The return of Pebble Beach Food & Wine, one of the country’s leading culinary events, after a four-year hiatus brought together more than 150 acclaimed wine and spirits producers and more than 125 distinguished chefs from across the nation. Throughout the four-day epicurean experience, produced by a21 on behalf of the Pebble Beach Company Foundation, an estimated 8,000 guests joined an elite lineup of chefs, restaurateurs, winemakers, sommeliers, mixologists, and golf enthusiasts for an indulgent celebration of culinary arts, all in support of The Pebble Beach Company Foundation, who offers grants to Monterey County’s leading youth-focused nonprofits.
Weather couldn’t hold back the kickoff event on Thursday, April 4 for the Pebble Beach Food & Wine Invitational hosted by Geoffrey Zakarian presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Chefs Elizabeth Falkner and Giorgio Rapicavoli joined host Geoffrey Zakarian on the course with multiple food & beverage stations set up along the fairway for players to enjoy throughout the round. Players were greeted by freshly made pizza, spirits, and wine that were just a slice of what Pebble Beach Food & Wine had to offer this year.
That evening, more than 800 guests descended on The Inn at Spanish Bay for Coast to Coast with The James Beard Foundation, the Opening Night Reception Hosted by Nancy Silverton presented by HexClad. The star-studded lineup featured 25 chefs from Coast to Coast recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Creative and delicious dishes were served from chefs like Tim Hollingsworth of Otium in Los Angeles, Stephanie Izard of Girl & The Goat in Chicago, Charles Phan of San Francisco’s The Slanted Door, and Keith Corbin of Alta Adams Restaurant in Los Angeles. Chefs Nando and Valerie Chang received the HexClad Best Dish Award for their Scallop Cebiche dish. Throughout the evening, Diamond and Platinum package holders enjoyed exclusive celebrity chef meet & greets and book signings with Maneet Chauhan, Justin Sutherland, and Jonathan Waxman.
Day by Day Highlights
Day 2, Friday April 5th: A series of seven different wine & spirits seminars were attended by ticket holders ready to learn from the winemakers and distillers behind revered brands, including a look back at 100 Years of Napa History with Tor Kenward of Kenward Family Vineyards, and Lison Blanchemanche, winemaker of Veuve Clicquot, who led La Grande Dame Garden Gastronomy, a deep dive into the storied history, the meticulous winemaking process, and the unique terroir that defines the essence of the iconic champagne La Grande Dame. The day continued with several lunches across the resort, including diSHEd Lunch: A Celebration and Conversation of Food, Wine & Women where Chefs Lindsay Autry, Maneet Chauhan, Valerie Chang, and Elizabeth Falkner served a multi-course luncheon accompanied by Robert Hall Winery Artisan Collection wines. A Champagne Social Happy Hour with The h.wood Group presented by Palo Alto Networks ushered in the evening where hundreds of guests for both intimate dinners and walk around tastings alike. For dinner, a highlight was Andrew Zimmern, James Beard Award-winning Chef, author, and TV personality, working with local Rancho Cielo Culinary Academy students to create an unforgettable evening as part of the The Foundation Table dinner to benefit Monterey County youth as part of the Pebble Beach Company Foundation efforts. Culinary legend Jeremiah Tower hosted the California Coastal Pacific Feast Hosted by Jeremiah Tower Presented by Friedmans Appliance where he served caviar on Pringles, delighting guests with a high-low bite, while Chef Matt Horn served signature barbeque short ribs. At Legacy Unveiled: A Protégé Showcase Dinner Featuring Rarities from Heitz Cellar Historic Stone Cellar Library Collection, Master Sommelier and Lawrence Wine Estates CEO Carlton McCoy collaborated with accomplished Chef protégés who cooked dishes inspired by their mentors, including Cedric Vongerichten (learned from his father Jean-Georges), Dave Beran (came up under Grant Achatz), Aaron Bludorn (a Daniel Boulud protégé), Tim Hollingsworth (Thomas Keller’s long time right hand), and Diego Oka, Executive Chef for Gaston Acurio.
