You can’t unmeet Claudia Sandoval. The National City native has the personality of a meteor shower. With her now signature red hair, bright red lipstick, and a laugh that tumbles out of her easily and often, she’s that person who shifts the gravity of a room in her direction just by being herself. A few years ago, she was a social worker for the County of San Diego. She and her daughter were sharing a bed in a one-bedroom apartment. Last September, she was crowned the winner of MasterChef with Gordon Ramsay, and got a check for $250,000. With the money, she invested in her catering and private chef business, Claudia’s Cocina. She bought the childhood home she grew up in. Her daughter got her own room. Now, the Latina chef has released her first cookbook, Claudia’s Cocina: A Taste of Mexico, and is eyeing her own restaurant in San Diego. I talked to her today about the book, how the internet funded her and her daughter’s life through the process, how she nearly got evicted during the show, and how you can be penniless and starving after winning $250,000. In fact, it sounds like MasterChef nearly broke her, until it made her.
Are you kidding? Everything has changed. I don’t even know where to begin. From the place that I lived. The flexibility I have to be home during the day and am able to pick up my daughter and take her to school. It’s just profoundly different. I’ve been able to cook in Michelin-starred restaurants. I’m able to enact a lot of change. It’s a whirlwind and I feel like I’m riding a wave. Whenever I come down from this cloud that I’m on, I’ll let you know. It’s surreal. It’s almost like I have a hard time expressing how good it’s been after being so shitty. Before me leaving to be on the show, things were horrible. I had to leave my husband. I had nothing. I had to rebuild my life in six years. Now I’m standing in the middle of a three-bedroom house that I grew up in and just refurnished.
After you won the finale in March, you couldn’t tell ANYONE until it aired in September. How’d you pull that off?
My daughter was at the finale. My immediate family had gone to the finale, too. So they knew. But I couldn’t tell anyone who could potentially hire me. I couldn’t tell my actual employer. When I came back, my employer was going through their own little lull and they had to let me go. I felt like I was living in this twilight zone. My poker face is so good at lying now that it’s scary. If it’s hard for an adult not to tell anyone, imagine how hard it is for a kid. What I kept telling my daughter is, ‘We’ll lose everything. Not only that, but we’ll owe them money.’ I couldn’t afford to lose it.
Did you get the money immediately?
I didn’t get it until October.
So you had technically just won $250,000 and you were broke and jobless?
I couldn’t find work. I was pretty much starving. I was starting to look for a new place because I was a month behind on rent. I ended up finding a friend, she gave me assistant work. I was helping people do social media, and doing somebody else’s laundry. On top of that I had to write a book. I had a total of seven weeks to write this book, and I knew I wanted to do justice to it.
What’d you do with the money when you finally got it?
I bought the house I grew up in. I refurnished it. I paid off all my school debt. I’m a philosophy major from San Diego State. I paid off all my school loans. Paid off all my debts. I started Claudia’s Cocina. I bought a lot of kitchen equipment so that I could do private events and catering. Got my business up and running. My daughter and I went on a vacation to Okinawa.
Did you always want to compete on MasterChef?
I originally didn’t want to audition. I’ve always been a fan of the show. I watched it every week. I was one of those people who watched it from the comfort of my couch saying, ‘I could do that better.’ I remember way back when my ex-husband would say ‘You gotta go on that show.’ But I would never do it. And here I am.
What was your life like three years ago?
I worked for the county of San Diego. I was a social worker and very unhappy with my life. I started InstagrammersSan Diego, where we’d meet up with other people and create Instameets. It’s just a little club of people getting together and doing photography. That lead me to meeting [local advertising firm] i.d.e.a. We ended up setting the world record for the largest Instameet here in San Diego. There were over 500 people. Through that, i.d.e.a hired me on as an event manager.
You were working at i.d.e.a. when you auditioned for the show. You had to take three months off. But contestants don’t get paid. You needed to keep your job. How’d you pull it off?
