Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa - Kick off the weekend with an incredible day that features three interactive seminars and one amazing lunch! Vintage and appellation tastings, as well as food and wine integration are the focus of this interactive event.
Seminar 1: Location, Location, Location
Seminar 2: Asian Food and Wine Pairings
Lunch: Around the World Seminar 3: Everyone’s Got the Bleus
Seminar 1: Location, Location, Location When talking about wine, it’s all about “place.” A vineyard’s “sense of place” is a synthesis of geography, climate, soil, and farming practices. These elements combine to create characteristics that make the grapes and the wine from that locale unique. Taste nine representative wines from the nine American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within Monterey County. Moderated by Steve Heimoff, West Coast Editor - Wine Enthusiast's Magazine
Seminar 2: Asian Food and Wine Pairings
Chef Clay Conley from Azul Restaurant in South Beach, Florida will open your eyes and expand your palate with this pairing seminar. While you might not typically choose wine with your sushi, Chef Conley will show you what your taste buds have been missing!
Lunch: Around the World Celebrity Chefs Warren Schwartz and James Waller have traveled around the world and bring you the best of their experiences in global cuisine. Not only will you get to taste their masterpieces in this luncheon and cooking demonstration, but you will also learn to make these culinary delights yourself. This four-course meal will be paired with an extensive sampling of Monterey County wines.
Seminar 3: Everyone’s Got the Bleus Not all wine seminars are alike and Master Sommelier Peter Granoff pairs up with cheese expert Kent Torrey to bring you the absolute best in wine and bleu cheese pairings. If you’re a fan of bleu cheese, or even a skeptic, you won’t want to miss this dynamic duo. You’ll walk away knowing why “Everyone’s Got the Bleus.”
Lunch Menu
First Course
Poached Maine Lobster
Butternut Squash Panna Cotta
Baby Greens, Macadamia Nuts and a Champagne Brown Butter Sauce Lockwood Vineyards 2005 Sauvignon Blanc
Michaud Vineyards 2003 Chardonnay
Intermezzo
Entrée Pan Roasted Elk Tenderloin,
Smoked bacon Wrapped Salsify
Jerusalem Artichokes and Wild Mushroom Sauce Carmel Road 2005 Pinot Noir Line Shack 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Dessert Caramel Chocolate Dome
Chocolate Caramel Mousse, Banana marmalade and Coconut Nougatine
Celebrity Chef Spotlight
James Waller Executive Chef • Duck Club Grill • Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa • Monterey, California
James Waller began his career in the San Diego area, where he worked for over 15 years in four and five star restaurants and hotels developing his cooking philosophy. During his 11- years with the world-renowned Hotel Del Coronado, he moved from Sous Chef to Executive Sous Chef, with responsibility for seven restaurants and 70,000 square feet of banquet space with a maximum capacity of 5,000. He prepared state banquets for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Bush and Clinton and for Henry Kissinger. As Executive Chef at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa for the past five years, he defined the cuisine for the two restaurants as American Grill at the Duck Club and casual seafood bistro at Schooners. His emphasis on quality and innovation has helped to establish the hotel’s reputation for special occasions, such as weddings, group functions and holiday events. He was recognized with the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences’ 5-Star Diamond Award in 1999, 2000, and 2001.
Philosophy: I believe that while one can do a great job at one dish, it is the unity of the team that brings about excellence. Excitement, joy and passion are the essentials to great cuisine. The quality of the Brigade or Team is as important as the quality of the product. Keep it simple and clean, having fun and being daring, as well as focused on the basics, brings the best to the table.
Warren Schwartz Executive Chef • Whist • Viceroy • Santa Monica, California
Warren Schwartz, 35, is Executive Chef of Whist at Viceroy Santa Monica where his ardor for fresh local provisions and mastery of traditional French techniques burst forth as deliciously as the restaurant’s stylish decor. Schwartz is responsible for all kitchen operations and menu creation at Whist, as well as 24-hour room service at Viceroy and special catering events.