Other events included:
· Introduction to Tempos Vega Sicilia and Tempranillo
· Opus One Winemaking Exploration Seminar
· Scotch Through the Ages with House of Hazelwood hosted by FINE+RARE
· A D2 Retrospective: The Test of Time, a Cheese and Wine Exploration Seminar
· Fortunate Beginnings: The Birth of a Napa Icon Seminar
· East Meets West Lunch: The Asian Experience Hosted by Roy Yamaguchi
· Excuse My French: Epicurean Lunch
· Savor the Medley: A Mediterranean Mezze Dinner
· After Hours: An Exclusive Late Night Event presented by Republic National Distributing Company
Day 3, Saturday, April 6th: The first weekend day included An Exploration of Place: Five BOND Crus Tasting Seminar; A Culinary Celebration Lunch with Scott Conant, Shirley Chung & Claudette Zepeda; and Burgers, Bourbon & Bordeaux Happy Hour, which took place at the famous outdoor fire pits at Spanish Bay where ocean and golf course views accompanied the many burger and beverage pairings. Saturday also saw the opening of the Tasting Pavilion presented by Palo Alto Networks, an immersive experience spread across two tents connected by a sprawling grassy open-air courtyard meant to transport guests through nature and give a sense of place for a true destination experience. From a giant Cypress tree positioned in the middle of the courtyard, to a video mapping wall in the tent with images of the coast and the sound of waves crashing, you knew you were nestled along one of the world’s most scenic coastlines.
Chef Justin Sutherland took home the Coke Zero Sugar People’s Choice Award for best dish of the tents for his short ribs. For the evening, From the Cellar: A Michelin Star Showcase highlighted the culinary creations from Michelin-starred and World’s 50 Best renowned chefs. And at the Quality Italian Dinner: A Feast with Culinary Masters hosted by Jonathan Waxman, Chef Waxman spoke about his excitement about the return of the festival and the goodwill it fosters with colleagues and friends across the industry.
Other events included:
· Effervescent Indulgence: A Champagne and Caviar Pairing Seminar
· Vérité Estate: The timeless traditions of France with the limitless possibilities of California Seminar
· The Art and Legacy of Tequila with Casa Obsidiana
· Old World vs. New World with Master Pruner Marco Simonit hosted by FINE+RARE,
· Discovering Saint-Émilion with Château Angelus
· Legendary Palate: A FINE+RARE Exclusive
· After Hours: An Exclusive Late Night Event presented by Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits
Day 4, Sunday, April 7th: Closing day for the event, the morning kicked off with sold out seminars and appropriately timed bubbles, with Recreating the Perfect Year: The Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Seminar and Bubbles Around the World. Guests also enjoyed a spotlight on Fabled Super Tuscan Estate Solaia in a FINE+RARE hosted seminar. The only brunch event of the weekend was To the South, With Love: A Southern Jazz Brunch Hosted by Rogelio Garcia, who was recently named a finalist for Best Chef California by the James Beard Foundation. It was also the final day for the Tasting Pavilion presented by Palo Alto Networks, where the sun made a steady appearance for energized eventgoers and chef Billy Ngo took home the Coke Zero Sugar People’s Choice Award for his Hotate Nigiri dish.
Trends: Seen & Heard
Trends prevalent throughout the weekend included caviar, caviar and more caviar! Edible flower garnishes of many colors and varieties were seen on dishes throughout the weekend, as well as pink peppercorns on dishes, as garnishes, and in cocktails. Winemakers and sommeliers poured super rare vintages not seen at other food & wine events throughout the seminars, lunches and dinners and including the after hours gatherings across the property.
A Spotlight on Wine
Pebble Beach Food & Wine partnered with The Roots Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on securing a pathway for the BIPOC community in wine and led by CEO Ikimi Dubose-Woodson, as the wine direction team for this year’s event. In addition, FINE+RARE Group, one of the world’s leading marketplaces for wine, spirits, and collectible experiences, hosted a seminar series throughout the weekend featuring legendary brands and industry personalities across wine and spirits, as well as pairing memorable wines at select lunches and dinners.
Event partners included Palo Alto Networks, Volvo Cars, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Republic National Distributing Company, FINE+RARE, HexClad, Icelandic Glacial Water, Port Wine Fest, Driscoll’s, Frank Family Vineyards, Código 1530 Tequila, Licor43, Don Julio, Highland Park, Friedmans Appliance, Basil Hayden, and Allen Brothers.
Pebble Beach Food & Wine will return to Pebble Beach Resorts Thursday, April 10th – Sunday April 13th, 2025. Individual events, package information and programming to be announced late 2024.