So at i.d.e.a., I managed to win a couple cooking competitions in the office. So they were like, ‘Hell yes, absolutely yes, you should do the show.’ They were very supportive. But I was like, ‘I’m a horrible mom, how am I going to leave my child for three months?’ I couldn’t let i.d.e.a. know anything because of my confidentiality agreement. And I didn’t want them to replace me. So when I got the email saying, ‘You’re in. You’re one of the top 100. You can either be here for one week or three and a half months,” I talked to one of the partners at i.d.e.a. I told her I didn’t want to lose my job. She was great. She said ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ The plan was I was going to take a week of vacation because I had hours saved up. She said, ‘If you do not call us, or if you don’t come back on Monday, then we’ll know you’re in. We will put you on an administrative unpaid leave.’ But they were so gracious. They kept me on insurance so that my daughter was covered.
So you’re a single mom. Your job is supportive, but instable at best. You’re competing. You’re not getting paid. You could win, but odds are much greater that it could all go wrong.
I had zero money. Zero savings. Friends said that I should start a GoFundMe. But I couldn’t say anything about the show. So I just posted that I had an amazing opportunity that could change my life. I added it all up. I’d need $3,400 to pay for rent, car and insurance. Three days after posting it on Facebook I had $3,400. One of my Instagram friends who I’d never met gave me $750. One of my Twitter followers gave me $1,200. It was amazing.
Was there ever a time when you were like, ‘Oh man I’m getting eliminated’?
Oh yeah. There was a challenge chicken and waffles. I always make waffles. And I always make chicken. But I’ve never eaten them together because I’m just that Mexican. I decided to go bone-in because that’s the way I was raised. So I made a bone-in chicken thigh and it was raw. If there’s anything you don’t want to hear from Gordon Ramsay, it’s that your chicken is raw. The really odd thing was another single mom was in the bottom two with me that week. That was my holy hell moment.
Hardest part of doing the show?
Just being away from family. I don’t think people realize or understand. I was gone from my daughter for three and a half months. I was allowed to call her for five minutes once a week. The first couple nights were so rough. I wasn’t eating, I lost weight. The hardest part is that they can’t tell you WHEN that five minutes will be… it wasn’t like ‘Every Sunday at 10am.’ So when they’d tell me I could call home I had to just hope that my daughter was around. And then I’d just say ‘How was your day? Have they posted an eviction notice yet?’ We also had zero privacy. We were escorted everywhere. People sitting outside of the bathrooms when we went in there so that we didn’t ask to borrow cell phones.
How’d you get through it?
[Chef and MasterChef cohost] Graham Elliott really helped me. Even he doesn’t have his family in L.A. when they’re filming. I asked him, ‘How do people deal with being away from family?’ He said, ‘At the end of the day what you have to remember is that when you look back on this, it will look like a blip of time. Because when you’re in it, it feels like every hour is a month.’
I understand you had very specific ideas of what you wanted Claudia’s Cocina to be.
I specifically wanted it to be more modern Mexican without it being cliché. I know the food was going to come off super Mexican. The design doesn’t need to be cliché Tex-Mex. I wanted it to be super Claudia, which means a lot of red. I went to the publisher and said, ‘The number one thing I want is the best photographer you’ve ever had.’ I sent them 10 to 20 to 30 pictures with specific styles, point of focus. I had a photography heavy background. I knew what kind of paper I wanted. Uncoated stock. I didn’t want glossy pages. I wanted it to feel like it’s rustic. I didn’t want super glossy beautiful. I wanted it to be a little rough around the edges, like me.
Oldest recipe in this book?
I think a lot of them are super old. The oldest is probably either the aguachile, or the birria recipe. Whenever I thought about the book, I knew I wanted a specific chapter dedicated to where my family is from. I wanted to dedicate a whole chapter to Mazatlan. So much of what I eat is very seafood, ceviche, very fresh. You hear a lot about moles. You’re hearing more about Baja. I wanted to highlight a place in Mexico that’s sadly only known for its violence. There are lots of farmers and fishing boats and coming to port with all this amazing fish. I wanted to highlight a better side of Mazatlan.
