Celebrity Chefs, Michelin Stars and 2010 Seasonal Events Add to The Napa Valley’s Culinary Appeal
NAPA, Califoria (January, 2010) – The Napa Valley has long been acclaimed for its fine dining and diversified culinary options. With the recent release of the esteemed Michelin San Francisco Bay Area & Wine Country Guide the culinary scene within the legendary wine region is deservedly receiving heightened recognition – with 70 percent of the 2010 Michelin rated dining establishments in wine country hailing from The Napa Valley.
The 10 venerable Michelin awarded restaurants include Thomas Keller’s prestigious 3-Star French Laundry; the 2-Star The Restaurant at Meadowood; and single Michelin- Star rated Etoile, at Domaine Chandon; Chef Ken Frank’s La Toque; Solbar in the Solage Calistoga Resort; Ubuntu; the Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil; Bouchon; Redd; and Terra.
That’s just the start of the Valley’s latest culinary news. There are additional gastronomic draws coming in the months ahead.
NEW EATERIES ON HORIZON
Renowned chef and headliner of both Iron Chef and Iron Chef America, Masaharu Morimoto, will be opening a restaurant at downtown Napa’s Riverfront development next summer. The concept will mirror Morimoto’s “contemporary Japanese cuisine” style combining Asian and Western traditions, and will include a sushi bar, a lounge and outdoor dining area overlooking the river walk.
Downtown Napa’s Riverfront project will also feature another Food Network star’s restaurant. Host of “Tyler’s Ultimate,” Chef Tyler Florence will be opening a rotisserie. Anticipated to open by Summer 2010, the eatery, to be named Tyler Florence’s Rotisserie & Wine, will showcase locally and sustainably-raised meats and menu offerings will highlight other regional and seasonal fare.
Another addition to the Riverfront next summer will be a moderately-priced seafood eatery by Napa resident, Michael Dellar, president and CEO of the Bay Area’s celebrated Lark Creek Restaurant Group, which operates 10 restaurants, including One Market Restaurant in San Francisco and Bradley Ogden at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.
Adding to downtown Napa’s concentration of quality eating establishments, the Napa Valley’s popular Oxbow Public Market, a local gathering place for great food and wine in downtown Napa, will introduce C Casa – an innovative Taqueria from Catherine Bergen, the visionary behind the “Made in Napa Valley” brand of fine artisan packaged foods. Expected to open March of 2010, C Casa will present innovative Mexican dishes utilizing products from local growers, ranchers and farmers and created by the talented Jacinto brothers, Erasto and Pablo, both well known for their years working with celebrated Chef Cindy Pawlcyn.
Also new to the Oxbow Public Market, is the recent addition to the Pica Pica Bar. Opened by proprietress Adriana López Vermut as a complement to the popular Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, a Venezuelan casual dining restaurant, Pica Pica Bar will offer a sampling of Venezuelan bar foods, snacks and meals as well as a range of beverages, including blended Venezuelan fruit juices called batidos and specially selected craft beers. Of note, everything in the Pica Pica Kitchen is certified wheat- and gluten-free, there is even a gluten-free beer!
The Napa Valley also welcomes the new Characters Bar ‘N Que restaurant at The Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa. Here guests can dine on authentic Kansas-Style BBQ from the kitchen of acclaimed Chef Brian Whitmer.
You can now take the flavors of the Napa Valley’s legendary Michelin-rated Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil home. The restaurant has recently launched a line of culinary treats available to take-home, beginning with its first signature Auberge du Soleil market item, the Auberge Torte au Chocolate, handcrafted at Auberge du Soleil by renowned Pastry Chef Paul Lemieux. For more information or to purchase the Torte au Chocolate visit www.aubergedusoleil.com.
2010 CULINARY PROGRAMS, FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
On the gastronomy-focused calendar of events throughout the Napa Valley for 2010 are a series of festivals, farmers markets and special culinary programs for food enthusiasts to enjoy including:
YOUNTVILLE’S MOVEABLE FEAST – Yountville, the Napa Valley’s culinary center, is offering a town-wide “Moveable Feast” program that includes 11 food-and-wine hotel packages and 12 restaurant deals that are available now through Feb. 28, 2010. Participating restaurants include Thomas Keller’s Michelin-star rated Bouchon and Michael Chiarello’s newest restaurant, Bottega. Special offers include $1 oyster appetizers, 50 percent off wine tastings, and up to 25 percent off hotel and dining packages. Starting at $495, a deal at The Cottages of Napa Valley includes a two-night stay in a private cottage, a private winery tour and tasting at the O’Brien Estate vineyard and an early dinner at the Ad Hoc restaurant. For information about these special offers and more from the Moveable Feast program visit www.Yountville.com.
