Celebrities from both the culinary and sports worlds held a nearly week-long food and wine festival in Del Mar this fall, marking the return of the festival that was first held last year.
Like last year, the Del Mar Wine and Food Festival will feature Top Chef alums Michael Voltaggio and Rocco Di Spirito, former Chargers quarterback Drew Brees, professional Many names familiar to foodies and sports fans will be participating, including surfer Rob Machado and actors. Four Walls Whiskey founder Charlie Day from the TV series “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”
The gathering, to be held from October 2nd to 7th, includes excursions to Baja California's wine country and two days of grand tastings at Del Mar's Surf Sports Park. He will once again benefit the hunger relief organization Feeding San Diego, which received $25,000 from the event last year.
Individual events throughout the week span San Diego County, from the Inn in Rancho Santa Fe, which hosts many fine wine and spirits tastings and seminars, to the Inside Out in Hillcrest, where restaurateur and television personality Tiffany Faison hosts an event. It spreads throughout the area. Headlining the Friday night party.
Former Padres player and Padres CEO Eric Gruepner will participate in a pickleball tournament hosted by Brees, and San Diego's new Major League Soccer team, San Diego FC, will host an opening night party of tacos, tortas and tequila. is. An overnight trip to Valle de Guadalupe features tastings by renowned winemakers and restaurateurs.
The festival is the result of a collaboration between longtime food writer Troy Johnson and his wife Claire, who together purchased San Diego Magazine in 2021. Ernie Hahn, former general manager of Pechanga Arena and co-founder of Wonderfront Music Festival; Event promoter Chris Finn. Jeremy McDonald, surf sports executive. and wine expert Ted Glennon.
Hahn believes that Johnson's long history as a restaurant writer as well as a regular on the Food Network helped establish the key connections needed to bring talented chefs to the festival. There is.
“We're perfectly located and have unlimited expansion capabilities, but we're also excited about Troy's culinary background, his storytelling, and his relationships with all these celebrity chefs,” Hahn said. said. “And when you can bring in some of the best chefs in the world and make it fun, it makes a big difference.
“The first year is always the hardest. You have to spend time educating people, and it's not a cheap ticket. But people taste the best restaurant food and taste the best wines from around the world. I will spend money on it.”
Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased on the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival website.
