In a city where long term relationships are hard to come by, the American Wine & Food Festival returns for its 27th year from October 2-4. Tickets are now on sale for the annual event, hosted by the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation and benefiting Los Angeles chapters of Meals on Wheals, which features world-renowned chefs, vintners and spirit purveyors at the most anticipated epicurean event of the year.
The best of the best come together. Participating Chefs from last year.
Spearheaded by top sponsors Audi (www.audiusa.com) and MasterCard (www.mastercard.com), The American Wine & Food Festival is an exercise in culinary expertise that promises a riveting weekend full of feasting and fundraising.
Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation
Since its inception in 1982, the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation has supported the American Wine & Food Festival, raising more than $15 million for Los Angeles Chapters of Meals On Wheels. Meals On Wheels serves thousands of meals each day to Los Angeles’ homebound senior and disabled citizens.
On Tap for the Weekend
The Festival features a spectacular spread of delectable dishes, superb libations, fantasy auction items and amazing entertainment in three events, each offering a different level of participation for culinary connoisseurs to contribute to the cause.
Friday’s Red Hot @ Red Seven Kickoff Event
Leading off the festivities is the Red Hot @ Red Seven Kickoff Event, which begins on Friday, October 2nd at 7 p.m. Red Seven by Wolfgang Puck at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood will host the activities as festival newcomers and veterans will be treated to chic eats and innovative libations in an intimate lounge setting. Red Hot @ Red Seven Kickoff Event offers the chance to mingle with a virtual cornucopia of Angelenos; from philanthropists to foodies and unknowns to unmistakable personalities.
Friday Evening Event tickets are available for $150 per person. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.AWFF.org. Please call (310) 777-3707 for location and directions after September 4.
Saturday at Universal Studios
Like a seven course meal, The 2009 American Wine & Food Festival gets more delicious with every serving of fun. On Saturday, the action begins at 5:00 pm with the Wolfgang Puck VIP Cooking Demonstration. It’s a VIP entrance only event and is available by purchasing tickets through Festival Patron and MasterCard Promotions.
The AWFF opens at 6:00 p.m., staged against the backdrop of the famous movie sets in the Universal Studios Back Lot. Events include an unrivaled epicurean feast prepared by world-renowned chefs, superb libations including fine wines and smooth spirits, and a silent auction filled with luxury items. For those who like to eat to a beat, all of the festivities will be accompanied by the swinging sounds of live bands.
Saturday Evening Event tickets are available for $300 per person. Table reservations are available from $3,500. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.AWFF.org.
Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner
Spago Beverly Hills is the locale for Sunday’s finale, with events beginning on October 4th at 6:00 p.m. Wolfgang Puck, Lee Hefter & Barbara Lazaroff with Chef de Cuisine Thomas Boyce & Executive Pastry Chef Sherry Yard welcome several of the world’s finest chefs to prepare an elegant six-course dinner at the 10th Annual Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner. This limited-seating event at Spago Beverly Hills is filled with exquisite dishes paired with select wines and a live auction featuring one-of-a-kind items and experiences.
Celebrity chefs Thomas Keller of Bouchon; Dean Fearing of Fearing’s at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas; Jereme Leung of Jereme Leung Creative Concepts Pte Ltd; Laurent Gras of L2O; Nobu Matsuhisa of Matsuhisa & Nobu LA; Gina DePalma of Ristorante Babbo pair up, each preparing one course, for the grand gala dinner.
Reservations for the Chefs Grand Tasting Dinner are available for $750 per person or $7,000 per table. To purchase tickets, contact Ellen Farentino with Spago at (310) 385-0880.
Additional Events
The American Wine & Food Festival has also announced additional special events and perks. Audi will host a special wine tasting in the month of September featuring distinguished sommelier Christopher Miller of Spago Beverly Hills. Sommelier Miller has been dubbed “2008 Best Young Sommelier in the World,” “2007 Best Young Sommelier in the U.S.” (both Chaine des Rotisseurs International and National Competitions), and Wine & Spirits magazine’s “Best New Sommelier of 2008.”
MasterCard® returns for its third year of sponsoring the festival as the preferred card of the American Wine & Food Festival. In addition to its philanthropic presence, World and World Elite MasterCard cardholders may maximize their experience by purchasing VIP packages and enjoying additional benefits from ticket purchases.
To find out more, contact MasterCard at (800) 964-4742 or [email protected]. Reservations are limited in number and subject to availability, and are only valid if purchased via MasterCard using your World and World Elite MasterCard.