You tell a lot of compelling stories about your family in the book. Which story really resonates with you?
I think one of my favorite stories is the one of making my mom’s chile verde pork. I specifically talk about how this is a dish I’ve been trying to make for many, many years now. Many of us when we think about food, we think about our mom’s favorite dish. This was one of them. I know I wanted to recreate that dish. I was intent on getting it perfect. And I think I was 29 or 30 and I finally took a day and turned on the music and cooked it. I took a pot full to the ranch where we had our horses, and my dad said, ‘Wow, this tastes just like your mom’s.’ I turned around and shed a tear. I felt like I was finally at that level. It was finally perfect.
The one you make the most?
Aguachile. I eat aguachile once a week.
What’s next?
I want Claudia’s Cocina to be a restaurant. It’s a concept I’ve had for many, many years—a truly fine dining Mexican restaurant, but using all of those traditional recipes. That was the original concept before Bracero opened [laughter]. I’m looking toward 2017 and looking for investors. I’ll be going in with another chef from San Diego.
Best thing about this all?
I want to affect change in people’s lives. And it’s really given me a platform. Dreams don’t come true for people like us.
Dinners are three-course prix-fixe menus priced at $20, $30, $40 or $50; lunches are two-course prix-fixe menus of $10, $15 or $20.
Can’t make it to all of them? Fret not. We’ve got a manageable approach. A half-dozen participating restaurants had the distinction of finding themselves in the winner’s circle of last year’s annual Best Restaurants poll. Below we’ve given you a taste of their Restaurant Week offerings, with links to the full menu. Choose one of these spots, and you’re guaranteed to pick a winner.
Mister A’s
Winner: Best View (Urban) (Critic’s Pick and Reader’s Pick), Best Mac’n’Cheese (Critic’s Pick 2019)
There’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sign tacked on a utility pole on a residential street in La Mesa with one word scrawled across it: SOURDOUGH. Megan Loney has lived in the Academy Heights neighborhood all her life—in fact, her parents reside next door and she lives in the house she grew up in. Out of her kitchen, she runs Gemini Twins Bakery. But based on demand, she may need to start looking for space somewhere else.
“We already have, let’s see, one, two, three…” she counts the equipment around the room. “Six fridges in the house.” (One fridge even gets delivered in the middle of our conversation.) Of course, not all of them are for the bakery, she adds. Half are dedicated to fermentation, from pickling peppers to making kombucha.
Scientists have long touted the benefits of yeast and bacteria converting sugars as a way to improve digestion and overall gut health (among other benefits) for many years. Handmade, housebaked sourdough bread has particularly regained popularity after a dip in production during the commercial bread heyday of the mid-20th century, driven in part by at-home attempts during the pandemic. Loney began experimenting with her sourdough starter in 2019, hoping to improve her family’s nutrition and eating habits.
It didn’t click right away. “It took me a year to keep my starter alive,” she laughs. “I didn’t bake any bread until 2020.” Once she did manage to nurture her starter to life, she taught herself how to bake better versions of store-bought items. “Look at anything on a label in a store these days, and it’s terrifying!” she says. “I was like, ‘No, no, no, we can do this fresh.’”
Loney started selling loaves and baked goods to friends and family before officially launching Gemini Twins (named after her twins, naturally) in 2024, first appearing at La Mesa Oktoberfest. Now, you can pick up her products at the Lakeside farmers market on Thursday afternoons, the Sharp Grossmont farmers market every other Friday morning, Cardiff farmers market on Saturday mornings (although not as the main bread vendor), and the first and third Saturdays of every month in her driveway—just follow the sourdough signs.