Upon joining Whist in September 2004, Schwartz immediately set about infusing its kitchen with soul, passion and substance, as well as his own sophisticated culinary creativity. Appetizers such as Santa Barbara Spiny Lobster with Curry Red Carrots, Snow Peas, Scallions and Lobster Reduction sample some of Southern California’s finest foodstuffs, while Foie Gras Tourchon with Toasted Brioche, Cranberry and Orange Sorbet and Tribbiano Balsamic reveal traditional French influences. Entrees such as Grilled Prime New York Strip with Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding are straightforward feasts.
“A lot of chefs try to go whimsical on the plate, but that’s not as easy as it sounds,” notes Schwartz. “I prefer to respect the flavor and texture of each ingredient so that dishes are satisfying but never over-complicated.”
Schwartz traces his culinary inventiveness back to his adolescence in Los Angeles, when he volunteered to cook at home for his siblings to avoid the drudgery of clean up. Trained in traditional French cuisine at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, upon graduation in 1995 he landed alongside Chef Bradley Ogden at the Lark Creek Inn, a bustling American restaurant in Larkspur, California. It was there that Schwartz garnered a lasting appreciation of truly fresh ingredients. “We had farmers knocking on the back door with zip-lock bags of amazing produce. That’s when I realized you have to start with great products.”
Next it was on to Patina, Joachim Splichal’s highly rated Los Angeles restaurant specializing in contemporary Californian and French cuisine, where Schwartz worked from 1996-1998. From there Schwartz headed the realm at Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas from 1998-2002, earning national acclaim from food critics for his inventiveness with wild game.
Named for the British card game, the award-winning and trend-setting 180-seat Whist and its cool Cameo Bar have been among the brightest spots on the L.A. scene since opening in 2002.
At the age of 32, chef Clay Conley has already logged in a remarkable two decades of experience in all aspects of the restaurant industry, which he brings to his role as chef at Azul at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, one of Miami’s most acclaimed high-end dining destinations. A native of rural Maine who got his first taste of the business at age 12, volunteering to work in the kitchen of a local restaurant, Conley passionately pursued his calling, eventually becoming a protégé of renowned chef Todd English at Olives restaurant in Boston. Working with the celebrity chef for almost a decade at various temples of haute cuisine, including Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas, he was tapped by the Mandarin Oriental, Miami in 2005, to helm the kitchen at the award-winning Azul. Here, Conley works with the finest ingredients flown in fresh daily from all over the world, in a style that balances the robust flavors of his New England childhood with the sophistication of Asian cuisine and the rustic allure of the Mediterranean.
In 1993, while attending Florida State University’s hospitality school, Conley served as a part-time corporate trainer at a local restaurant chain, learning the ins and outs of running a high-volume kitchen and overseeing a large staff. Embracing his passion for cuisine, he opted to seriously pursue a position in the culinary world and, in 1996, joined chef English at his flagship Olives restaurant in Boston. After a brief stint as a sauté cook at Canoe, with acclaimed chef Gary Mennie, he returned to English in 1998 and was named sous chef at Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas. Working his way up to executive chef in 2000, he became a vital member of English’s celebrated culinary team, opening restaurants in Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Tokyo. Based on his considerable talent in all aspects of restaurant operations, in 2003, Conley was named culinary director for English’s 17 restaurant empire, a position he held at the age of 29.
In 2005, during an international chef search, Conley was tapped by the Mandarin to take the helm of its stunning waterfront restaurant, Azul, which had already earned considerable acclaim, including a designation as “Best New Restaurant in America,” by Esquire magazine when it opened in 2001. Since then, Conley has won raves for his creative take on contemporary cuisine and continues to keep Azul at the forefront of America’s dining scenario.
He has appeared on NBC’s The Today Show and Fox and Friends, and been featured in a slew of high-profile national publications, including Gourmet.
Conley’s signature dishes, such as study in tuna, consisting of a jewel-like cut of raw sushi grade tuna, Maine crabmeat, avocado tempura and paddlefish caviar with piquant Asian sauce, illustrate his respect for fine ingredients and his innovative cooking style. He reaches back to update a classic from his childhood with New England clam chowder revisited, a perfect mélange of crispy clams, confit of pork belly and a malt vinegar-spiked broth. Miso-marinated duck breast, inspired by Conley’s recent trip to Japan, where he fell in love with the country’s cooking and sense of balance, includes a delicate duck confit stuffed Napa cabbage parcel, paired with a heady Miso butter sauce and sesame ginger carrots, creating a lovely sweet and slightly sour balance of flavors.
