In an event pitting the best chefs and bartenders from San Diego’s coastal communities against one another, the San Diego Spirits Festival is gearing up for another round of the Chef/Bartender Shakedown. Held this year on the patio of the La Valencia on June 27, the culinary competition will be more spectacular than ever, pairing chefs with mixologists and challenging them to create a small plate and a cocktail that complement each other. The payoff, according to La Jollan Liz Edwards, founder of the Spirits Festival and organizer of the competition, lies in the title. “It’s just a fun event,” she said. “The winner gets a grand prize — a custom-built website — but this is bragging rights more than anything else.” For the competition, the chefs will be challenged to create a dish using at least one of the provided ingredients, including Mt. Cook Salmon, which will be flown in fresh from New Zealand just before the event. The bartenders, likewise, will have to use at least one of the approved alcohols — so far the chosen spirits include Pisco Porton or El Cartel tequila — in their libation. Guests will witness the showdown, and, as an added bonus, will get a taste of everything the chefs and bartenders create, allowing them to judge for themselves who they think should be the winner (though the actual doling out of prizes is left to the judges). The samples will be small, but after several bites and a cocktail to go with each, Edwards said, “That adds up to a lot of sampling.” The event is a sort of precursor to the Spirits Festival, held on Aug. 25 and 26. Now in its fourth year, the Spirits Festival aims to “celebrate cocktails, culinary and culture in San Diego,” Edwards said. All proceeds from the Chef/ Bartender Shakedown will go toward the festival’s charity, sponsoring WEBI (Women Executives in the Beverage Industry), which highlights the role women play in the financial success of the global beverage industry. The Chef/Bartender Shakedown takes place Wednesday, June 27 from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Capacity is limited, Edwards said, and she encouraged guests to purchase their tickets in advance. Visit sandiegospiritsfestival2012.eventbrite.com for tickets.
