SBCE Taste of Santa Barbara 2023 press release
The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, presents a week-long celebration featuring signature events, specials at restaurants and bars, farm tours, pop-ups, panel discussions, and more
Santa Barbara, CA – As the Santa Barbara region continues to gain notoriety as a world-class culinary and cultural destination, the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, (SBCE) in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, is pleased to announce the much-anticipated return of Taste of Santa Barbara, May 15 – 21, 2023. The Taste of Santa Barbara is a county-wide celebration of all things food and drink across Santa Barbara County. Tickets for all events are on sale now and can be purchased online here. The full lineup of events can be found online here. Through the SBCE’s partnership with the Foundation, a portion of the proceeds from the Taste of Santa Barbara is used to make grants to local organizations making a difference in Santa Barbara County’s food system.
After a successful inaugural year in 2022, the Taste of Santa Barbara has established itself as one of the region’s favorite signature food and wine celebrations, featuring a broad array of events and special happenings at restaurants, bars, farms, and wineries, as well as pop-ups, workshops, speaker panels, and more. Signature events include Lights, Camera, Julia, a screening of some of Julia Child’s most iconic television shows; Cherry Bombe x Taste of Santa Barbara, an afternoon of inspiring discussions with local female winemakers, chefs, and producers making Santa Barbara County’s food and drink scene thrive; and the popular Taste of Santa Barbara Wines event featuring wine tastings and conversations with winemakers at the historic El Presidio in downtown Santa Barbara. Many of the region’s restaurants and bars will participate in “Dine Around Town with Julia Child” and “Pub Crawl with Paul” when the public can enjoy tribute dishes or specials, as well as cocktails inspired by Julia and Paul Child’s own recipes. As part of the SBCE and the Foundation’s commitment to education, this year guests can get in the kitchen with Apples to Zucchini Cooking School for a week of hands-on classes with some of Santa Barbara’s culinary stars!
The complete Taste of Santa Barbara Calendar of Events can be found online here.
“The Taste of Santa Barbara is a unique opportunity to explore the diverse culinary offerings of the region, and brings together the best chefs, winemakers, producers, and more to showcase their talents and create an unforgettable experience for all,” shared Donna Yen, Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience. “It’s really important to us that the Taste of Santa Barbara is accessible to our entire community, so this year we’ve expanded our programming to offer a variety of events that appeal to all our audiences. We’re also committed to providing an educational platform for important conversations about our region’s food and wine businesses to help deepen connections between the community and these industries. We’re excited about this year’s program, and look forward to welcoming everyone back!”
The Taste of Santa Barbara Signature Events: Friday, May 19
● Lights, Camera, Julia! Enjoy a special screening of some of Julia Child’s most iconic television shows, including classic episodes of The French Chef, Cooking with Master Chefs, and Baking with Julia, at the Ensemble Theatre Company’s The New Vic theater. Hosted by Chef Antonia Lofaso, the evening will feature special guests Chefs Nancy Silverton and Susan Feniger, sharing what it was like to work with Julia Child on and off the screen. (7 p.m. – 9 p.m., at the New Vic Theatre, 33 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara).
Saturday, May 20
● Cherry Bombe x Taste of Santa Barbara – Celebrate the women that make Santa Barbara County’s food and drink scene thrive! Join Cherry Bombe for an afternoon of inspiring discussions with local winemakers, chefs, and producers at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos. Enjoy wine tasting with the county’s leading female winemakers, followed by conversations moderated by Cherry Bombe’s founder and Radio Cherry Bombe host Kerry Diamond. The day will end with networking and delicious bites provided by Mattei’s Tavern’s Executive Chef Rhoda Magbitang. (3 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. at Mattei’s Tavern, 2350 Railway Ave, Los Olivos,).