Saturday Participating Chefs & Restaurants (to date):
Saturday Participating Chefs & Restaurants (to date):
Alan Wong of Alan Wong’s; Alex Stratta of ALEX, Wynn Las Vegas; Mark Gaier and Clark Frasier of Arrows Restaurant; Jonathan Waxman of Barbuto; Paul Bartolotta of BARTOLOTTA Ristorante di Mare; Laurent Tourondel of BLT; Thomas Keller of Bouchon; Robert Del Grande of Café Annie; Mark Peel of Campanile; Rene Mata of Chinois; Walter Manzke of Church & State; Mark Miller of Coyote Café; Ken Oringer of Clio; Tom Colicchio of Craftsteak Restaurants; Ari Rosenson & Matt Hurley of CUT Las Vegas and Beverly Hills; Roger Stettler of Four Seasons Resort Maui, Hawaii; Ilan Hall of Gorbals; Frank Ostini of The Hitching Post; Joe Miller of Joe’s Restaurant, Venice; Richard Sandoval of Ketsi, Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita; Lydia Shire, Mario Capone & Simon Restrepo of Scampo; Traci Des Jardins of Manzanita Lake Tahoe; Cal Stamenov of Marinus Restaurant at Bernardus Lodge; Nobu Matsuhisa of Matsuhisa & Nobu LA; Gino Angelini of Minestraio Trattoria; John Cuevas of Montage Beverly Hills; Nancy Silverton of Mozza; Norman Van Aken of NORMAN’S; Octavio Becerra of Palate Food + Wine; Joachim Splichal of Patina; Francois Payard of Payard Patisserie & Bistro; Julian Serrano of Picasso; Jimmy Schmidt of Rattlesnake Club; Richard Reddington of Redd; Sam Choy of Sam Choy’s; Charles Phan of Slanted Door; Kerry Heffernan of South Gate; Mark Ferguson of Spago Bachelor Gulch; Wolfgang Puck of Spago Beverly Hills; Sherry Yard of Spago Beverly Hills; Lee Hefter and Thomas Boyce of Spago Beverly Hills; David Robins and Eric Klein of Spago Las Vegas; Cameron Lewark of Spago Maui; Stephan Pyles of Stephan Pyles Restaurant; Lissa Doumani and Hiro Sone of Terra, St. Helena, and AME, San Francisco; David Walzog of SW Steakhouse, Wynn Las Vegas; Tommaso Tarantino, Luciano Pellegrini and Nicola Chessa of The Valentino Restaurant Group: Santa Monica, Las Vegas and Houston; Yuji Wakiya of Wakiya Ichiemicharo, Tokyo; Marc Djozlija, Aram Mardigian, John Lechleidner and Dustin Lewandowski of WP Bar & Grill; Mat Bencivenga, Yoshi Kojima, Scott Drewno Ben Hong & Sara Johannes of Red Seven, Source, Jai and Five Sixty.
Sunday Participating Chefs & Restaurants (to date):
Gina DePalma of Ristorante Babbo; Dean Fearing of Fearing’s at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas; Laurent Gras of L2O; Thomas Keller of Bouchon; Jereme Leung of Jereme Leung Creative Concepts Pte Ltd; Nobu Matsuhisa of Matsuhisa & Nobu LA.
Participating Vintners (to date):
Baker Lane Vineyards; Beaulieu Vineyard; Beckmen Vineyards; Beringer Vineyards; Bernardus Winery; Betts and Scholl; BISOL Prosecco; Bonaccorsi Wine Company; Bouchaine Vineyards; Chappellet Winery; Charles Krug Winery; Chateau St. Jean; Cielo Malibu Estate Wineyards; Crimson Wine Group; Domaine Drouhin Oregon; Domaine Serene; Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.; Duckhorn Wine Company; Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery; Flowers Vineyard & Winery; FOXEN; Francis Ford Coppola Winery; Frank Family Vineyards; Frog’s Leap Winery; Gramercy Cellars; Grgich Hills Estate; Gridley Family Cellars; Groth Vineyards & Winery; Hendry; J Vineyards & Winery; Joseph Carr; JUSTIN Winery; Karl Lawrence Cellars; Laetitia Vineyard & Winery; Lancaster Estate; Layer Cake; Loire Valley Wine Bureau; Long Shadows Vintners; Luna Vineyards; Malibu Family Wines; Malibu Vineyards; Mason Cellars; Melville; Miner Family; Morgan Winery; Myuge Wines; Ortman Family Vineyards; O’Shaughnessy Winery; Paradigm Winery; PEJU; Pride Mountain Vineyards; Rosenblum Cellars; Rosenthal-The Malibu Estate/Surfrider; Semler & Saddlerock; The Scholium Project; Silver Oak Wine Cellars; Star Lane & Dierberg Vineyards; Sterling Vineyards; Symington Family Estates; Tantara Winery; Topanga “TV” Vineyards; Waters Winery; Whitcraft Winery.
Participating Spirits (to date):
Ultimat Vodka, Patron Tequila, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Ventura Limoncello.
Event Sponsors (to date):
Audi, MasterCard, Fiji Water, Southern California Gas, Pure Blue Meat Australian, CIGNA, Ultimate Vodka, Patron Tequila, Loire Valley Wine Bureau, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Campbell Soup, Tillamook Cheese, Idaho Potato Commission, EvansHardy+Young, Mansour Travel Company, American Airlines, Wynn Encore Las Vegas, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Ventura Limoncello, Credit-Suisse, Wolfgang Puck Bistro, Wolfgang Puck Catering, Wolfgang Puck Coffee, Wolfgang Puck Culinary Iced Coffees, La Brea Bakery, Integrated Transportation Services, Republic Master Chefs, Universal Studios, Acteva, Mighty Leaf Tea, Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt, L.A. Specialty Produce, Knork Flatwear, Southern California Wine & Spirits, SYSCO Los Angeles, Miele, Urbani Tartufi, US Foodservice Los Angeles Division, Classic Party Rentals, Clear Channel Outdoor, Jacob Maarse, Renaissance Hotels, The Tasting Panel, SingularCity.com, Food Arts, Wine Spectator, Angeleno.
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About the American Wine & Food Festival
Since its inception in 1982, the Puck-Lazaroff Charitable Foundation has supported the American Wine & Food Festival, raising more than $15 million for Los Angeles Chapters of Meals On Wheels. This organization serves thousands of meals each day to Los Angeles’ homebound senior and disabled citizens.
As a result of their efforts on behalf of Meals On Wheels, the Austrian-born Puck, renowned for feeding Hollywood glamour at the annual post-Oscar extravaganza, and leading restaurant designer Lazaroff, are also celebrated for their philanthropic spirit.
