Pebble Beach Food & Wine 2012 — The Coachella of the rich and hungry!

From the Left: Tony Baker from Montrio Bistro + Baker's, Fabio Viviani's Staff passionately talking about the captain crunch dessert, fried risotto balls, and Dom Perignon from the Dom Perignon tasting event!

It has literally been a culinary dream of mine to go to the increasingly legendary Pebble Beach Food & Wine Classic, so I was overwhelmed when it happened that I was able to go in this, their 5th Annual year. A meeting of wine, decadence, and an array of food that is awe inspiring to behold. So if your a luxurious foodie at heart, and always wanted to experience that magic like I did check out this adventure:

Saturday & Sunday

As my "day" job is far from the pomp and circumstance that is Pebble Beach I rushed down from Sacramento that morning to jump head first into the fray. Upon getting to the beautiful Inn at Spanish Bay, I ran inside to get my badges (keys to the kingdom) and was on to the Lindt chocolate and wine pairing. After taking in just a second of this majestic scenery (soft sandy beaches, green perfectly manicured fields), I almost bumped into Top Chef Masters Contestant, and owner of Bottega: Michael Chiarello!

To which almost like right out of GoodFella's there was a, "how you doing?" - sigh. There were literally celebrity chefs everywhere Guy Fieri's Monster Yellow Truck (it really was a MACK truck with a small bed - crazy bad gas mileage I imagine) was parked right outside next to a Ferrari!

The Inn at Spanish Bay, this view is from the Golf Course

So when you expect to go to a cooking demo your thinking classroom style chairs, and if your lucky maybe a passed appetizer right? There is nothing normal about PBF&W, there was a plush red carpet leading up to the check-in area, a lounge and a open bar hosted by Cosmopolitan Cafe, "Would you like a drink?" and drawn curtains leading into the tasting. Upon walking into the tasting, this tent is at least 25 feet high and with a kitchen that no Granite Bay millionaire could afford.

This demo was all about the differences between "everyday"chocolates, and "premium" chocolates. This demo was hosted by the famous (AS SEEN ON TV) Lindt Chocolatier: Ann Czaja!

Ann was the master-taster and ringleader for this event - The Lindt chocolate and Ferreri Coranno wines Pairing class. From working at Lindt & Sprüngli in Switzerland before returning to the U.S.A. she lived and working in Zurich for nearly 14 years, and had the opportunity to study pastry and chocolate from the world's foremost authorities!
So it was all this chocolate knowledge she brought our way! From the texture to the pairing, and what makes great chocolate different from just mediocre chocolate (more to come on this soon!)

So after having some breakfast wine tasting with wonderful chocolates, and then being greeted by the hosted cocktail bar right outside the wine tasting tent, I had to just try a sip of this Pink Mule that the Cosmopolitan Bar was whipping up, the secret was the candied ginger garnish...

But remember this is a Marathon not a Race, pace yourself people!

The Lexus Grand Tasting

So it was On to the Main Event: with over 7,500 attendees over the course of the entire weekend (and it's well know that The Lexus Grand Tasting that is the end all-be all of this event), I knew I had to get over-there asap! Over there being the equestrian (polo) field where the limo coaches were dropping people off on the red carpets that lead inside to the tents

So after stepping out of our limo coach and all of the general admission people were lined up for almost half a mile, teeming to get in, waiting for hours, just to be the first in the door, while VIP's leisurely stroll through 30 minuets earlier, as there status allows them, I felt like royalty getting to sneak in a little early!

Scene: Red Carpet, grand french doors opening for you, a foyer on entering the tent where you recive your glass, another set of double doors and .... money dripping everywhere!
...and then you understand what all the fuss is has been about.

The tent reaches fifty feet high, and the first thing you see is a Lexus sports car, and wine flowing everywhere. There was noise, colored lights, chandlers and food and wine every where you looked! and people from all directions welcoming you into to this rabbit hole. 

From the left: General Admission waiting line, the first thing you see when you walk in the door of the tents, and plated dishes

From the left: Sang Yoon, Lukshon ~ Los Angeles, Justin Wines (really good), Tyler Florence, and Veuve Clicquot

From the left:  Johnny Iuzzini, Head Judge Top Chef Just Desserts, Grigich Hills famous Chardonnay, cake pops from Sherry Yard, Spago ~ Beverly Hills and the exclusive Belevdere lounge

 For a slight frame of reference this is the largest event tent in the country. No joke. It is a stat they pride themselves on, and allows for an abundance of activity to occur under its roof. Large banners indicated the chefs, with tables surrounded by their staff, ensuring everything was being executed perfectly, wines ranged from Camyus, to Penfolds Grange ($300/bottle retail), Kongsgaard "The Judge" ($175/bottle retail), to Silver Oak, Tommey, Justin, ect... and these exclusive lounge areas devoted to comfort of VIPS or those looking to enjoy the sponsored exposure of the area:

1. The Cheese Shop/Veuve Clicquot 2. Belvedere Vodka 3. Driscoll Berries 4. Figi Water/Veuve Clicquot 5. Silent auction 6. Patron

Just so you don't get the impression that these were little booths, these "Lounge areas" were bigger than my old apartment! There was entire living room sets in them, and depending on your badge (remember these are the keys to the kingdom) there was ones only certain people could get into! Utterly decadent!

