boiler Room; Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill; Michelle Bernstein of Cena by Michy; Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem, Ginny's Supper Club, and Streetbird Rotisserie; Cosmo Goss of The Publican Restaurant; Erling Wu-Bower of Nico Osteria; Suzette Gresham of Acquerello; Gale Gand, acclaimed pastry chef; television personalities, Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, the Hearty Boys; Stephanie Prida of Manresa; Renee Erickson of The Whale Wins, Boat Street Café, The Walrus and the Carpenter, and Barnacle; Steve Santana of Taquiza; Justin Woodward of Castagna; Dean James Max of DJM Restaurants, and Chef Jason French of Ned Ludd.
In addition to over 200 wineries, breweries, and spirits, over 60 of San Diego's top chefs, sommeliers, brewmasters and tastemakers will participate in the weeklong culinary classic, with local standouts including: Chef Javier Plascencia of Bracero; Chef Jason McLeod of Ironside Fish & Oyster; Chef Giselle Wellman of Pacific Standard Coastal Kitchen; Chef Drew Deckman of Deckman's En El Mogor; Chef Bernard Guillas and Chef Ron Oliver of The Marine Room; Chef Rob Ruiz of Land & Water Co; Chef Trey Foshee of California Modern; Chef Tim Kolanko of Mess Hall; Chef Andrew Bachelier of Campfire; Chef Christine Rivera of Galaxy Taco; Chef Aron Schwartz of Marina Kitchen; Chef Amy DiBiase of Tidal; Chef Andrew Spurgin of Bespoke Event Styling, and Chef Evan Cruz of Arterra, to name a few.
The annual wine and food festival showcases San Diego's vibrant culinary community through cooking classes, chef dinners, and multiple tasting events. Brand new events, excursions, and experiences featured at this year's food and wine festival include:
Mercy of The Chef—A selection of the country's most talented chefs jet to America's Finest City to partner with beloved San Diego chefs on an opening night dinner series that hits locales across the region and in Baja. In the hands of the chef, anything goes at this epic opening night.
Venues include:
Ironside Fish & Oyster in Little Italy with Executive Chef Jason McLeod and Stephanie Prida from Manresa in Los Gatos, California.
Deckman's En El Mogor in the Valle de Guadalupe with Executive Chef Drew Deckman and Renee Erickson of Seattle, Washington's The Whale Wins, Boat Street Café, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Barnacle and author of A Boat, A Whale & A Walrus.
Galaxy Taco in La Jolla with Chef de Cuisine Christine Rivera and Chef Steve Santana from Taquiza in Miami.
George's in La Jolla with Executive Chef Trey Foshee and Chef Justin Woodward from Castagna in Portland, Oregon.
Campfire in Carlsbad with Executive Chef Andrew Bachelier and Chef Jason French from Ned Ludd in Portland, Oregon.
Marcus Samuelsson Hosts: In The Spirit | Whisk(e)y—From Bourbon to Scotch, Tennessee Whiskey to Japanese Whisky, Irish Whiskey and Rye, taste through a variety of styles and brands that represent a broad spectrum of today's marketplace.
Safe Harbor | Sustainable Seafood: Myths, Truths & Misinformation -Featuring nationally prominent chefs, local fishermen, academics and activists, this live panel discussion is free to attend and takes a multi-disciplinary look at the impact seafood choices have on the wellbeing of the oceans. Presented by the Berry Good Foundation as part of their Future Thought Leaders series, the panel features Chef Rick Moonen as well as complimentary food and drink from Chef Isabel Cruz who will highlight local farms and fishmongers.
Dinner With The Culinary Icons + Live Auction Presented by Lexus—A star-studded evening with epic culinary talent of (g)astronomical proportions. This once in a lifetime dining experience features Chefs: Marcus Samuelsson, Rick Bayless, Michelle Bernstein, Rick Moonen, Javier Plascencia, Bernard Guillas, and Aron Schwartz. Wines include: Louis Latour, Kistler and Lewis Cellars, to name a few.