Steve Heimoff was born in New York City and moved to California to attend grad school. He quickly discovered wine, which became his passion. He has been with Wine Enthusiast for 13 years and reviews virtually all of the California wines. His book, A Wine Journey along the Russian River, was published in 2005 by University of California Press. His upcoming book, New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff, also from U.C. Press, will be published in the Winter, 2007.
My first "Aha" wine moment was: A Wente Grey Riesling, in the 1970s. Yes, it was a modest, inexpensive wine, but it was the first time I ever went to a wine shop with the intention of buying a varietal wine, as opposed to just “a bottle of wine.” I distinctly remember how excited I was knowing that a long future of studying and discovering the world of wine lay ahead.
My favorite food and wine pairing right now is: Pinot Noir and almost anything!
If I were a bottle of wine I would be: A fabulous Pinot Noir with a screwtop.
When talking about wine, it’s all about “place.” A vineyard’s “sense of place” is a synthesis of geography, climate, soil, and farming practices. These elements combine to create characteristics that make the grapes and the wine from that locale unique. Taste nine representative wines from the nine American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) within Monterey County. Moderated by Steve Heimoff, West Coast Editor - Wine Enthusiast's Magazine 
Celebrity Chefs Warren Schwartz and James Waller have traveled around the world and bring you the best of their experiences in global cuisine. Not only will you get to taste their masterpieces in this luncheon and cooking demonstration, but you will also learn to make these culinary delights yourself. This four-course meal will be paired with an extensive sampling of Monterey County wines. 
James Waller began his career in the San Diego area, where he worked for over 15 years in four and five star restaurants and hotels developing his cooking philosophy. During his 11- years with the world-renowned Hotel Del Coronado, he moved from Sous Chef to Executive Sous Chef, with responsibility for seven restaurants and 70,000 square feet of banquet space with a maximum capacity of 5,000. He prepared state banquets for Presidents Nixon, Ford, Bush and Clinton and for Henry Kissinger. As Executive Chef at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa for the past five years, he defined the cuisine for the two restaurants as American Grill at the Duck Club and casual seafood bistro at Schooners. His emphasis on quality and innovation has helped to establish the hotel’s reputation for special occasions, such as weddings, group functions and holiday events. He was recognized with the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences’ 5-Star Diamond Award in 1999, 2000, and 2001. 
Warren Schwartz, 35, is Executive Chef of Whist at Viceroy Santa Monica where his ardor for fresh local provisions and mastery of traditional French techniques burst forth as deliciously as the restaurant’s stylish decor. Schwartz is responsible for all kitchen operations and menu creation at Whist, as well as 24-hour room service at Viceroy and special catering events.
At the age of 32, chef Clay Conley has already logged in a remarkable two decades of experience in all aspects of the restaurant industry, which he brings to his role as chef at Azul at the Mandarin Oriental, Miami, one of Miami’s most acclaimed high-end dining destinations. A native of rural Maine who got his first taste of the business at age 12, volunteering to work in the kitchen of a local restaurant, Conley passionately pursued his calling, eventually becoming a protégé of renowned chef Todd English at Olives restaurant in Boston. Working with the celebrity chef for almost a decade at various temples of haute cuisine, including Olives at Bellagio in Las Vegas, he was tapped by the Mandarin Oriental, Miami in 2005, to helm the kitchen at the award-winning Azul. Here, Conley works with the finest ingredients flown in fresh daily from all over the world, in a style that balances the robust flavors of his New England childhood with the sophistication of Asian cuisine and the rustic allure of the Mediterranean. 
Steve Heimoff was born in New York City and moved to California to attend grad school. He quickly discovered wine, which became his passion. He has been with Wine Enthusiast for 13 years and reviews virtually all of the California wines. His book, A Wine Journey along the Russian River, was published in 2005 by University of California Press. His upcoming book, New Classic Winemakers of California: Conversations with Steve Heimoff, also from U.C. Press, will be published in the Winter, 2007.