Hollywood Goes Hawaiian at Wine & Food Classic at The Kahala Hotel & Resort

The Kahala Hotel & Resort is going just a little bit Hollywood with its fall Wine & Food Classic September 16 and 17, 2011, with Chateau Marmont Executive Chef Carolynn Spence and one of Napa Valley’s most popular vintners, Rich Frank, owner of Frank Family Vineyards and producer of USA Network’s Royal Pains and FX’s Wilfred.

The two-day culinary event will include gourmet dinners on Friday and Saturday, a cooking demonstration and wineology seminar on Saturday morning, a cigar experience on Saturday afternoon, and cigar tasting experience following dinner on Saturday night. All events are sold separately and open to the public.

The Kahala has had a long love affair with Hollywood and its celebrities since opening in 1964, earning its nickname of “Kaha-llywood.” One visit to the Wall of Fame in a corridor off the grand lobby reveals a rich history of celebrity guests from funny girls Lucille Ball and Cameron Diaz to rock stars like Mick Jagger, Sir Elton John, Michael Jackson, and Neil Sedaka. Photos of Alec Baldwin, Sean Penn, Drew Barrymore, and many other icons of the film industry chronicle the hotel’s history of celebrity service through nearly five decades of stardom. The Kahala Wine & Food Classic: Hollywood Goes Hawaiian in fall 2011, pairs Hollywood chef Carolynn Spence, California vintner Rich Frank and The Kahala’s own Chef Wayne Hirabayashi for an opportunity to learn more about food preparation and wine pairings.

They say she’s a Jersey girl with a wild side. Chef Carolynn Spence, Hollywood’s newest kitchen diva, has tattoos of artichokes and other items on her forearms and is a self-proclaimed “old punk rocker” with a passion for The Clash. One thing’s for sure, she has earned a reputation for pushing the gastronomical envelope since taking over the culinary team for the beautiful Chateau Marmont restaurant and neighboring Bar Marmont gastropub. In 2006, she was enticed away from a great gig as the opening sous chef for New York’s trendy and now celebrated The Spotted Pig restaurant. Promoted to Executive Chef at West Hollywood’s ultra-hip Chateau Marmont, she immediately started wowing celebrities and the hotel’s other high-brow clientele with what she calls, “good, modest, simple food with just the right amount of attitude.” West Hollywood has never been the same.

The punk rocking chef will be joined by vintner Rich Frank, of Frank Family Vineyards, one of Hollywood’s most creative, vibrant, and ingenious players. Frank’s passion for the Napa Valley and Frank Family Vineyards underscores a wildly successful long-term career in Hollywood. He was Chairman of Walt Disney Television and Telecommunications and headed Disney’s syndication arm Buena Vista. He was then President of Walt Disney Studios for nearly a decade and oversaw the development of The Disney Channel. Prior to his tenure at Disney, Frank was President of the Paramount Television Group, President of Chris Craft Television, one of the founders of the USA Network and also served on their board. Frank currently provides executive producing and consulting services for Prospect Park, a new talent management and production company focusing on music, film and television that was founded in 2008.

Never one to rest on his laurels, the former adman turned Hollywood film and TV exec stepped into his role as Napa Valley vintner with ease and is actively involved with the winery operations. With over 200 acres of the finest vineyard land in Napa Valley and arguably one of the most popular tasting rooms and word-of-mouth followings, Frank Family Vineyards is on its way to becoming a household name for lovers of premium Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Frank Family’s reputation for having the friendliest hospitality in Napa Valley has fans flocking to the tasting room on Larkmead Lane.

Weekend events invlude cooking demos, wineology seminars, cigar experiences with Michael Herklots, Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development from the Nat Sherman brand

The public is invited to attend all culinary events at The Kahala’s Wine & Food Classic with advance ticket reservations going on now. Hotel guests at The Kahala during the Wine & Food Classic will be able to attend any of the events at a discount of 15%.

For more information, visit The Kahala Hotel & Resort, an exclusive member of The Haute Hotel Network

To make wineology seminar, cooking demonstration, or gourmet dinner reservations, call (808) 739-8760 or e-mail restaurants@kahalaresort.com.

To book a room for the 2011 Wine & Food Classic, call The Kahala reservations toll free at 1-800-367-2525.