Pebble Beach Food & Wine Extravaganza and Food Gal Giveaway
The fourth annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine extravaganza rolls into town, April 28-May 1, with more than 70 top toques and 250 acclaimed wineries doing cooking demos, wine seminars and glam dinners at the picturesque Pebble Beach Resorts.
Among the who’s who of culinary talent who will be participating are: Tom Colicchio of “Top Chef”; Yigit Pura, winner of “Top Chef Just Desserts”; Charlie Trotter; Ming Tsai; Tyler Florence; and the one and only Jacques Pepin.
Ticket prices range from $100 for a single event pass to $4,750 for a VIP four-day pass.
If that’s too rich for your blood — and I’m sure for most of us, it definitely is — the Food Gal has another way for you to enjoy a little of the action.
Contest: I’m thrilled to be giving away four Pebble Beach Food & Wine aprons signed by Daniel Boulud, Michael Chiarello, Dean Fearing, Christopher Kostow, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon, who are all part of the Lexus Culinary Masters team.
Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight May 1. Winners will be announced May 3.
How to win?
Tell me which of the above six chefs would you most want to cook you a meal and why. The best four answers win.
Here’s my own answer to that question.
“Wow, that’s a tough one even for me. I might pick Kostow for the elegance of his newly anointed Michelin three-star food. I could pick Boulud, Fearing or Symon because I’ve yet to have the pleasure of trying their food. I also could pick Morimoto because I adore Japanese food, could eat it every day, and still salivate over his glam take on rice porridge reborn with rich pork belly. But in the end, I would have to go with Chiarello, because his food is so lusty and comforting that it puts you in a good mood no matter what. Plus, his gnocchi is so light and pillowy, you almost think they’ll float away if you don’t eat them quickly enough.
Winner of the Previous Contest: In last week’s Food Gal contest, I asked you to tell me about an item of clothing that you loved and kept far longer than you should have. The winner will receive his/her choice of a Flavour Gallery T-shirt, as well as a tote bag and memo pad.
Congratulations to:
Nicole, who wrote, “When my mom first immigrated to America, she had a sleeveless Coca Cola red muscle shirt that she bought in Indianapolis in 1976. My mom was 90 lbs. and 5′3″ tall at the time. She trekked the shirt along for 22 years herself, and finally passed down the shirt to me. I was 13 years old when I received this muscle tank and wore it to my first middle school ‘party!’ The boy that I was in LOVE with then, James, asked to hang out with me outside. It was in his backyard, in my mom’s Coca Cola muscle tank that I experienced my first kiss with James. I owe all of my romantical powers to that shirt. It is FAR too small for me to wear today (13 years later from that first kiss), but still takes up space in my drawer.”
More: My Q&A with Ming Tsai
More: My Q&A with Yigit Pura, Winner of “Top Chef Just Desserts”
More: My Q&A with Michael Chiarello
More: My Q&A with Christopher Kostow
I would most want Michael Symon to cook me a meal since he’s from my hometown and I love his approach to cooking.
Masaharu Morimoto, hands down. I’ve loved him since watching the original Iron Chef, and have followed his career ever since. Someday I’ll get a chance to dine at his restaurant in Napa.
The chef that i would most like to cook for me would be Michael Chiarello. I know he came from a farm background as myself and cooks from his family experiences, Rustic Italian. He uses very fresh ingredients and may i say i love his food. I have been to Bottega many times. May i recommend the polenta under glass, what a treat…oh yeah and the skirt steak…
That would be one of the most difficult choices I would ever have to make. Each of these chefs is one of my favorites.
However, for me it would be Dean Fearing. When I was a young mother and wife in the 1980’s, my culinary journey began. I was living in Fort Worth, Texas at the time, not exactly the culinary epicenter of the world. On my 5th wedding anniversary my husband took me to the Mansion on Turtle Creek for dinner. I was forever changed and challenged. The meal was not only exquisitely prepared by Chef Fearing, it introduced me to new methods of preparation and beautiful presentation. He came out to the table and talked to us for a while and I was doubly impressed by him then, a busy chef willing to take the time to come out and see how we had enjoyed his food. After that I returned to the restaurant again and again. I sent multiple people there and still send them to Fearing’s. He is one of my culinary heroes and someone I will always credit with inspiring me in my career with food.
Now that I live in Hawaii, my mainland food excursions are few and far between. But I will never forget the first time I realized what a huge food world there is out there and how a Chef can change it for so many people. I am sure many chefs have no idea of how they may have changed lives of their diners, simply by introducing them to things that are new and beautifully executed. Dean Fearing did that for me.
My choice will be Daniel Boulud since I heard so much about his famous restaurant.
I would definitely pick Michael Symon because he just seems so down-to-earth and relaxed. I was so happy when he won The Next Iron Chef and love watching him compete. Cooking along with him would be so much fun!
Wow, that’s a crazy tough question. I think I’d go with Chef Chiarello. They’re all enormously talented, but he seems like he’d be a ton of fun in the kitchen as well. As if Italian cooking isn’t fun enough already!
This is almost an impossible decision. It takes me nearly an hour to choose from a menu. Choosing from these chefs took longer. As with picking my meal from a menu, I’ve narrowed it to a choice of two but finally settled on Michael Symon. Though his roots are Mediterranean, he seems to have no bounds in the kitchen.
What an amazing prize! It’s times like these (and just reading your blog in general) that I wished I lived in the US 😀
This would be a fabulous prize for anyone, however I would love to win it for my son who really enjoys cooking. The person I would select to cook the meal would be Masaharu Morimoto. MY son has major food allergies and ulcerative colitis making it rather difficult at times to eat out without fear of ending up in the ER. He absolutely loves Japanese cuisine because of its taste, its simplicity as well as the clean distinction of the different ingredients. Masaharu Morimoto would be the best of the best. Thank you for considering my entry.
Wow, what an event! I’m sure it will be something to truly remember with all those great chefs…great giveaway too!
I’d pick Morimoto and then I’d beg him to make me tofu in dashi with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and fresh grated ginger or lotus sauteed in a little oil with soy sauce. So simple, so hard to get right in my own kitchen. After living in Japan these are the dishes I miss the most and I’m sure Morimoto-san can make these in his sleep.
there’s something oh-so-alluring about michael symon. he’s both charismatic and an awesome chef, so an evening with him in my kitchen would result in some swooning (on my part, of course), a few good laughs, and a lot of good eating.
I would have to say Michael Chiarello. I love how he combines the Southern Italian cuisine with what’s seasonal in Napa Valley. He also has a story behind every dish. Who can resist? He also seems like a really cool guy to talk to.
I have to go with Michael Symon, hands down! Honestly any of the chefs cooking for me would automatically become the perfect meal but I love Michael Symon’s contagious laugh. With him in the room – I anticipate it to be a night of great food,entertaining conversation and all filled with laughs. A perfect meal in my books is about good food and a good time.
Contest is now closed. Come back Tuesday to see who won and for the start of a brand new contest.
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