PALM DESERT FOOD & WINE Extravaganza April 8 to 10

  PALM DESERT FOOD & WINE PRESENTED BY AGUA CALIENTE CASINO RESORT SPA , APRIL 8-10 

Celebrity book signings, live cooking demonstrations, and wine and craft beer  tastings  

Featuring Top  chefs  from across the country — alongside more than  60 restaurants and  40 premium  wineries, breweries, and spirit purveyors — Friday, April  8 through Sunday,  April 10 .

A recent addition to the star - studded lineup, the festival  welcomes  celebrity chef  Aarti Sequeira (host of Food Network’s “Aarti Party” and  season six winner of “The Next Food Network  Star” ) . Sequeira will host a live culinary  2 demo at the Sunday, April 10 Grand Tasting, alongside  Ricardo Zarate, Suzanne Tracht,  and Valerie Gordon , among others .

A full schedule of events is available at  www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com .

Programmin g highlights includ e:   Annual  James Beard Foundation Luncheon – Friday, April 8 Held from  11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.,  this annual affair — with a portion of proceeds benefitting  the eponymous culinary foundation — features a four - course , gourmet luncheon from  award - winning chefs  Suzanne Tracht , Valerie Gordon , Cat Cora , and Gale Gand . Each  chef prepares one course — set to this year’s theme of  the  “ Modern Masters of the  Modern Palate ” — and offers a culinary demonstration of their dish live on stage.  Courses are paired with premium wines from around the world.  Tickets are available  for $125 per person (general admission) and $150 per person for reserved seating. 

Cooking Demonstrations f rom Celebrity Chefs – Saturday, April 9 & Sunday, April  10 Taking place throughout the Grand Ta stings  ( see festival  website for VIP and general  admission hours ) , t his year’s culinary demonstrations are showcased within three, state - of - the - art Poggenpohl - designed studio kitchens. 

The festival  feature s a powerhouse  lineup of  culinary  talent ,  offering a  variety of  cooking  tutorials — from  how to  make  delicious vegan entrees to mod ern  renditions of classic favorites. Live celebrity chef  dem o s include, but are not limited to:  • Aarti Sequeira – h ost of Food Network’s “Aarti Party” and  winner of “ The  Next  Food Network Star” • Cat Cora – TV personality, cookbook author , and Food Network  Iron Chef • Kelly Childs & Erinn Weatherbie – mother - daughter duo,  p lant - based chefs,  cookbook authors, and co - owners of Kelly's Bake Shoppe • Ricardo Zarate – Food & Wine magazine “Best New Chef,” cookbook author,  and chef of  new Los Angeles restaurant concept opening  Summer 2016 • Sean Le – Fox’s  “MasterChef Junior” se ason two contestant • The Hearty Boys  – Food Network  hosts ,  Chicago - based restaurateurs,  cookbook authors  • Valerie Gordon – c hef/owner of Valerie Confections, award - winning  chocolatier, and cookbook author Celebrity  Book Signings

Throughout the festival, g uests can attend  cookbook signings from participating  celebrity chef s , such as  Ricardo Zarate (signing  The Fire of Peru: Recipes and Stories from  my Peruvian Kitchen ),  Gale Gand (signing a selection of her books, including Gale Gand’s  Lunch! a nd  Gale Gand’s Brunch! ) and  Kelly Childs & Erinn Weatherbie ( signing  Made  with Love )

Abou t  Palm Desert Food & Wine presented by Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa 3 Palm Desert Food & Wine presented by  Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa is owned and  operated by  Palm Springs Life magazine and co - produced by Tony Marchese and Dominic Peterson , with  sponsorship support in part  from Palm Desert; Lexus; Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting  Gallery ; Better Built Inc. ;  Tequila Alderete; Rum Chata; Buzz Box Cocktails; Effen Vodka; Jim  Beam; Big Green Egg; Patio’s Plus; Paul Gauguin Cruises; TRIO; The Purple Room Restaurant &  Stage; North Shore Living Herbs; Whole Foods M arket Palm Desert; VOSS; Jensen’s; JW Marriott  Desert Springs Resort & Spa; Chef Works; My Little Flower Shop;  Wine Australia;  Angelic  Imports; and Goufrais German Chocolate.  The annual food and wine event gather s some of  the  brightest and most inspired ch efs and culinary personalities from around the country for three  extraordinary days of food and wine tasting in California’s scenic Coachella Valley . A portion of  proceeds from the annual James Beard Foundation Luncheon benefit the Friends of the James  Beard Foundation.

 For more information visit  www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com or visit us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , or  Twitter . About  Palm Springs Life Palm Springs Life has represented the great  

Advance press release posted by Rob Long