Chefs' Holidays at the Ahwahnee in Yosemite

Description

The Ahwahnee, a recently renovated, full-­‐service, AAA Four-­‐Diamond hotel located in Yosemite National Park, Calif., today announces its 2012 season lineup for the 27th annual Chefs’ Holidays event series. Celebrating the range of styles, personalities and trends that characterize the American culinary scene in the beautiful natural setting in Yosemite National Park, Chefs’ Holidays brings together 25 prominent American chefs and culinary professionals from New York to Los Angeles in a wintertime celebration that includes a series of eight sessions from January 8 to February 2, 2012. For each session of Chefs’ Holidays guests are invited to take part in a “Meet the Chefs” reception, educational cooking demonstrations and tastings, a behind-­‐the-­‐scenes kitchen tour and a five-­‐course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner prepared by the guest chefs and paired with four wines, served by candlelight in The Ahwahnee Dining Room.

“Chefs’ Holidays is always a much-­‐anticipated event each year at The Ahwahnee,” said Brett Archer, general manager of The Ahwahnee. “Our guests love meeting their favorite chefs in person and learning about food trends and techniques in the kitchen. It’s truly a delicious and interactive event!”

“We work hard to bring the best of the best to Chefs’ Holidays each year,” said Chefs’ Holidays Coordinator Kathy Langley. “Many of our participating chefs are nationally-­‐ known for their talent and have been recognized with James Beard Awards. Others you may recognize by their participation in such shows as ‘Iron Chef’ or ‘Top Chef’ and others continually ‘wow’ guests nightly at their restaurants. This is a chance for people to get up close and personal with some of their favorite chefs in the industry.”
Since its inception as a small gathering of top chefs and hotel guests in the winter of 1985, Chefs’ Holidays has become a premier and much-­‐sought-­‐after destination for epicures and culinary professionals alike.

“I look forward to Chefs’ Holidays year after year,” said Chef Jesse Ziff Cool of Flea St Café, who has been part of the event since 1989. “There’s a genuine camaraderie among the guest chefs and the staff in The Ahwahnee kitchen. The positive energy spills over to
everyone involved. It’s truly rewarding to give participants a behind-­‐the-­‐scenes glimpse of what really happens in the professional culinary world. For all of us it is a magical opportunity and pleasure to step out of our restaurants for a few days and into one of the most beautiful natural wonders in the world. We all feel honored to take part in this extraordinary culinary celebration.”
The 2012 lineup is as follows:

Session 1: January 8-­10
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary travel consultant
Headliner: Kent Rathbun—Abacus, Jasper’s and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen in Texas Demonstrator: Annie Sommerville—Greens, San Francisco, CA
Demonstrator: Brian Streeter—Cakebread Cellars, Napa, CA

Session 2: January 11-­12
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary travel consultant
Headliner: Suzanne Goin—Lucques, A.O.C. & Tavern, Los Angeles, CA Demonstrator: Mark Estee—Campo, Reno, NV
Demonstrator: Donald Link—Herbsaint, New Orleans, LA

Session 3: January 15-­17
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, Author
Headliner: Peter Chastain—Prima, Walnut Creek, CA Demonstrator: Emily Luchetti—Farallon, San Francisco, CA Demonstrator: Sean Baker—Gather, Berkeley, CA

Session 4: January 18-­19
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, Author
Headliner: Rick Moonen—RM Seafood, Las Vegas, NV
Demonstrator: Jimmy Bradley—The Red Cat/The Harrison, New York, NY Demonstrator: Jesse Cool—Flea Street Café, Menlo Park, CA

Session 5: January 22-­24
Moderator: Barbara Fairchild, food journalist
Headliner: David Bazirgan—Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA
Demonstrator: Daniel Holzman—The Meatball Shop, New York, NY Demonstrator: Peg Smith & Sue Conley—Cowgirl Creamery, Pt. Reyes, CA

Session 6: January 25-­26
Moderator: Barbara Fairchild, food journalist
Headliner: Christopher Lee—Eden, South Beach, FL, and Huntington Social, Huntington, NY
Demonstrator: Chris Prosperi—Metro Bis, Simsbury, CT
Demonstrator: Robert Anderson—The Golf Club at Boulder Ridge, San Jose, CA

Session 7: January 29-­31: A collaborative dinner—The Men of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” Moderator: Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel writer
Guest Chef: Ryan Scott—Ryan Scott 2 Go/3-­Sum Eats/Brunch Drunk Love, San Francisco, CA
Guest Chef: Tre Wilcox—Marquee Grill & Bar, Dallas, TX
Guest Chef: Brian Malarkey—Searsucker and Burlap, San Diego, CA

Session 8: February 1-­2: A collaborative dinner—The Women of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” Moderator: Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel writer
Guest Chef: Jen Biesty—Scala’s Bistro, San Francisco, CA
Guest Chef: Ariane Duarte—CulinAriane, Montclair, NJ
Guest Chef: Antonia Lofaso—Black Market, Studio City, CA

Special two-­‐ and three-­‐night packages for Chefs’ Holidays are available at The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, which includes lodging for two and admission for two to the following: three culinary demonstrations, private “Meet the Chefs” reception, behind the scenes kitchen tour, and five-­‐course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner with wines to complement in The Ahwahnee Dining Room. The following rates are based on double occupancy, subject to change, and do not include room taxes. Individual tickets for the Gala Dinner are available for $199 per person, including tax and gratuity.For more information or to make reservations, visit http://www.yosemitepark.com/bracebridge or call (801) 559-­‐4903.