THE NAPA VALLEY MUSTARD FESTIVAL – The Napa Valley’s Mustard Season offers a full palette of food, wine, art, entertainment, and cultural activities staged throughout the world-famous grape growing region from the end of January through March 2010. Kicking off the festivities is the Mustard Magic celebration at the renowned Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, January 30, 2010, where guests will savor gourmet fare, celebrated wines, and a live auction with wine, art and more. Additional highlighted events include: The Grand Dinner, February 20, 2010; Mustard Festival Awards, March 12, 2010; Mustard, Music and Mud a Calistoga Jazz Festival, March 6 – 7, 2010, and Napa Riverfront Marketplace, March 13-14, 2010. For more details visit www.MustardFestival.com
Cooking Demonstrations and Wine Courses at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone – The renowned Culinary Institute of America (CIA) offers a variety of classes for food and wine enthusiasts at every level of interest. Develop your senses and expand your wine vocabulary with the “Sensory Analysis of Wine” course, Feb. 25 – 26, 2010, or learn how to throw a successful wine and food pairing party with the “Wine and Food Pairing Fundamentals” course, Mar. 24 – 25, 2010. Attend a cooking demonstration at the CIA at Greystone during the month of January 2010 and learn how to prepare special “Cold Winter Classics” or try one of the “Taste of the CIA Cookbooks” classes available now through Spring 2010. For more details visit http://www.ciachef.edu
“TOP GUEST” EXPERIENCE – Napa Valley’s Meritage Resort and Spa is offering a special “Top Guest” package in celebration of the season six finale of Bravo network’s popular reality program, Top Chef, which took place in the Napa Valley this fall. Available now through the end of January 2010, the “Top Guest” package is offered at $99 per night (mid-week rate) or $169 per night (Friday and Saturday) and includes accommodations, two glasses of the Quickfire Wine as seen on Top Chef and breakfast for two at Siena where the Top Chef contestants dined during their stay at the resort. For more details visit www.themeritageresort.com
COOKING AT Cakebread Cellars – This iconic winery offers a range of hands-on cooking classes at the winery where guests can learn alongside chefs and other food and wine lovers. Classes take place in the winery kitchen or outdoors at a barbecue area with a wood-burning oven. Classes include a tour of the winery, a tasting of Cakebread Cellars wines, cooking class and a three-course lunch paired with wine. Participants also receive a Cakebread Cellars logo apron and a booklet of the recipes and wine notes from the day. For more details visit www.cakebread.com.
American Harvest Workshop – In its 24th year, the 2010 American Harvest Workshop will be held September 11-15, 2010. Founded by Jack and Dolores Cakebread in 1987, over 100 chefs from around the country and overseas have participated in this amazing program that takes place each year during the harvest season. The event allows participants to explore the art of wine and food through seminars and in-depth tastings, working the grape harvest, an on-site farmers’ market, farm visits, and planning and creating meals using the products available from food producers at the market. To learn more about the program visit www.cakebread.com/about/AHW/AHW_intro.cfm
DOMAINE CHANDON continues to promote Bubbles & Oysters at the winery and will kick off the promotion at the winery on April 18 with an “OysterFest.” They will offer Tastemaker Dinners at the Michelin-star etoile Restaurant, for dates and more details please visit www.chandon.com in the events section.
For more information about the varied culinary experiences in The Napa Valley, updates regarding The Valley’s culinary scene, upcoming food and wine events, festivals, or special programs and package offers please visit www.legendarynapavalley.com.
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America’s legendary wine, food, and wellness destination, The Napa Valley is home to the founders of America’s fine wine industry – legendary entrepreneurs who showed the world that the high art of winemaking had crossed continents. The very word Napa stands for ‘Land of Plenty’, the original meaning given to the region by its first inhabitants, the Wappo Indians. The Valley itself is one of the rarest and most precious agricultural preserves on earth – a place that moves in perfect synchrony with the seasons. Voted the #1 Wine Destination in North America in a recent 2009 TripAdvisor® Survey, The Napa Valley is Internationally recognized as one of only eight “Great Wine Capitals” and is prized for its natural beauty, phenomenal culinary scene, world-class accommodations, and one-of-a-kind spa experiences including the region’s famed mud baths and natural geo-thermal springs. For more information about The Napa Valley visit www.LegendaryNapaValley.com
January 15, 2010
Posted in: United States West