Twenty five chefs creating gourmet feasts. 70 cases of Champagne poured. 10 kilos of caviar consumed. All in four days. I can’t resist. As cliché as it is, the “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams” tagline made popular by Robin Leach’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, just feels like the perfect way to sum up the experience at GourmetFest. Inaugural Event For a first time event, GourmetFest went off seemingly without a hitch during its inaugural weekend in Carmel-by-the-Sea. The weather cooperated beautifully, and Carmel was easy to navigate, not just by foot, but thanks to shuttle service provided by event organizers. You can tell this isn’t the first rodeo for David Fink, Mirabel Hotel & Restaurant Group CEO and organizer of GourmetFest. He was part of the team that started the Masters of Food and Wine event at the Carmel Highlands Inn, a few miles south down the coast…
When in Piemonte, Italy The Winery You Must Visit
Going to wine country in Italy is not quite like visiting Napa Valley or Sonoma County in California. While things are getting easier for wine tourists, you just can’t show up and expect to be able to go taste at any winery you want to. The concept of a tasting room open daily to visitors is still something that’s not as common in the region that is home to Barolo and Barbaresco. But one winery has recognized the need for opening its doors to wine lovers. That’s why you can visit the Ceretto winery and be treated not only to great wine but eye-catching art too. The main Ceretto winery is in Alba, just outside of the historic downtown area. The building was a farmhouse that belonged to Vittorio Emanuele II, the famous king who ruled the newly unified Italy in the mid 1800s. Now it is the Ceretto…