Bounty of San Diego: Ranchers, Farmers + Fisherman—Discover the bounty of San Diego in a five course, wine-paired dinner honoring hardworking craftsmen and women. Join celebrated chefs, Aron Schwartz, Suzette Gresham, Bernard Guillas, and Gale Gand.
Expedition: Tuna Harbor Dockside Market + VIP Lexus Grand Tasting—Join Chef Rick Moonen and local sustainable seafood champion Chef Rob Ruiz on a private guided tour of Tuna Dockside Harbor, complete with sustainability talks, tastings and a signed copy of Rick Moonen's book. The package also includes VIP Entry tickets to the Lexus Grand Tasting with a special chef's table experience by Rob Ruiz with freshly prepared sushi and sashimi made from fish procured during that morning's harbor tour.
Pizzapalooza Featuring Battle of the Bartenders—Fromdeep dish, New York, Neapolitan, Sicilian, grilled, Detroit, etc., people are passionate about their pizza. Take in multiple tasting stations from San Diego's top pizza makers, hit up incredible mixology and craft cocktail stations, and vote during the Battle of the Bartender competition. Pizzapalooza also features the Gelato World Tour.
San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival favorites returning to this year's event lineup include:
San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival Golf Invitational—Maderas Golf Course plays host to the most delicious golf tournament around. This 18-hole course features six culinary tasting holes, six wine, brewery and sprit experiences, and six hole challenges complete with over the top prizes. Maderas Golf Course
Fish Taco TKO Hosted by Rick Moonen—The Fish Taco TKO is back for its fifth annual competition to settle the score on who is making the best fish taco. At this year's taco showdown, the city's best fish taco makers are dished an extra challenge; their taco must use sustainable fish. Fish Taco TKO features unique beer and tequila stations and two prize categories – People and Critics' Choice.
Ocean-To-Table Luncheon—Highly regarded as one of the most breathtaking vistas in San Diego, The Marine Room and its celebrated chef Bernard Guillas and special guest Rick Moonen host a five-course, wine paired lunch with chefs known for their respect, creativity and passion for the fruits de mer. The luncheon is a who's who of local chefs and includes: Rob Ruiz, Dean James Max, Amy DiBiase, Jason McLeod, Andrew Spurgin, Evan Cruz and Ron Oliver.
SommCon: The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival partners again with SommCon, a leading conference and exposition for wine, beer and spirit industry professionals and serious enthusiasts. SommCon features over 40 educational sessions led by Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine and an all star collection of the industry's finest pros.
Expedition: Baja: Hosted by Fernando Gaxiola of Baja Wine + Food, spend the day across the border, discovering the wineries, chefs, and restaurants that make gastronomy from Baja one of the most talked about culinary destinations on the planet. Featuring Chef Diego Hernandez of Corazon De Tierra.
Lexus Grand Tasting Featuring the new Culinary Theater and VIP Experience: As returning platinum sponsor of the largest wine and food festival in Southern California, the San Diego County Lexus Dealers will take center stage with the Lexus Grand Tasting on the scenic San Diego Bay, featuring over 700 wines, 60 of San Diego's top chefs, and over 30 gourmet food companies. The VIP Tent has never tasted so good as celebrity chefs Cosmo Gross and Erling Wu-Bower team up with local superstar Jason McLeod, Giselle Wellman, and Tim Kolanko to host this year's NEW VIP Tent experience. Also NEW this year, join today's hottest chefs for demonstrations at the Culinary Theater, including: the Hearty Boys, Javier Plascencia, Cosmo Gross, Erling Wu-Bower, and Rick Bayless.San Diego County Lexus Dealers consists of four dealerships providing word-class service to all of San Diego County, including Lexus El Cajon, Lexus Carlsbad, Lexus Escondido and Lexus San Diego.
