by tony reverditto –
Pacific Sales Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival is one of the city’s premier annual events. In its 6th year, the highly-anticipated culinary event has a phenomenal roster of celebrity chef demonstrations, participating restaurants, and wineries. Guests of the four-day extravaganza will indulge in everything from one-of-a-kind dinners by celebrity chefs and local masters, taste bites from 40 top restaurants with their executive chefs, to sips from more than 250 varieties of wines, spirits, and craft brews. VIP events include celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, master sommelier tasting panels and interactive mixology courses.
The Rage Monthly asked Founder & CEO Stefanie Farnsworth Salem how it feels to be entering the 6th year of this monumental event. She replied, “It’s incredibly exciting to see all of our hard work come to fruition and produce an event that people truly love. Newport Beach Wine & Food continues to get bigger and better every year because of the dedication of my passionate team. Taking an idea and turning it into a nationally acclaimed event in just six years is one of my greatest accomplishments.”
Some events are already sold out, therefore not listed below.
Thursday, October 3
Opening Night Gala and Dinner at Newport Beach Country Club benefitting Covenant House: Cocktail reception with signature cocktails, Cristal Champagne, and hand-passed canapés followed by a five-course dinner prepared by Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars Richard Blais, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Antonia Lofaso, and John Tesar. Mix and mingle with visiting chefs and enjoy a live auction featuring luxe items such as jewels by KBrunini, a custom package by Haberdasher David August, magnums of ultra-rare Hundred Acre wines, and more. Emceed and hosted by the most entertaining wine and spirit authority on the planet, Anthony Giglio, Contributing Writer of Food & Wine Magazine.
Friday, October 4
Fire It Up! at Balboa Bay Resort. The ultimate waterfront barbecue featuring Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars’ Brooke Williamson, Shirley Chung, Casey Thompson, John Tesar, Carrie Baird, Philippe Haddad, Jean Alberti and Brian Huskey grilling over open flames overlooking the picturesque Newport Harbor. Indulge in wine, spirits, and beer while dancing to the rhythm of live music from reggae group Common Sense.
Saturday, October 5
Pacific Sales Grand Tasting at Newport Beach Civic Center. Includes dynamic cooking demonstrations on the Pacific Sales stage from Brooke Williamson, Casey Thompson, Shirley Chung, John Tesar, Kelsey Bernard Clark, and Antonia Lofaso. Also included are endless bites from OC’s top restaurants like Bourbon Steak, Louie’s by the Bay and Descanso, plus tastings of wine, spirits, and brews, live music, and more. VIP Platinum and general admission tickets are available.
Diamond Club Lounge is a premium experience, with limited availability, includes early VIP entrance to the Pacific Sales Grand Tasting; access to a reserve Diamond Club Lounge; Petrossian Caviar tastings; meet-and-greets with master sommeliers and celebrity chefs; two hour exclusive wine tastings followed by cocktail service; a special edition Riedel Extreme Wine Glass and wine yolk; and tastings from more than a dozen wineries featuring Opus One, Hundred Acre, and more, as well as the opportunity to join the exclusive, closed mailing lists for these sought-after wineries.
Sunday, October 6
Cristal & Petrossian Caviar Tasting featuring five cuvées of Louis Roederer Cristal champagne expertly paired with five mother-of-pearl spoons of Petrossian Caviar. Hosted by celebrity chef Hubert Keller of Fleur and renowned Orange County chef Alan Greely of the former Golden Truffle.
JUSTIN Isosceles Vertical Library Tasting. Taste six vintages of JUSTIN Vineyard & Winery’s most sought-after varietals, ISOSCELES. Learn about the evolution of this iconic, world-class Cabernet Sauvignon directly from master sommelier Joe Spellman. Emceed and hosted by the most entertaining wine and spirit authority on the planet, Anthony Giglio, Contributing Writer of Food & Wine Magazine.
Day 2 of the Pacific Sales Grand Tasting at Newport Beach Civic Center. Includes dynamic cooking demonstrations on the Pacific Sales stage from Richard Blais, Art Smith, Adrian de Bernardinis, Hubert Keller, Philippe Haddad, and Jamie Gwen. Also included are endless bites from O.C.’s top restaurants like Pizzeria Mozza, Crack Shack, AVEO Table + Bar, and CUCINA Enoteca, plus endless tastings of wine, spirits, and brews, live music, and more. VIP Platinum and general admission tickets are available.
Diamond Club Experience. This premium experience is listed above.
Featured LGBT Chef
Chef Art Smith is the executive chef and co-owner of Table fifty-two, Art and Soul, Southern Art and Bourbon Bar, and LYFE Kitchen restaurants. He has received the culinary profession’s highest awards and has cooked for some of the world’s most famous celebrities.
In 1997, Smith became the personal, day-to-day chef to Oprah Winfrey, a position that lasted ten years. Smith now coordinates and cooks for special events all around the world.
Most recently Smith has made television appearances including ABC’s Lady Gaga Thanksgiving Special, Top Chef and returned to Top Chef Masters (for the second time), where he quickly became an audience favorite. Chef Art is the author of three cookbooks and founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals since 2003.
This isn’t your first time participating in the Newport Wine & Food Festival, why are you drawn to this particular event?
Who wouldn’t want to go to beautiful Newport Beach, California! This gorgeous location is the most perfect place for a wine and food festival.
At the sold-out Pelican Hill Resort & Golf Club Gourmet Brunch event, you will be serving your world-famous Chicken and Waffles. What is your secret to the flavorful crunchy coating on this fried chicken recipe?
My fried chicken secret is using southern soft self-rising flour, lightly seasoned with herbs, and fried at 285 degrees. Check some of my favorite recipes at chefartsmith.net.
What do you plan on preparing at the interactive Grand Tasting Cooking Demonstration on Sunday?
We will be preparing our shrimp and grits and other surprise specialties.
You have had such a fantastic career with many accomplishments, what do you consider to be your crowning moment?
I think cooking for His Holiness The Dalai Lama and, most recently, the Michelle Obama “I am Becoming Tour” have been two career highlights.
Can you share some of your future aspirations and goals?
Traveling on a diplomatic culinary trip with the Culinary Diplomacy Project to Jordan. We cooked with children and helped families at refugee’s camps, and it was a very eye-opening experience.
Tickets for the remaining events can be purchased at NewportWineandFood.com/Tickets. For ongoing updates, follow the festival @NewportBeachWineAndFood on Facebook and Instagram.
The Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival has partnered with Covenant House as its charitable partner for 2019. Covenant House provides housing and supportive services to youth facing homelessness. Each year, they help more than 80,000 homeless, runaway and trafficked young people transform their lives and help set them on a path to independence. Visit covenanthousecalifornia.org for more information.