Sunday, May 21
● Taste of Santa Barbara Wines Come discover what makes Santa Barbara County’s wine scene unique. Enjoy tastings from some of Santa Barbara County’s celebrated wineries, restaurants, and food artisans in the Presidio Orchard. Meet and hear directly from growers, chefs, and makers. Head inside the historic El Presidio Chapel for interactive conversations and panel discussions with winemakers throughout the day. (1 pm – 4 pm at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park).
Additional events & ongoing throughout the week: Monday, May 15 – Sunday, May 21
Apples to Zucchini Cooking School Classes Get in the kitchen with Apples to Zucchini Cooking School for a week of hands-on classes with some of Santa Barbara’s culinary stars! (Class dates + times coming soon!)
Tuesday, May 16
● The Farmer & The Cook Experience Santa Barbara County’s entire food system in action, and learn about the relationship between the region’s farms and finest restaurants. Enjoy a four-course dinner at bouchon highlighting Santa Barbara’s farm-to-table wine country cuisine, and a conversation between Executive Chef Nate Van Etten and local Santa Barbara County producers moderated by Todd Schulkin, host of the Inside Julia’s Kitchen podcast on Heritage Radio Network. *Limited tickets will be sold for the following add-on experience: Prior to dinner, join bouchon’s chef for an interactive shopping experience at the Santa Barbara’s Certified Farmers Market. Meet local farmers, as chef buys provisions for the evening’s meal and shares his approach to crafting wine country cuisine. (6 pm – 9 pm, bouchon, 9 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101)
Wednesday, May 17
● Sous Chefs’ Night Out Tonight the sous chefs take the lead! Enjoy a 5-course dinner featuring some of Santa Barbara’s rising culinary talent. Each course will be paired with Margerum Wine Company and Barden wines. (6 pm – 9 pm, Margerum Tasting Room, 19 E. Mason St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101)
Thursday, May 18
● Celebrate Alex Prud’homme’s new book, Dinner with the President Enjoy reverse martinis, local wines, and presidential bites at Field + Fort as we toast Julia’s great-nephew Alex Prud’homme’s new book, Dinner with the President.
Friday, May 19
● Pastries with Phila: Remembrances of Julia Child in Santa Barbara Join Julia Child’s niece, Phila Cousins, for fresh baked Bree’Osh pastries and a stroll down memory lane about her time with “Aunt Ju-Ju ” in Santa Barbara, hosted by author, editor, and co-producer of the Inside Julia’s Kitchen podcast, Lauren Salkeld. (10 am – 11 am, Bree’Osh Bakery Café, 2700 De La Vina St, Santa Barbara, CA 93105)
Saturday, May 20
● Saturday Farmers Market Program at the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market, featuring a live taping of Heritage Radio Network’s Inside Julia’s Kitchen podcast with local farmers, in partnership with Edible Santa Barbara. ( 9 am – 12 pm at the Santa Barbara Certified Farmers Market on the corner of Cota and Santa Barbara streets).
● Taste of Santa Barbara Wine Tours Visit local vineyards and wine tasting rooms and experience the wine-making process first-hand! Learn directly from the vintners as you tour the grounds and cellars of working vineyards and wineries before enjoying a wine tasting. These tours are one-of-a-kind and created especially for the Taste of Santa Barbara. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with the winemakers of Santa Barbara County!
Sunday, May 21
● Taste of Santa Barbara Farm Tours Visit local producers and land stewards to see first-hand what Santa Barbara County produces. These tours are one-of-a-kind and created especially for the Taste of Santa Barbara. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with the local landscape and the people who nurture it.
The Taste of Santa Barbara is made possible by the generous support of its 2023 sponsors: Visit Santa Barbara, PBS Distribution, Montecito Bank & Trust, Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture, Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort, Chumash Foundation, bouchon, Margerum Wine Company, Acme Hospitality, Apples to Zucchini Cooking School, Ensemble Theatre Company at the New Vic Theatre, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation, Cherry Bombe, Edible Santa Barbara, and WA Event Management. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, for more information please click here or email Donna Yen, donna@sbce.events.
