Gourmet food, premiere wines and feasting foodies can only mean one thing: the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is coming to town.
This November, the week-long festival will celebrate its 11th year, highlighting San Diego’s thriving food scene and local culinary talents, paired with luxury wines and spirits.
From Nov. 16-23, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival will host more than 20 events around San Diego including tasting panels, special dinners and more.
With so many events to wine and dine, we thought we’d round-up a scrumptious sample list of just a few of those drool-worthy events happening at this year’s fest. Cheers!
[[233171401, L]]
Comer Conmigo: Dinner. Tequila. Wine. (Nov. 17)
Kick off your gourmet foodie journey with an upscale six-course dinner at Comun Kitchen & Tavern from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. This event, sponsored by Casamigos Tequila, features chefs Chad White and Nate Appleman showcasing their finest, south-of-the-border comfort food paired perfectly with tequila and wines. Tickets are $175 per person.
The Fish Taco TKO & San Diego Craft Beers (Nov. 18)
Few things are more classic San Diego culture than craft beers and a fish taco. This casual event held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens in Liberty Station will celebrate that match made in heaven with an epic competition that will pit the top local fish taco makers against one another in a mouthwatering battle. Attendees can sample unique craft beers on tap while weighing in on the chefs’ fish taco creations. Tickets are $45 per person.
[[222249861, R]]
100 Years of Inspiration & Innovation: Trailblazing Cuisine Throughout The Century (Nov. 19)
It’s safe to say this event is for the ultimate foodie. Featuring 10 courses, chefs RJ Cooper and Katsuya Fukushima will pay homage to 100 years of culinary trailblazers, putting their own stamp on beloved dishes throughout the ages. Each course, of course, will be expertly paired with craft cocktails and wine, too. This chic, exclusive event will be held in the rarely-seen boardroom at the famous U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego. Only 24 guests will be able to partake in this elegant affair, priced at $250 per person.
The Raw Exposure: Oysters & Sauvignon Blanc at Ironside (Nov. 20)
The perfect outing for the oyster and wine-lover, hosted by Master Sommeliers Sur Lucero, Thomas Price and Executive Chef and owner of Ironside Fish & Oyster Jason McLeod. From 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ironside, the trio will guide attendees through a sea-meets-land tasting pairing different oysters – with very different flavor profiles – with great white wines. Tickets to this casual event cost $45 per person.
Wine Spectator Celebrity Chef Dinner & Big Bottle Live Auction Presented By Kia K900 (Nov. 20)
Nationally-acclaimed celebrity chefs and 15 wineries will pair up for this dining experience at the U.S. Grant Hotel from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Guests will sample delicious bites and cocktails while enjoying a live auction boasting 25 coveted wine lots. The auction benefits culinary and enology scholarships awarded by the American Institute of Wine & Food and the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. After the bidding, guests will make their way to the main dining area where they will indulge in a coursed dinner prepared by a celebrity chef and expertly paired with flagship varietals from one the participating, prestigious wineries. Tickets cost $250 per person, or grab a table with friends at $3,000 for a VIP table for 10.
[[233347181, C]]
Stump the Masters Blind Tasting (Nov. 21)
Calling all winos: world-renowned Master Sommeliers and San Diego’s top sommeliers will put their blind tasting skills to the test in this head-to-head challenge-meets-tasting event. The masters will guide attendees through six wines as attendees tries to determine each wine’s varietal, region and vintage utilizing classic techniques involving sight, smell and taste. Winos will learn what the professionals look for when it comes to identifying wines. For this gathering, the wine will flow from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. Tickets cost $85.
Grand Tasting Event (Nov. 22)
If you’re attending only one San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival event this year, make this it. The Grand Tasting will take over Embarcadero Marina Park North, right behind Seaport Village, on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The shindig marks the grand finale of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival and will boast 150 wine and spirit purveyors pouring more than 700 different wines from a range of domestic and international wineries. In addition, more than 60 of San Diego’s top chefs will take the spotlight at the Grand Tasting, whipping up their finest fare. A “Chef of the Fest” competition will ultimately determine the best of the best, with the winning chef walking away with up to $50,000 in cash and prizes, plus serious bragging rights. Samples from gourmet food companies, cookbook signing by celebrity chefs and live entertainment will round out the event. Tickets range from $75 to $225 per person, depending on the extras you’d like to add to your party package.
One World Beef’s Celebrate The Chef Featuring Gale Gand’s Birthday-Q (Nov. 23)
Celebrity chefs will gather at the Del Mar Race Track from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for this afternoon at the races featuring wine, spirits and beef-inspired cuisine. Attendees can take in the culinary treats from a privately hosted pagoda while watching the horse races. Tickets run between $75 and $125.
There you have it – just a little nibble of what’s ahead at the 2014 San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. By the way, foodies who want to attend more than one of these many events may want to check out these special packages, which include tickets to multiple activities and other swag.
For all of the details on San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, visit the event website.
