Celebrity Judging Panel includes Natalie Morales, Brian Baumgartner, Craig Conover, Raj Mathai, and Ken Frank, and is hosted by Vintner Kathryn Hall.
ST. HELENA, CALIFORNIA – HALL Napa Valley, an independent family- owned, Cabernet Sauvignon producer, has announced plans to be the Title Sponsor for the Cabernet Cookoff set to return on Saturday, April 13 at HALL St. Helena. The annual event, presented by The Coeur Foundation, will feature an impressive lineup of renowned culinary teams vying for a chance to win proceeds for a charity of their choice by participating in a food and wine pairing competition. Ticket proceeds benefit non-profit organizations as selected by the winning chef teams. The Cabernet Cookoff includes two ticket options; a VIP Ticket granting access to a pre-event wine tasting experience from 11:00a.m. to 12:00p.m, as well as a Main Event Ticket that takes place from 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
“Being the title sponsor for this event brings me so much joy,” says Vintner Kathryn Hall. “Bringing together foodies and wine lovers – like myself – by way of a competitive food and wine pairing competition helps expand our commitment to supporting the community and its many diverse organizations. And boy, does it turn into a competition!”
Chef teams are tasked with creating a small dish that pairs best with HALL Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon, a highly rated wine that has earned praise from the wine industry’s top critics. The 2024 Cabernet Cookoff also coincides with the public release of the 2021 vintage of the Jack’s Masterpiece wine. Guests in attendance will sample 14 different dishes and sip on the featured wine while voting for the People’s Choice Winners.
Additionally, a star-studded panel of celebrity judges will taste the pairings to vote for the Judges’ Choice Awards. In total, four winners will be announced – two People’s Choice Awards and two Judges’ Choice Awards.
The Cabernet Cookoff has two ticket options that include:
- VIP Ticket, $300pp. 11:00am – 12:00pm
Guests are invited to join Vintner Kathryn Hall, HALL President Mike Reynolds and Vice President of Winemaking, Megan Gunderson, for a vertical wine tasting of Jack’s Masterpiece Cabernet Sauvignon prior to the main event. All VIP ticketholders will be given access to the Main Event from 12:00pm – 2:30pm. VIP ticketholders also receive a HALL Tote Bag that includes a bevy of luxury products as part of the VIP Ticket purchase. - Main Event Ticket, $150pp. 12:00pm – 2:30pm
Guests will enjoy bites from all competing chef teams and enjoy wine throughout the event, as well as vote for the People’s Choice Awards.
Participating chef teams and non-profit organizations that they are each competing for includes:
- Tarla Mediterranean Bar + Grill
Chef Kadriye Baspehlivan; Charity: Alaina’s Voice - One Market Restaurant
Chef/Partner Mark Dommen; Charity: JDRF - Whiskey Bar @ Sky & Vine
Chef Elizabeth Espiritu; Charity: California Restaurant Foundation (Restaurants Care Program) - Oenotri
Chef Tyler Rodde; Charity: CASA, A Voice For Children - The Hi Neighbor Group (The Vault Garden + The Vault Steakhouse) Chef/Partner Jason Halverson; Charity: All Stars Helping Kids
- Palm House
Chef Jake Lucas; Charity: Farming Hope - Bear at Stanly Ranch
Chef Anthony Stagnaro; Charity: NEWS - Parche
Chef Juan Hormiga; Charity: Building Futures with Women and Children - Silverado Resort: The Grill
Chef Patrick Prager; Charity: No Kid Hungry - The Grove Restaurant at Culinary Institute of America at Copia
Chef Deborah Mullin; Charity: Culinary Institute of America: Bill Briwa Scholarship - FARM Restaurant + Bar at Carneros
Chef Jeffrey Jake; Charity: Napa Valley Community Foundation - Ember Steak at The Meritage Resort, Opens April 1, 2024
Chef Jose Mejia; Charity: ABODE Sustainable Solutions to Homeless - Saffron Restaurants
Chef Ajay Walia; Charity: Maitri - Luce, InterContinental San Francisco
Chef Dennis Efthymiou; Charity: California Pit Bull Rescue Each year, the event brings a variety of celebrities together to help vote for the two Judges Choice winners. The 2024 line-up of Judges includes Chef Ken Frank, Raj Mathai, Brian Baumgartner, Craig Conover, and event emcee for the fifth year in a row, Natalie Morales.
2024 Cabernet Cookoff event sponsors include ALASTIN Skincare, Aloha Travel, Benefit Marketing, Bright Rentals, Cypress Grove, Curate, Elvia Moreno Flowers, Glass Tats, Harvest Sanitation, HiTouch Business Solutions, Signum Architecture, Kollar Chocolates, Liquid Death, Lux Productions, Napa Sonoma Magazine, Print Ink, Proforma, and Valley Valet. The Title Sponsor for the 2024 Cabernet Cookoff is HALL Napa Valley.
The Cabernet Cookoff, sponsored by HALL Napa Valley
Presented by The Coeur Foundation
HALL St. Helena
401 St. Helena Hwy. S. St. Helena, CA 94574 (707) 967-2626
To purchase tickets, please visit: www.hallwines.com/cabernetcookoff
Since inception, Cabernet Cookoff has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for non-profit 501c3 organizations all over the country. For more information about The Coeur Foundation, or to get involved as a culinary team, sponsor, or non-profit organization, please visit https://www.coeurfoundation.org/cabernet-cookoff.
ABOUT HALL Wines: The Art of Cabernet
HALL Napa Valley, a family-owned wine brand created by Vintner’s Craig and Kathryn Hall, produces award-winning Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon at two properties in Napa Valley in St. Helena and Rutherford, California. Winemaker Megan Gunderson leads the family’s luxury wine portfolio and focuses on creating distinctive and expressive Cabernet Sauvignon bottlings that highlight the finest vineyards and sub-appellations within Napa Valley. The HALL St. Helena Winery was the first LEED® Gold Certified Winery in the State of California in 2009 and earned another LEED® Gold certification for its high-tech production facility and Tasting Room in 2014, making HALL a leader in sustainability and green efficiencies which are integrated into every facet of the business. HALL Napa Valley has been recognized by the industry’s top wine critics with its highest honors, including numerous 100-point ratings. For more information about HALL Napa Valley, please visit https://www.hallwines.com/ or by calling 707.967.2626. Follow @hallwines for updates and join the conversation using #artofcabernet.
ABOUT The Coeur Foundation
The Coeur Foundation is committed to empowering individuals and organizations in the Napa and Sonoma Valley regions to enhance and enrich various initiatives. This dedication is manifested through various efforts, notably its annual Cabernet Cookoff event, aimed at fundraising for local non-profit organizations by way of a food and wine pairing competition. These endeavors aim to help bolster the wine country community, fostering the arts and entrepreneurship and enhancing public schools, health, and wellness. Derived from the French word for “heart,” The Coeur Foundation is guided by the
foundational values of C.A.R.E. (Community, Arts, Responsibility, and Entrepreneurship). The Coeur
Foundation directs its philanthropic investments towards initiatives that resonate with these principles.
For further details, please visit www.coeurfoundation.org.
