More than two thousand food and wine lovers came out for the 24th Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival last weekend, where they were treated to gourmet demonstrations, fine libations and dozens of delectable creations from some of Sierra Nevada’s finest restaurants.
The festival, which took place at the Village at Northstar in North Lake Tahoe, featured a special luncheon prepared by James Beard award-winning chef Traci Des Jardins, who is opening Manzanita inside The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe December 9; a competitive grape stomp, wine tasting and luncheon cooked by Chef and Owner Mark Estee of Baxter’s Bistro & Lounge; hands-on sushi-making classes with instructor Chris Jackson of Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar; and the Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off.
“It was an amazing event,” said Judy Laverty, special events manager for the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association and festival organizer. “We were able to showcase some incredible talent, with some demonstrations selling out and everyone having a great time. We really can’t ask for more than that.”
The Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival is a fundraiser for the Community Fund of North Lake Tahoe through the 501c(3) Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation. The 24th annual festival is produced by the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association in partnership with Northstar-at-Tahoe; the Northstar Foundation; The Ritz-Carlton Destination Club; Audi of North America; Standards of Excellence Appliance Showrooms; Sunset magazine; Nothing to It Culinary Center in Reno; Charbay Winery and Distillery; and Tahoe Quarterly.
North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno Tahoe International Airport, two hours from Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from San Francisco International Airport. For lodging reservations, recreation and event details, call North Lake Tahoe at 1-877-949-3296 or visit www.GoTahoeNorth.com. Visitor information centers are located at 380 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village. The North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus, Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, work together to promote North Lake Tahoe as a premier, year-round destination.