The very First Annual Newport Beach Wine and Food Festival will showcase live cooking demos with celebrity chefs, local restaurants, elite sommelier panels, master mixology courses, wine tastings and live music from international jazz artists. Sure to become a Newport Beach signature end-of-summer soirée, the backdrop for the event is the stunningly contemporary grounds of the Newport Beach Civic Center and various restaurants around town, the much-anticipated festival will guide you through a three-day journey filled with flavors and tastings from some of the finest local and world-renowned culinary masters. Prepare your taste-buds.
To tempt you with a tiny taste of what you’ll experience at the Newport Beach Wine & Food Festival, here are a few shots from the media preview held earlier this month at the lovely Café Jardin, a hidden gem tucked inside the pastoral grounds of Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar.
Executive Chef Rainer Schwarz, Driftwood Kitchen putting the finishing touches on his Hawaiian long-line cut Hawaiian tuna loin, uni/farro salad and watermelon/avocado-cilantro lime dressing.
Feast your eyes on the artistry and delectable tastes from these Orange County chefs:
• Executive Chef Pascal, Café Jardin – A selection of French tartines, rillettes and pâté
• Executive Chef Marc Johnson, Oak Grill & Aqua Lounge – Tandoori spiced ahi tartar, cucumber, curry and papadum crisp
• Executive Chef Imran Ali, Tamarind of London – Tandoori garlic shrimp and organic quinoa salad
• Executive Chef Ashley Santo Domingo, 24 carrots – Compressed watermelon bites with a hibiscus and basil syrup shooter, jalapeño dusted blackberries and micro cilantro
• John Nye (Representing Executive Chef Scott Brandon), Fireside Tavern – Rocky road crunch bar, marshmallow cream, chocolate sauce and smoked almonds (below)
• Executive Chef Shirley Chung, TWENTY EIGHT – Slow braised oxtail with maltose glaze and 8 treasure rice (below)
• Chef John Ledbetter – Sockeye salmon poke, chile de arbol, preserved meyer lemon, cucumber, scallions and bell pepper emulsion
• Executive Chef Jeffrey Lunak, Blue C Sushi – House smoked Japanese Hamachi tacos with guacamole, Anaheim chili sauce and cilantro
• Executive Chef Bruno Massuger, Back Bay Bistro – Lobster crostini, mango, onions and green pepper
• Executive Chef Talia Zimmer, True Food Kitchen – Quinoa burger, tzatziki hummus and avocado feta
• Executive Chef Chris Tzorin, Tortilla Republic Laguna Beach – French pork al pastor, jalapeno potato puree, caramelized pineapple and onions, grilled asparagus, al pastor sauce (below)
• Sous Chef Meghan Nordtvedt, Wildfish Seafood Grille – Yellow tail hamachi, fresno chili, ponzu and cilantro
• Executive Chef Rainer Schwarz, Driftwood Kitchen – Hawaiian long-line cut Hawaiian tuna loin, uni/farro salad and watermelon/avocado-cilantro lime dressing
Sommelier Michael Jordan
Special Guest Chefs:
• Food Network’s “Chopped” winner Joe Youkhan and owner of The Tasting Spoon
• “Cutthroat Kitchen” winner Jamie Gwen and host of “Food & Wine with Jamie Gwen” on KFWB
• Executive Chef Joshua Severson, Selanne Steak Tavern
• Executive Chef Marcus Lage, Tommy Bahama Restaurant
• Executive Chef Grant Lawson, The Crow Bar and Kitchen
And, just because it was such a stunner for all the senses that left me {almost} speechless, Executive Chef Ashley Santo Domingo of 24 Carrots:
Compressed watermelon bites, hibiscus and basil syrup shooter, jalapeño dusted blackberries and micro cilantro.
Purchasing a ticket to the daytime Festival grants you unlimited access to ALL things #food and #wine! This means guests will not drop a dime (upon entering Festival grounds) for epicurean experiences like… wine tasting, food in the Grand Tasting Pavilion, hand-crafted cocktails, live jazz, sommelier panels and mixology courses! Get your tickets now at Newport Beach Wine & Food.
Lisa @ Whisk & Cleaver
This looks SO FUN!!! Bummer to miss it – IFBC is that weekend. Thanks for sharing the media shots, looks like some amazing food and wine will be on display.
Priscilla
Hi Lisa – I know! I’ll be at IFBC, too (which I know will be lots of fun as well). Why does everything happen at the same time?