The 18th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Set To Attract Thousands
The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival® returns for its 18th annual festival, November 8-13th – and it looks to be another amazing event!
Southern California’s most anticipated food and wine festival welcomes over 11,000 wine and food enthusiasts for a six-day celebration of city-wide events, including the annual Grand Decant on Friday, November 11 at Building 177 and Grand Tasting at the Port of San Diego Embarcadero Marina Park North on Saturday, November 12.
Each year, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival welcomes over 60 nationally recognized and locally celebrated chefs, legendary winemakers, guest mixologists, award-winning authors, distillers, sommeliers, brewmasters, artisans, tastemakers, and hundreds of domestic and international wine, beer, and spirit brands.
The new Grand Fiesta
Sunday will feature the new Grand Fiesta, presented by San Diego Union-Tribune En Español and iHeart Media, festival at Ingram Plaza in Liberty Station – a vibrant celebration of San Diego’s cross-border connection to Latin America featuring cuisine, wine, beer, spirits, art, and music.
The Grand Fiesta will host the annual Taco TKO competition where local restaurants compete for the title of San Diego’s Most Awesome Taco.
Padre Pride
The festival also celebrates Padre pride this year as the Gwynn family hosts this years Live Fire VIP Experience. Celebrating the legacy of Tony Gwynn, the family is gifting all VIP guests with a custom wine flute and opportunity to taste Tony Gwynn’s vision for the perfect beer .394 Pale Ale.
Along with this special guest appearance, the Gwynn family will be hosting two silent auctions for festival attendees, a Padres box seat experience and a signature .394 game day package.
The Gwynn Family is joined by celebrated chefs and wineries such as Claudia Sandoval, Aron Schwartz, Stephen Gage, Antinori Estate, Louis Latour, Bad Boyz of Culinary, Hourglass, and more.
The six-day San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival experiences include:
In Good Company Presents A Wine Dinner With Nolita Hall + Cuyama Buckhorn | November 8, 6:30-9:30PM
Join In Good Company as they host the ultimate Wine BBQ Dinner starring Chef Moira Hill of Nolita Hall and Chef Daniel Horn of Cuyama Buckhorn. This intimate gathering will be held on the patio at Nolita Hall featuring dishes from San Diego and Central California and highlighting local meats, vegetables, and other ingredients.
Louis Latour Mentorship Dinner at Ranch 45 | November 9, 6:30-10PM
The impressive culinary talents of Two Star Michelin Chef, Chef Suzette Gresham of Acquerello in San Francisco, Bernard Guillas, and Aron Schwartz are teaming up with their protégés to collaborate on a menu of mouthwatering flavors paired with Louis Latour wines in honor of the late Louis-Fabrice Latour. A portion of proceeds from the Louis Latour Mentorship Dinner will be donated to Hospices de Beaune and to witness mentorship in the San Diego culinary community.
Baja Culinary Expedition | November 9, 7:30AM to 11:30PM
Attendees of the Baja Culinary Expedition, hosted by Chef Claudia Sandoval and Fernando Gaxiola, will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime excursion to the Valle de Guadalupe for a cross-border exploration of some of the most prestigious wineries, restaurants and culinary experiences found in Baja California. Guests will spend the day discovering the wineries, chefs, and restaurants that make gastronomy from Baja one of the most talked about food trends in the world.
World of Wines with JRDN Restaurant | November 9, 6:30-10PM
Sip and dine through time as you explore a variety of wine regions as the JRDN team presents a five-course dinner paired with old and new world wines. This exclusive dinner hosted by Master Sommelier Nick Hetzel and Paul Hodges, Import Specialist, features incredible wines and an exquisite menu curated by JRDN Executive Chef, Stephen Gage.
The Secret Family Recipe by Bad Boyz of Culinary at Parq | November 10, 6:30-9PM
Hosted by Bad Boyz of Culinary and inspired by the spirit of Maker’s Mark® 46, The Secret Family Recipe spotlights five of the best chefs in Southern California and what makes them who they are today. The menu holds a deeply-rooted connection to family recipes, including the history and culture of each chef, with cocktail pairings that demonstrate the connection between the chef and the history of Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whiskey.
Fast Food Elevated with Verbena Kitchen | November 10, 6-9PM
Buckle up and brace yourself as we drive-thru (no pun intended) a culinary experience revisiting some of our favorite fast food dishes, elevated! Curated by General Manager Dallas Juanes and Sous Chef Jesse Caramabas and team, enjoy an evening of elevated culinary delights, reminiscent of late night adventures. The evening will include a cocktail reception with Hors d’Oeuvres, leading into a five-course paired dinner.
An Evening in Tuscany at Solare Ristorante | November 10, 6:30-9PM
Spend an evening and embark on in-depth exploration of the amazing wines from Tuscany with Antinori Estate and Solare Ristorante! Join this Italian wine and cuisine focused grand wine dinner highlighting legendary Tuscan wines such as the Tignanello Estate Super Tuscan and the Pian delle Vigne Brunello di Montalcino. Plus, with Italian truffles in season, these mouth-watering delicacies are the star of this evening’s menu.
