On March 29th, Chef Celebration kicked off their annual Spring Dinner Series at Del Mar’s revered Pamplemousse Grille. The series will continue each subsequent Tuesday at various host restaurants throughout San Diego and will pair teams of top chefs with ambitious young talent to create incredible, multi-course meals for one evening only. Due to the tremendous success of last year’s series, Chef Celebration will add an additional dinner to their 2016 lineup, taking the weekly series through May, with the final sixth dining event to be hosted at the University Club atop Symphony Towers by Executive Chef Lance Repp on Tuesday, May 3rd.
In addition to Chef Celebration’s five unique team dinners, on Sunday, May 1st, the non-profit’s 6th Annual Food & Beer Pairing Festival at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens—Liberty Station will see an jaw-dropping lineup of 14 food & beer pairings from the city’s top chefs and award-winning local breweries. A portion of all proceeds raised by Chef Celebration’s collaborative ‘Spring Dinner Series’ as well as May’s ‘Beer Master Pairing Event’ directly benefit the organization’s culinary scholarship program that sends ambitious lower and mid-level cooks on an all expenses paid, intensive weeklong training course at the highly regarded Culinary Institute of America Greystone in Napa, CA. Last year, 12 young guns from notable eateries including Ironside Fish & Oyster, Urban Solace, Leroy’s Kitchen + Lounge, Tidal, La Valencia, Pamplemousse and Craft & Commerce attended. This year, Chef Celebration aims to send 12 new rising star chefs come late September, who will be given the opportunity to learn from the best in their profession.
Additional details for each event are included below. For more information on Chef Celebration, please visit www.chefcelebration.org.
Chef Celebration Spring Dinner Series
Select beer or wine pairings for each menu will be available for an additional fee.
Reservations are available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and should be made via phone with each restaurant direct.
TUESDAY, APRIL 12 | TERRA AMERICAN BISTRO
5-course menu, $65 per person
619.293.7088
Jeff Rossman | Terra American Bistro
Flor Franco | Indulge
Miguel Valdez | The Red Door Restaurant and Wine Bar
Kat Humphus | Savory Made Simple
Francesco Basile | Antica Trattoria San Diego
TUESDAY, APRIL 19 | TOM HAM’S LIGHTHOUSE
5-course menu, $65 per person
619.291.9110
Kyle Kovar | Tom Ham’s Lighthouse
AG Warfield | Churchill’s Pub & Grille
Joe Pastry | Water’s Fine Catering
Stephen Gage | Underbelly North Park
Andy Halvorsen | Moto Deli
TUESDAY, APRIL 26 | TIDAL
5-course menu, $65 per person
858.490.6363
Amy DiBiase | Tidal
Acursio Lotta | Solare Ristorante
Patrick Ponsaty | Bellamy’s Restaurant
Aaron Obregon | Bay Park Fish Company
DJ Tangalin | JRDN
TUESDAY, MAY 3 | UNIVERSITY CLUB ATOP SYMPHONY TOWERS
5-course menu, $65 per person
619.234.5200
Lance Repp | University Club
Phillip Esteban | Cork & Craft
Chris Gentile | Double Standard
David Roshensky & Mark Kropczynski | US Grant Grill
Aron Schwartz | Marina Kitchen at Marriott Marquis
SUNDAY, MAY 1| CHEF CELEBRATION FOOD & BEER PAIRING FESTIVAL
AT STONE BREWING WORLD BISTRO & GARDENS – LIBERTY STATION
14 Breweries + 14 Chefs
12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Tickets Cost: $49 per person
Attendees can enjoy live entertainment while they sip and savor 14 small dishes created by a number of outstanding local chefs alongside 14 brews paired by “Certified Cicerone” and Stone Brewing Co. Craft Beer Ambassador Dr. Bill Sysak.
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