Until Next Year's San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival

The San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival is an annual event that aficionados and epicureans look forward to all year long. Recognized by industry professionals as one of the finest food and wine events in the country, the San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival just wrapped up its eighth year and is the largest festival of its kind in Southern California. From November 16th-November 20th, Festival attendees enjoyed unparalleled access to over 100 wineries, breweries, and spirit purveyors. They were also introduced to San Diego’s most prized fine dining restaurants, gourmet catering companies, and award-winning chefs. And as if the festival weren’t festive enough, the event even allowed for an inspired and unique holiday shopping opportunity.

This year’s event was bigger and better than ever, serving up approximately 800 wines to be tasted and 70+ chefs to meet. In addition to these impressive numbers, the Festival hosted a staggering number of the city’s finest restaurants. Some of the exhibitors we were especially excited to visit included Acqua al 2, Blue Point, Blue Wave Bar and Grill, Donovan's of Downtown, Donovan’s of La Jolla, Donovan’s Prime Seafood, Humphreys, Royal India, Terra American Bistro, Toast Enoteca & Cucina, and Truluck's.

In fact, Blue Point’s own Executive Chef Daniel Barron was reigned king of the Festival’s Grand Tasting event, winning the “Chef of the Fest” title. The much-anticipated “Chef of the Fest” competition is one of the biggest culinary face-offs in the region and pits nationally recognized chefs against one another to prove their gastronomic prowess. Chef Barron’s winning dish was his innovative and delicious Crispy Laughing Bird Shrimp served with curry-glazed sous vide pork belly, cauliflower polenta, and roasted ginger and kaffir lime air. Ambitious, artful, and inviting, it’s no wonder why this specialty won over the judges’ hearts and taste buds.

The 2011 San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival may be over, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to wine and dine. Experience the same level of award-winning cuisine and drink at restaurants like Blue Point, and taste for yourself what the Festival Judges saw in Chef Daniel Barron’s inspired seafood creation.