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Napa Valley Vintners to Feature Renowned Chefs at Auction Napa Valley 2006
Celebrity Chefs, World-class Wine are Hallmark of Evening Under the Stars
4/26/2006 - St. Helena, Calif. - Auction Napa Valley, the granddaddy of America's charity wine auctions, has a stellar line up of celebrity chefs from all across the country to showcase another memorable feast at "The Party," taking place Saturday, June 3, 2006. The Auction meals have become a centerpiece of this event held each June in California's beautiful Napa Valley. This year, the culinary lineup includes Traci Des Jardins of Jardinière in San Francisco; John Folse of Chef John Folse & Co in Louisiana; Suzanne Tracht of Jar in Los Angeles; and renowned pastry chef and author, Mary Cech.
"We are thrilled to offer such outstanding culinary talent to the attendees of Auction Napa Valley," says Karen Cakebread, of Cakebread Cellars, whose family is serving as chair of the 2006 event. "Second only to wine, delicious food is one of the highlights of the auction and this year's lineup of chefs promises an unprecedented diversity of styles and expertise that will result in an unforgettable meal."
The Saturday evening Live Auction festivities will kick off with an opening reception where attendees will mingle with vintners before grabbing an auction paddle and heading to the Main Tent for the auction action. Sixty one-of-a-kind wine, adventure and luxury lots will be offered to bidders on-site at Meadwood Napa Valley. For enjoyment during the live auction, Meadowood's chef Vincent Nattress and Cakebread Cellars' chefs Brian Streeter and Richard Haake will team up to create an 18-course hors d'oeuvre menu to serve bidders along with a lavish array of Napa Valley wines.
There are stars beyond the kitchen as well. This year, one lucky bidder will not only win cult wines from the Frank Family Vineyards, but also a guest appearance on ABC's Emmy-winning "Commander in Chief," and have the opportunity to act alongside Hollywood great, Geena Davis. Davis is expected to attend the Live Auction event, which last year raised more than $10.5 million. Post auction, guests will be invited to "The Party," an al fresco fete hosted by Napa Valley's renowned winery owners and winemakers with food prepared by this crew of celebrity guest chefs. Each chef will demonstrate their talents in "kitchens under the stars" provided by Viking Range.
About the Chefs
Traci Des Jardins - One of the most acclaimed and respected chefs in the country, Des Jardins has been honored with numerous awards including the James Beard Foundation's "Rising Star Chef of the Year", one of Food & Wine Magazine's "Best New Chefs", and San Francisco Magazine's " Chef of the Year." Des Jardins was also listed as one of the top three chefs in the Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle.
John Folse- Folse has received numerous national and international accolades, including "Louisiana Restaurateur of the Year" by the Louisiana Restaurant Association; "National Chef of the Year" in 1990 by the American Culinary Federation; and the "Silver Spoon Award" by Food Arts magazine for his sterling performance and contributions to the food service industry
Suzanne Tracht- Tracht is executive chef and co-owner of Jar restaurant in Los Angeles. Tracht opened Jar in 2001 shortly after she was given Food & Wine Magazine's "America's Best New Chef 2002" award. Tracht was previously Chef de Cuisine at the acclaimed Campanile in Los Angeles, Calif.
Mary Cech - An award-winning pastry chef and author of The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook, whose desserts have graced the tables at illustrious culinary landmarks such as Charlie Trotter's in Chicago and San Francisco's Cypress Club. Cech has won prestigious recognition twice as one of the "Top Ten Pastry Chefs in America" by Chocolatier magazine and was named "Pastry Chef of the Year" by Chefs in America in 1992. Her achievements also include five first-place awards and "Best of Show" at the New York Culinary Arts Show. Her recipes and articles have appeared in Bon Appetit Magazine, Art Culinaire, and in many cookbooks.
2006 Highlights
As always at Auction Napa Valley, the 2006 festivities will feature rare and one-of-a-kind lots and other unique experiences. There will be extended bidding hours at the perennial favorite barrel auction and a new twist on the e-auction. This year, the online e-auction will open for viewing and pre-bidding as of May 19, when wine lovers across the globe will be able to log on and bid on e-auction lots. The international online bidders will be dueling for treasures along with auction attendees in Napa Valley on Friday, June 2, up until 2:45pm PDT. In addition, a new Saturday morning event called Good Morning Napa will be held at COPIA, the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, featuring breakfast prepared by the Valley's inspired morning eateries, as well as cooking demonstrations and wine tasting in COPIA's gardens with vintners.
About Napa Valley Vintners
Now in its seventh decade, the Napa Valley Vintners non-profit trade association is the sole organization responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley Appellation as a winegrowing region second to none in the world. Respect for its history reinforces the association's commitment to the preservation and enhancement of the Valley's land, wine and community for future generations. NVV address the shared interests of more than 270 member wineries and aspires to be the essential organization for all Napa Valley vintners.
Auction Napa Valley, an annual event of the Napa Valley Vintners, has generated more than $60 million since 1981 for a host of charity non-profit organizations providing health care, low income housing and youth services in the Napa Valley. For more information about Napa Valley Vintners or Auction Napa Valley, visit www.napavintners.com.
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Contact: CONTACT: Terry Hall Communications Director (707) 968-4217 thall@napavintners.com
