Dedicated guests of the annual Celebrate the Craft event at The Lodge at Torrey Pines are counting down the days until the festive feast arrives. In its 14th year, this annual event is the premier food festival created to highlight the finest chefs, food artisans, produce, wine and craft beer in Southern California in the luxury hotel’s Arroyo Terrace. The setting can’t be beat as the terrace overlooks the world-renowned Torrey Pines Golf Course and Pacific Ocean on Oct. 30. “We are limited as to how many guests can attend due to space constrictions, so many of our guests have been attendance for 14 years. This has created a unique community of like-minded individuals that share a day once a year to celebrate the good fortune of our environment,” The Lodge at Torrey Pines’ executive chef Jeff Jackson shared. Plus the notable event donates a portion of the proceeds to the non-profit organization, Slow Food Urban San Diego. The slow-food movement raises public awareness about food policy and production to encourage enjoyment of, and increased access to, foods that are local, seasonal and sustainable. “I’ve been a member of Slow Food since I moved here 15 years ago and believe strongly in their message,” Jackson said. Naturally, the contribution is an enhanced benefit which heightens public interest in a cause that profits numerous San Diegans. Another added advantage for San Diego are the farmers and wineries who participate with the chefs. “Each chef partners with a farmer, rancher or fisherman, then creates a dish utilizing whatever the producer has to offer. Each partnership is also paired with a winery or local brewery. This year there are 17 wineries and three breweries,” Jackson added. San Diego’s thriving craft beer scene will be represented by Societe Brewing Company and AleSmith Brewing Company this year. And executive chef Jeff Jackson will be joined by an impressive lineup of some of San Diego’s top chefs including Paul Arias of The Fishery, Pete Balistreri of Tender Greens, Matt Gordon of Urban Solace, Timothy Kolanko of Blue Bridge Hospitality, Jason Knibb and Jose Alonzo of Nine-Ten and more. At the end of the day, Celebrate the Craft will be another in a long delicious line of scrumptious foods that keep guest’s tastebuds on heightened alert throughout the day. And no detail goes unnoticed as the staff begins preparing for this special day months in advance. Chef Jackson explained that “A couple of months before the event I reach out to the farmers to inquire about their availability for the event. This information is then sent to the chefs to choose their partner and start developing a dish. Once this is done, we match the menus to wineries and breweries. Any needs the chefs might have regarding cooking equipment are then taken care of and finally we map out the event. The evening of the event is dedicated to the producers and the chefs. We create a family style table and my staff prepares a meal to celebrate those who produce the foodstuffs that make our day-to-day lives more meaningful.”
For a complete list of participating chefs, producers, vintners and breweries, and for tickets to Celebrate the Craft (priced at $135 per person) visit celebratethecraft.com.
