38 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY NOVEMBER 6-12, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com A culinary experience is oft not relegated solely to the ingredients and how their flavors blend together. How a meal lands on the palate can be highly impressionable, shaped by the elements that surround it: the lighting, the music, the ambiance, the company. If you are hiking to your meal, and that meal is made from local ingredients and paired with a story, does it taste different? If you are enjoying a glass of wine over unadulterated views of the coastline, without another person in sight, can you taste the notes of cherry or black pepper with more clarity? The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival, an event that draws people from across the country and the world, answers such questions. “It’s almost like you can’t say you have a favorite child,” says CFO Elsa Rivera, wondering if there is an experience or meal that’s stood out in memory from recent years. “There are so many nuances, and so much joy and engagement that I can leave one event and say, ‘Oh, that’s just my favorite dish’ but go to another event and say, ‘I didn’t think that could be topped, but here we are.’” The event occurs over the course of three days, from Nov. 6-8. It is decentralized, spread out at various locations and venues in Big Sur, a mix of private and public places. Each event brings its own flavor—in atmosphere and tastings. The festival kicks off Thursday morning with an event called the Magical Mystery Tour, a surprise‑driven experience designed to take people to lesser-known spots not typically accessible to the public. For the active type, there is a Friday morning hike to various destinations, where guests will meet chefs and winemakers along the way, accompanied by the vistas of the region that give it its claim to fame. The original iteration of the festival took place in 2009, eventually becoming a project under the Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation, a nonprofit charitable fundraiser that was formed in 2016. It is an entirely volunteer-run organization, raising funds through events like the Big Sur Fashion Show and the Food and Wine Festival to give back to the Big Sur community. Last year, the organization raised over $1 million to address challenges from natural disasters and the pandemic by supporting entities like the Big Sur Health Center, the Big Sur Valley fire brigade, Big Share (a local food distribution center) and the Esselen Tribe. There’s a special emphasis on supporting education and the arts as well, with funds going toward local schools and the Henry Miller Memorial Library. “We all know that it’s not if something’s going to happen in Big Sur, but when,” says Rivera. “It’s the recovery and the long-term effects of slides, bridges, fires, torrential winters—all in an area that is super sensitive, but with high visitation.” All participating chefs and sommeliers are volunteers, too. The festival’s chef coordinator, Peggy Giles, works year-round to recruit talent—often returning chefs or new faces she meets at collaborative events like the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s seafood sustainability conference. Winemakers and sommeliers are sourced in a similar way. Past participants have included Chef Tim Eelman of the Village in Big Sur; Christopher Watts, executive chef at Gurney’s Montauk Resort; Jeniece Grimshaw, chef and owner of Bijou Bakery in Cayucos; and Ron Mendoza, baker and owner of Ad Astra. The sommelier lineup is equally impressive: Mike Trupiano, a specialist in rare wines, and Rajat Parr, threetime James Beard Award winner and co-author of Secrets of the Sommeliers. This year, there’s a new event: a dinner curated by Indigenous chef Christina Lonewolf Martinez and chef Isabel Escorcia—a celebration of ancestry and the sacred terrain of Big Sur. Led by an all-women team, the reception begins with foraged charcuterie such as blue corn bellini and wild boar salami, followed by courses like acorn flour pasta with foraged mushrooms. “I love the joy people exude during the events,” Rivera says. “It’s such a connecting experience. Chefs tell me that’s why they return—the grassroots camaraderie.” Big Sur Food & Wine Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 6-8. Various locations in Big Sur. Price varies depending on the event. bigsurfoodandwine.org/bsfwtickets FIRST COURSE Chef ll Hoon Kang, executive chef at Post Ranch Inn and Sierra Mar, prepares for one of the meals during the 2023 Big Sur Food and Wine Festival. FIZZ OUT…The owner of California Seltzer Co. has suddenly and quietly closed its doors at 631 Ocean View Blvd. in Pacific Grove by Lovers Point. The place had been known for pizza and craft seltzer. BECAUSE THE NIGHT…Night Market 831 has been bringing the fun for four years now. The First Friday event returns on Friday, Nov. 7 from 5-9pm. If you haven’t been to one of these awesome, free events, you should definitely check this one out with an anniversary party. As always, there will be live music, tons of great food from local food vendors, beer and wine from local establishments and interactive arts experiences. 525 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. nightmarket831.com. PARTY PREP PARTY…Learn how to elevate dishes using artisanal olive oils and vinegars at Quail and Olive’s tasting event with Big Sur Vineyards and Camilla Mann on Saturday, Nov. 8 from 5:30-7:30pm. There will be plenty to sample, including wine. And you’ll be ready for the holiday party season. $61. The event is at Big Sur Vineyards, 1 Del Fino Place, Carmel Valley. (831) 6594288, quailandolive.com. MEET YOUR MAKERS…McIntyre Vineyards hosts a maker’s market at their Carmel Valley tasting room on Sunday, Nov. 9 from 11am-5pm. Get a jump start on your holiday shopping, or just treat yourself to something nice, with handcrafted goods and gourmet bites from local vendors. 24 W. Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley. (831) 5743042, mcintyrevineyards.com. PICK IT…Tickets are on sale for next year’s Big Sur Foragers Festival taking place Thursday, Jan. 22-Sunday, Jan. 25. Get your tickets now so you don’t miss out on this fun-filled weekend, proceeds of which benefit the Big Sur Health Center. Highlights of the itinerary include multiple wild foraging walks and talks and the fungus face-off featuring dishes from esteemed local chefs. $75-$125. (831) 667-2580, bigsurforagersfestival. org. GOLD STANDARD…Patria On Main is introducing a special new happy hour. The Golden Hour is offered in the bar from 4-6pm Mondays-Fridays with $10 appetizers, $15 entrées, house wines for $10 and draft beers for $5. That’s tasty inflation-busting. 228 Main St., Salinas. (831) 424-5555, patriaonmain.com. By Jacqueline Weixel MORSELS eatanddrink@montereycountynow.com “It’s such a connecting experience.” EAT + DRINK DANIEL DREIFUSS Big Flavor The Big Sur Food and Wine Festival masters the art of food, place and story. By Katie Rodriguez
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