Big Sur, CA, November 25, 2015 - Big Sur Health Center, a non-profit organization offering local, quality healthcare to the Big Sur community, announced January 15-17, 2016 as the dates of its annual Big Sur Foragers Festival. Held in Big Sur along California’s central coast, the festival is a weekend-long celebration featuring an amazing array of wild foods, world-class wine and beer, expert-led foraging hikes and a friendly chef competition with celebrity judges. This year’s partners include Ventana Big Sur, longtime host of the Fungus Face-Off and the Grand Chef dinner, along with a new strategic partner, Post Ranch Inn, which will host several different events.
The event has traditionally served as a fundraiser for the Big Sur Health Center. The community's non-profit health center will receive the proceeds from the foraging events to continue to support the presence of local health care services in the Big Sur area.
The three day festival affords Big Sur area restaurants the opportunity to host the culinary expertise of notable chefs who will be preparing unique fare ranging from rustic to elegant, paired alongside the central coast region's amazing selection of wine and beer. Guest Chef Suzette Gresham, Acquerello’s co-owner and Executive Chef from San Francisco’s Acquerello, will join Ventana’s own Chef Paul Corsentino to offer a memorable Grand Chef Dinner.
Saturday January 16th events include:
· Saturday morning - This year there will be two "Wild Foraging Walk and Talk" - one at Pfeiffer State Park (level beginner) and one through the Big Sur Wilderness (level intermediate). Cost per hike $35.00. (Saturday, January 16th 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.)
· Saturday afternoon – The “Fungus Face-Off" on the deck at Ventana Big Sur from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. Cost per person is $60. A friendly competition among some of the area's notable chefs featuring chanterelles and other fabulous fungi, along with a variety of wild foraged foods.. Attendees also have an opportunity to cast their vote for "People's Choice". (Saturday, January 16th 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
• Winery and Brewery Partners Include:
* Morgan Winery
* Comanche Cellars
* Holman Ranch
* Bernardus Winery
* Mesa Del Sol
* Filipponi Ranch/Kelly McCleary/Peter Cron
* Ventana Vineyards
* Scheid Vineyards
* McIntyre Wines
* Chappellet
* Mad Otter Ales
• Restaurant, Chef and Tasting Partners Include:
* Chef Paul Corsentino, Ventana Big Sur
* Chef Jon Cox, Post Ranch
* Chef Tim Wood, Carmel Valley Ranch
* Chef Steve Johnson, TusCA Ristorante
* Chef Brendan Esons , Big Sur Roadhouse
* Chef Matt Farmer, Coast Gallery
* Chef Phillip Burrus, Esalen Institute
* Chef Jacob Burell, Big Sur Bakery
* Miguel Vargas, Fernwood
* Adan Moeda Chavez, River Inn
* Carmel Valley’s Quail and Olive (taste organic olive oils and vinegars)
· A silent auction full of culinary delights, hotel stays, tickets to explore the area, art and so much more will take place during the food and wine sampling. There will be more than 60 items this year! Purchase raffle tickets for $5 per ticket of $25 for 6 tickets. Enter to win your choice of 7 culinary delights or hotel packages! Raffle package values begin at $200 to $700! Tickets available for purchase at the event.
· Saturday Evening: The Big Sur Foragers Festival announces its Grand Chef Dinner at the Restaurant at Ventana Big Sur. The multi-course dinner, destined to be a memorable feast paired with an incredible wine selection, costs $175.00 per person (as of December 1). Early bird tickets are on sale now through November 30th for $150.00. Guest Chef Suzette Gresham, Acquerello’s co-owner and Executive Chef, will join Ventana’s Chef Paul Corsentino to offer an unforgettable dining experience. (Saturday, January 16th, 2016 beginning at 6:00 pm).
For event details and information on other Foragers Festival weekend activities, including venues at Post Ranch Inn, please visit our website: www.bigsurforagersfestival.org.
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