2012 Ahwahnee Chefs Holidays

The Ahwahnee, a luxury hotel in Yosemite National Park, celebrates its 27th annual Chefs’ Holidays event series beginning Jan. 8, 2012.  

Celebrating the range of styles, personalities and trends that characterize the American culinary scene in the beautiful natural setting in Yosemite National Park, the Ahwahnee Chefs’ Holidays 2012 brings together prominent American chefs and culinary professionals in a wintertime celebration.

Each of the eight sessions, held through Feb. 2, 2011, includes a “Meet the Chefs” reception, educational cooking demonstrations and tastings, a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour and a five-course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner prepared by the guest chefs and paired with four wines, served by candlelight in The Ahwahnee Dining Room.
 
“Our guests love meeting their favorite chefs in person and learning about food trends and techniques in the kitchen." said Brett Archer, general manager of The Ahwahnee.
 
The 2012 lineup is as follows:
 
Session 1:  January 8-10
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary travel consultant
Headliner: Kent Rathbun—Abacus, Jasper’s and Rathbun’s Blue Plate Kitchen in Texas
Demonstrator: Annie Sommerville—Greens, San Francisco
Demonstrator: Brian Streeter—Cakebread Cellars, Napa
 
Session 2:  January 11-12
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary travel consultant
Headliner: Suzanne Goin—Lucques, A.O.C. & Tavern, Los Angeles        
Demonstrator: Mark Estee—Campo, Reno, NV
Demonstrator: Donald Link—Herbsaint, New Orleans, LA
 
Session 3:  January 15-17
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, Author
Headliner: Peter Chastain—Prima, Walnut Creek
Demonstrator: Emily Luchetti—Farallon, San Francisco
Demonstrator: Sean Baker—Gather, Berkeley
 
Session 4:  January 18-19
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, Author
Headliner: Rick Moonen—RM Seafood, Las Vegas, NV
Demonstrator:Jimmy Bradley—The Red Cat/The Harrison, New York, NY
Demonstrator: Jesse Cool—Flea Street Café, Menlo Park
 
Session 5:  January 22-24
Moderator: Barbara Fairchild, food journalist
Headliner: David Bazirgan—Fifth Floor, San Francisco
Demonstrator: Daniel Holzman—The Meatball Shop, New York, NY
Demonstrator: Peg Smith & Sue Conley—Cowgirl Creamery, Pt. Reyes
 
Session 6:  January 25-26
Moderator: Barbara Fairchild, food journalist
Headliner: Christopher Lee—Eden, South Beach, FL, and Huntington Social, Huntington, NY
Demonstrator: Chris Prosperi—Metro Bis, Simsbury, CT
Demonstrator: Robert Anderson—The Golf Club at Boulder Ridge, San Jose
 
Session 7:  January 29-31:  A collaborative dinner—The Men of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef”
Moderator: Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel writer
Guest Chef: Ryan Scott—Ryan Scott 2 Go/3-Sum Eats/Brunch Drunk Love, San Francisco
Guest Chef: Tre Wilcox—Marquee Grill & Bar, Dallas, TX
Guest Chef:Brian Malarkey—Searsucker and Burlap, San Diego
 
Session 8:  February 1-2:  A collaborative dinner—The Women of Bravo TV’s “Top Chef”
Moderator: Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel writer
Guest Chef: Jen Biesty—Scala’s Bistro, San Francisco
Guest Chef: Ariane Duarte—CulinAriane, Montclair, NJ
Guest Chef:  Antonia Lofaso—Black Market, Studio City

Special two- and three-night Yosemite vacation packages for Chefs’ Holidays are available at The Ahwahnee and Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, which includes lodging for two and admission for two to the following: three culinary demonstrations, private “Meet the Chefs” reception, behind the scenes kitchen tour, and five-course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner with wines to complement in The Ahwahnee Dining Room.  The following rates at these Yosemite hotels are based on double occupancy, subject to change, and do not include room taxes.  Individual tickets for the Gala Dinner are available for $199 per person, including tax and gratuity.

Two-night packages from $897 at The Ahwahnee and $670 at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. Three-night packages from $1,147 at The Ahwahnee and $808 at Yosemite Lodge at the Falls.

For more information on Yosemite Chefs’ Holidays at The Ahwahnee or to make reservations for these Yosemite hotel specials, call (801) 559-4903 or visit online at www.YosemitePark.com/Chefs.