An Epicurian Paradise: Pebble Beach Food and Wine Festival

PHOTO CREDITS: Drew Barrymore at the Lexus Grand Tasting Tent Credit Patrick Tregenza | Chef Daniel Boulud Demo.Credit Patrick Tregenza | Four Star Lunch with Boulud and Kostow.Credit Patrick Tregenza | Guy Fieri cooking Demo, Credit Barnaby Draper Studios

Foodies and oenophiles, prepare yourselves for a gastronomic delight. For the seventh consecutive year, the Pebble Beach Food & Wine festival brings its four-day celebration to the northern California coastline. Epicureans will revel in the paradise of more than 100 renowned chefs and 250 distinguished winemakers from April 10-13, 2014. Pebble Beach is one of the best ways to get up close and personal with the world’s best chefs, winemakers and sommeliers. Festival co-founders Dave Bernahl and Rob Weakley have limited the number of attendees each event, so sushi making with Masaharu Morimoto, nibbling Carla Hall’s artisan cookies and making dinner with Tyler Florence become truly VIP experiences. With all the wining and dining, don’t forget that you’ll also be doing something charitable by attending Pebble Beach Food & Wine. Coastal Luxury Management’s non-profit philanthropic arm, The Berkley Foundation, raises funds and distributes grants to local and regional organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club, Voices for Children, Pebble Beach Company Foundation, Monterey Wine & Educational Foundation and Make-a-Wish. Here is your insider’s guide to one of the hautest gourmet events of the year.

Thursday April 10
There is no better way to rise and shine than at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links.  Sit back and relax at the Celebrity Chef and Winemaker Golf Tournament starring Rob and Tony Baker, Andre Bienvenu, Jourdan De Sanctis, Josh Dellar and John Fink. Following the tournament, the Opening Night Reception at the Inn at Spanish Bay awaits.  Here’s your chance to enjoy small plates and mingle with a selection of chefs like Charles Phan, Elizabeth Falkner and Masaharu Morimoto while enjoying the wines of Grgich Hills, Trinchero and Nickel & Nickel among many other elite winemakers.  If you still have energy for the exclusive after-party, then go for it! Only Imperial Package guests have special access into these nightly after-hours events with chefs, winemakers and sommeliers.

Friday, April 11th and Saturday, April 12th
Start the day with a cooking demonstration courtesy of Chef Carla Hall, Donatella Arpaia or Robert Irvine. You also have the option of a wine tasting with Delas Freres, Anthony Giglio, Roederer Estate, or a top sommelier – or even better, a reserve wine tasting with Opus One or an exploration of the Terroirs of the Côte d’Or. If you missed the cooking demos, wine tastings and reserve wine tastings from the morning, no problem! There are more to come in the afternoon. Chef John Cook, Chef Duff Goldman and Heritage Wines are among many chefs and wineries being showcased during afternoon activities. Finally, both nights will end with unforgettable evening events. Guy Fieri and Robert Irvine will showcase their finest in the Lexus Grand Tasting tent on Friday night, though the Grand Finale Dinner at the Beach & Tennis Club is also another fantastic option.

Sunday, April 13th
Trust us when we tell you that you might need to take it a little easy on Sunday after the weekend of food and wine revelry.  Choose between a cooking demo with Andrew Zimmern, a “New World Bubbles” wine tasting, or a reserve Champagne tasting before heading to the Lexus Grand Tasting tent. At this magical mecca of food and wine, you will come face to face with some favorite celebrity chefs like Todd English, Brad Farmerie or Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys in San Francisco.