Taking me back to Chemistry!

Raspberry puree dropped into a algene liquid that creates a membrane around the puree that is then served on a spoon: when you eat it, it feels like it pops in your mouth like a bubble, and then there's flavor everywhere -  the height of new food technique! "Then while your enjoying your Driscolles cocktail and raspberry puree ravioli, please take a seat in our hosted lounge area!"

Intelligentsia Coffee

Intelligentsia Coffee being brewed from a siphon by an Intelligentsia brew master in their Hosted Intelligentsia coffee bar/ lounge (just in case you wanted a break from all the food/ wine) - it looks like something out of Aladdin, but it's actually a halogen lamp heating the water, that then pushes the water through a siphon. Crazy? If your really interested in this technique, check out more about it here. But it was actually wonderful coffee

Elizabeth Falkner from Citizen Cake in San Francisco as well as Top Chef Masters

From the left: Jason Berthold from San Francisco's RN74, pig's tail, and small saffron birds nests!

From the left: Douglas Rodriguez, Alma de Cuba, De Rodriguez; Justin Everett, Murray Circle Restaurant

The big differences (though there are many) of this food show and any other food show was that the food presentation was huge, not in quantity, but precision! All items were little plated meals with garnish, and perfect execution! It's hard to go to an event and see anything other than catering food for the most part, but this show you'd get laughed out if you did that, each booth of chef's had anywhere from 3-7 line cooks executing, prepping, and putting food together for the actual chef (really in attendance, and cooking not just taking pictures) to be able to finish the prep!

From the left: Porcini Mushrooms, chorizo, egg and flattened tamale pancake

From the left: Todd Fisher, Sticks plating Marrow Bone with Seasoned Popcorn (yum!), from Top Chef: Fabio Viviani, Café Firenze + Firenze

From the left: Apple fritter with Mango ice cream, Charles Phan-The Slanted Door plating a grilled steak in squid with sriracha sauce on top, Michael Cimarusti, Providence ~ Los Angeles, Jason Fox from Commonwealth ~ plating a chocolate covered goat cheese (fab), and look chefs actually eating!! this is unheard of on a show floor!

From the left: Kent Torrey, The Cheese Shop ~ Carmel, the Belvedere lounge area, and Nickle and Nickle's Dolce Late Harvest wine

From the left: New Mexico's Gruet sparkling wine, Slipknot wines (fantastic Cabernet), Anne Lee Wong from Season one of Top Chef, and Casey Thompson from Season 3 of Top Chef serving up Bloody Mary's out of an ice flow, and liver and onions with a hot sauce!

Shots from Ocean View Drive. This was the view a block away from my B&B; the Sunset Inn.

From the left: Sparkling wine just hanging out in a bath of ice, the Patron lounge, a crowd shot, and The Cheese Shop

From the left: Figi water candies?, the Veuve Clicquot guy with his event-wide famous sunglasses - these were awesome Veuve branded glasses that everyone was trying to get!, Plated Radishes and Sea Urchin Butter (salty and ohhh so creamy), and Grieve Wines - famous for their Cabernet and Sauvignon Blanc

From the left: Anne Burrell, Food Network; Gargiulo Vineyards GMajor7, Rory Herrmann, Bouchon; Daniel Joly, Mirabelle Restaurant

Another awesome difference was a the staff there, there was Figi Water (huge sponsor), with girls walking around everywhere you looked making sure everyone as hydrated, in short blue dresses, 4-inch heels and cigarette boxes full of water! Plus their was wait staff everywhere — you couldn't look around and not finding someone ready to take your plate, or clean up around you — there must have been at least one wait staffer per person in attendance, like your own valet!

Because remember we are at Pebble Beach Food and Wine, there is NO ordinary!

From the left: Tim Love, The Lonesome Dove Western; Kongsgaard, "The Judge", chalk drawings, hosted Lexus coffee bar, VIP seating area

Just in case you got bored from all the insane food and wine, and wanted to watch chalk drawings being done, just go to the Lexus photo booth or sit at the Lexus coffee bar for a change of pace that was there for you!

From the left: Penfolds Grange, steak tar tar, Gallo's wine lounge

From the left: Ice bar hosted by Bouchon, Plumpjack wines, Bouchon

So there you have it, my first Pebble Beach Food & Wine experience - from meeting famous Top Chef's - finding out where they are now, all are not on TV and are working in real restaurants (go figure), drinking some of the wine's I've been wanting (I thought in vain) to try for years, getting treated to the luxury and opulence of which I would like to become accustomed! 

There is defiantly a mentality of "what happens in pebble beach stays in pebble beach" — from walking into the Dom Perignon sparkling wine tasting and then end up meeting the winemaker for Dom Perignon; where after-parties go past 3 AM, or maybe you finding yourself at a hosted 6-course/ wine pairing exclusive dinner for Food & Wine's Best New Chef's Alumni ...that's not too uncommon, and then getting into the the VIP-only after party might happen as well, I'm not saying it did (hint)...but it could happen...

Anything could happen at Pebble Beach Food & Wine Classic!

Want to check out all the pictures in greater detail? Click here