An Evening with Michael Mina, Carl Schroeder and Vineyard 29 at Market Del Mar | November 10 , 5:30-10PM
Join celebrated chef Carl Schroeder at Market for an epic night featuring world-renowned chef and restauranteur Michael Mina alongside chef James Montejeno and and Market’s Wine Director and General Manager Lisa Redwine and featuring the remarkable wines of Napa Valley’s famed Vineyard 29.
The collaboration is a long time in the making as each chef and Lisa are bonded through their mutual connection and time spent at Aqua, a San Francisco-based Michael Mina restaurant. The five-course dining experience includes Chef Mina’s iconic caviar parfait and wines expertly paired by Vineyard 29’s Nora Comée and Market’s Lisa Redwine. Also featuring live musical performances by The Sophisticados.
Little Thief X Papalito | November 10, 6-9PM
Chef Drew Bart is joined by Chef Stevan Novoa and Chef Anders Rubini to introduce a trio of exceptional chefs curating the six-course meal. Winemakers Sean Hogan and Crosby Swinchatt will pour a range of their newly-released, natural wines, which range from classic single-variety, single-vineyard wines to orange wines to unique and creative blends.
Lunch at Mister A’s with Hourglass | November 11, 12-2PM
Join us for lunch at the newly reimagined Mister A’s with wines from Napa’s iconic Hourglass winery. You will be treated to an exquisite five-course lunch paired fare whileenjoying the incredible views overlooking downtown and the San Diego Big Bay. This is an intimate luncheon with limited seating.
Dinner with the Butcher at Ranch 45 | November 11, 6:30-10PM
Dinner with the Butcher allows guests to indulge in a decadent evening and learn butchery from one of the best in the business. Bob the Butcher will teach his butchery techniques while breaking down a Packing House Rib – Tomahawk, Eye of Rib, Ribeye Cap, Meaty Back Ribs and Ribeye. Chefs Aron Schwartz and DuVal Warner will expertly prepare each cut for guests to enjoy.
Grand Decant at Liberty Station Building 177, November 11, 6-9PM
Kick off the Wine and Food Festival weekend at the Grand Decant! Join the country’s top sommeliers, wineries and winemakers for a walk around tasting to expand your palate and taste from both domestic and international wineries representing incredible wines. The VIP Experience for this event is only open to 50 ticket holders for an ultra-exclusive tasting including highly allocated cult wines and rare vintages, caviar, private chefs, lounge seating, dessert and fortified wine station, music, and more!
Grand Tasting on the Port of San Diego | November 12, 12-3PM
Taste from celebrated chefs and restaurants, domestic and international wine, beer and spirit purveyors and gourmet food companies amidst a stunning coastal backdrop with sail boats floating by at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting at the Port of San Diego. Enjoy hours of entertainment by live musical acts and exclusive tastings by acclaimed chefs and luxury winemaker. Special features this year include the Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove kitchen, Stranahan’s Whiskey, Baja Pavilion, Maker’s Mark, Creminelli Fine Meats, La Croix, and more.
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Present Kitchen Therapy
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove invite you to slow down and savor every stir, chop, and scent when cooking this holiday season. Join us at the Grand Tasting to experience what it means to use cooking as therapy and hear from the pros firsthand to discover new ways to find meditative moments in the kitchen. Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Head Demonstration Chef Joel Chesebro will be serving up delicious bites featuring local ingredients from the brand’s roots in Madison, Wisconsin.
Grand Fiesta at Liberty Station Ingram Plaza | November 13 12-3PM
The Grand Fiesta, presented by San Diego Union-Tribune En Español and iHeart Media, is a newly expanded festival featuring some of Mexico’s best wines, spirits, and cuisine. Taco TKO competition will still take place during this event crowning San Diego’s best taco! The final day of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival features cuisine, wine, beer, and spirits from Latin America along with its signature Taco TKO competition, live performances from bands like Bulevar Descarga and more!
Guests dance their way through expertly crafted culinary stations curated by chefs from throughout San Diego, Southern California, Baja and beyond. This year, festivities expand beyond tacos to include a spirits of Mexico pavilion pouring Mexican craft spirits and even art from cross border artists like Pako Pablos.
Additional culinary experiences and talent are being added and will be updated accordingly. View the full schedule here and be sure to reserve your seat as reservations are limited.
About San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival®
Travel to San Diego and Arrive at Awesome®. The 18th Annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival® presented by Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove is an international showcase of the world’s premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods.
Held November 8-13, 2022, the award-winning festival raises funds for culinary, oenology and hospitality scholarships and grants, and has awarded over $450,000 to individuals or nonprofits through previous events.
For more information, visit here. This festival is produced by World of Wine Events and Fast Forward Events & PR.
