Tyler Florence.
PHOTO COURTESY JASON PERRY
ON-SITE EVENTS
The following events take place upstairs in and around the festival tents at The Gardens on El Paseo in Palm Desert.
Grand Tastings
Saturday, March 23, and Sunday, March 24
Over two days, enjoy signature dishes and drinks from more than 100 vendors, watch celebrity chef demonstrations on three stages, and delight the senses with a host of new-to-you ingredients and flavors. Tastings from restaurants, vintners, brewers, and distillers are unlimited, and they’ll tell you all about their diverse offerings along the way. Grand Tasting tickets are sold as single-day passes. On Saturday, opt for the Carte Blanche pass to gain access to Dominique Crenn’s VIP demonstration, held before regular ticketholders arrive.
Come hungry to the Grand Tastings! You’ll receive a wine glass upon arrival and an opportunity to interact with a diverse assortment of food, drink, and product vendors.
PHOTO COURTESY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
Cheese Master Class with Afrim Pristine.
PHOTO COURTESY JOSE CORONA
Cheese Masterclass With Afrim Pristine
Thursday, March 21
Learn all about the art of cheese making and pairing cheese with wine from Afrim Pristine, a maître fromager (certified cheese master) and the co-owner of Cheese Boutique in Toronto. Fellow Canadians may recognize Pristine from the Food Network Canada series Cheese: A Love Story, which follows the turophile around the world as he sniffs out the good stuff. This evening get-together will showcase some of Pristine’s favorite wines alongside the world’s best cheeses. “My approach to food festivals and live demos is to bring a lot of energy. That’s my secret ingredient,” Pristine shares. “Guests pay good money to come see you. I take that with a lot of pride, and I need to give them their money’s worth and more.”
James Beard Gourmet Four-Course Luncheon
Friday, March 22
Begin your weekend with an afternoon feast prepared live onstage by some of your favorite celebrity chefs. As you dine and enjoy four courses with fine wine pairings, the TV darlings dish on their recipes, the ingredients, and how each component comes together on the plate. This year’s event features Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken, Meg Bickford, Dominique Crenn, and Gale Gand, with hosts Zac Young and Jamie Gwen. Palm Desert Food & Wine proudly supports the James Beard Foundation.
James Beard Luncheon.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
menu
First Course
Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken prepare Kenter Farms chicory salad and cauliflower leek soup, paired with ZD Winery Carneros 2021 Reserve Chardonnay.
Second Course
Meg Bickford serves her “Upside Up” Louisiana blue crab custard (vegetarian option: citrus and herb salad with coconut lemongrass vinaigrette), paired with The Calling Russian River Valley 2021 Pinot Noir.
Third Course
Dominique Crenn offers an entrée of scallop, turnips, smoked cream, and Tsar Nicoulai caviar (vegetarian option: daikon, turnips, smoked cream, and Tsar Nicoulai caviar), paired with Bouchaine Vineyards Carneros Estate 2021 Chardonnay.
Fourth Course
Gale Gand whips up an elderflower-raspberry rice pudding with Meyer lemon caramel and crispy puffed rice, paired with Grgich Hills Estate Late Harvest 2018 Violetta.
Commander’s Palace Sunday Jazz Brunch
Sunday, March 24
The best Sundays begin with an extraordinary brunch. Inspired by the delights of New Orleans, this special jazz brunch features Commander’s Palace executive chef Meg Bickford along with proprietors Lally Brennan and Ti Adelaide. The event includes a live jazz show. The menu will be prepared live onstage, with plenty of delightful commentary about the dishes and ingredients along the way. “Demos give me the chance to pull back the curtain on some seemingly difficult recipes and ultimately give people more confidence in the kitchen and inspiration to try things at home,” Bickford says. Save some room! Tickets to this event include access to Sunday’s Grand Tastings, which means you’re only just getting started.
Meg Bickford.
PHOTO COURTESY JAMES BEARD HOUSE
menu
Reception
Champagne and brandy milk punch.
First Course
Crab gin fizz (vegetarian option: avocado-coconut gin fizz).
Second Course
Braised pork belly with crawfish sauce and a poached egg (vegetarian option: artichoke, leeks, mushrooms, and peppers with Herbsaint coulis and olive niçoise tapenade barigoule.
Third Course
Ponchatoula strawberry shortcake.
OFF-SITE EVENTS
Don’t miss these Palm Desert Food & Wine gatherings around the Coachella Valley.
taste of the shops on el paseo
Monday, March 4
Dine your way down El Paseo with a progressive dining experience.
Porta Via, Kitchen 86 + Bar, and Shorebird Restaurant, Palm Desert
Spring Supper Party
Wednesday, March 13
A unique collaboration between The Penney executive chef Jon Butler, certified sommelier Rafael Peterson, and artist Cristopher Cichocki, this intimate celebration fuses great food with art and thrilling live entertainment. The four-course meal showcases a seasonal symphony of ingredients alongside French wines from family-owned vineyards, curated by H. Mercer.
The Penney at Desert Island Country Club, Rancho Mirage
Trio Restaurant Presents Aisha Ibrahim
Thursday, March 21
Join celebrity chef Aisha Ibrahim and Trio Restaurant executive chef Jeremy Loomis for a wine-paired dinner at Trio Restaurant in the Uptown Design District of Palm Springs.
Trio Restaurant, Palm Springs
Date Farm Tour & Lunch Hosted by Aarti Sequeira and Friends
Thursday, March 21
Celebrity chef Aarti Sequeira leads this guided bus tour that will take you to Hadley Date Gardens, The Packhouse, and Aziz Farms to learn all about Coachella Valley dates and agriculture. This hyperlocal experience includes an alfresco farm-to-table lunch in the grove at Aziz Farms.
Pick-up location: Ticketing Tent at The Gardens on El Paseo, Palm Desert
The Gale Gand Guide to Cooking With Spices
Friday, March 22
Learn firsthand about the secrets of cooking with spices during this special event at Savory Spice Shop helmed by Gale Gand, a nationally acclaimed pastry chef, restaurateur, James Beard Award winner, cookbook author, teacher, and the host of Food Network’s Sweet Dreams. “My goal is to get people cooking,” Gand says, “so they can feel the joy of the craft, plus the feeling of nurturing themselves and others.”
Savory Spice Shop, Palm Desert
Last year’s cast of chefs pose during the reception.
PHOTO BY MOLLIE KIMBERLING
Celebrity Chef Reception
Saturday, March 23
Party with the chefs you know and love from TV at this exclusive cocktail soirée at a beautiful home in Palm Springs. Here, the participants aren’t secluded to a stage; rather, they’re milling around with a libation in hand, eager to meet and mingle with fellow foodies while serving up some of their own signature appetizers. Special guests include Meg Bickford, Dominque Crenn, Susan Feniger, Tyler Florence, Gale Gand, Jamie Gwen, Aisha Ibrahim, Mary Sue Milliken, Juan Morales, Afrim Pristine, Aarti Sequeira, Angelo Sosa, and Zac Young, all of whom will be hosting culinary demonstrations during the two days of Grand Tastings.
Private Estate, Palm Springs