Gemini Twins mainly sells sourdough loaves, both traditional and flavors like blueberry lemon basil (made with lemon basil, not lemon and basil) and Dilly Jack (dill, Monterey Jack cheese, and dried onion), plus cookies, cinnamon rolls, scones, and bagels. Loney makes her own in-house blend of fresh-milled whole grain wheat that she mills herself, along with Central Milling organic high-mountain bread flour, a blend of spring wheat and high protein winter wheat. Using organic is key, she says, to avoid negating the health benefits of fermentation with possible exposure to pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals.
After leaving a steady job in construction to launch Gemini Twins, she’s determined to make it work by any means necessary—literally. When she was pregnant with her youngest child, she was baking up until and actually on the day she gave birth. “It’s a dedication for sure, but it’s one that I love,” she says. Launching a viable sourdough brand isn’t exactly the easiest business to get into—most farmers markets and small grocers already have an overabundance of products. But the chance to be her own boss, support her wife who’s currently going to school full-time (as well as their kids), work from home, and share her wares across San Diego? It’s worth it. “The most important part is that it’s family-based,” she says. “We’re just hoping to see it grow… there’s a pretty big horizon in front of us.”
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
As a child, Chantal Partolan never considered cooking as a viable job route. Rather, it was a passion she could turn to as a way to flex her creative muscle, from the time she was in school all the way into adulthood working in a corporate space.
“I never felt like [cooking] was a chore, like some other people feel,” she says. To feed that passion, she started hosting supper clubs in 2022, creating menus and full tablescapes to bring together friends and family. With each successful gathering, she wondered: Could she take this further?
In 2024, she did. Officially launching as Bik-Lun, she began small, hosting baking pop-ups in Long Beach before moving back to her hometown of San Diego in 2025. Now, Partolan still mostly pops up at small local businesses like Moniker General and Joon Shoppe, but now also offers small batch catering and private chef services, all centered around her father’s Filipino and her mother’s Chinese heritages.
Photo Credit: Megan Jane Burgess
Bik-Lun (pronounced bik-LUHN, like “fun”) is named for her mother. “When she migrated to America when she was younger with all her siblings, they all got American names,” Partolan says. She doesn’t strictly adhere to rigid culinary rules—instead, she lets memories drive her creations.
“Now that my grandparents are no longer here, trying to revisit those memories and share them with others has been a really important part of this journey for me,” she explains. Ingredients like red bean and black sesame reflect her Chinese roots, while more savory items like sinigang (a sour and savory Filipino soup) pay homage to her father’s family.
You can next catch Bik-Lun on September 27 at Home Ec + Best Bud with Magnaye (formerly One of One), October 3 at Patine’s new location in Bankers Hill, and October 10-11 at the Mingei Museum for Merkado Kultura, a makers market for Filipino producers. Partolan says since most customers are familiar with her sweet products, she’s planning to offer more savory items—like a breakfast sandwich—at the Home Ec event to give people a taste of her creative versatility.
Eventually, she hopes to add some permanent residencies to Bik-Lun’s schedule—a few are already in the works, so stay tuned—while also looking for ways to combine her food and photography expertise. (A cookbook? Maybe, she says.) But in the meantime, Partolan will remain curious about where she comes from—and how it can take her to where she’s going.
Courtesy of Izola Bakery
San Diego Restaurant News & Food Events
Beth’s Bites
Izola Bakery has long discussed its expansion plans, and at long last, there’s finally some traction. The award-winning East Village bakery will officially move into its second location at the former California English space in Sorrento Valley, hopefully by the end of the year, according to owner Jeffrey Brown. In the meantime, the downtown location will continue to churn out plenty of buns, croissants, sourdough, and more to keep your carb cravings at bay.
Why settle for beer at Oktoberfest when you can have cider? Bivouac Ciderworks is throwing their version of Septemberfest, on Saturday, September 26 from noon to 5 p.m. at their North Park taproom and restaurant. Entry is free, and there will be plenty of German-inspired bites and eats to enjoy. I’m particularly eyeing the apple strudel cider float and Bavarian cider-kraut, but in all likelihood will also be getting a soft pretzel or two as well.
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
Today’s seniors are more connected than ever, with a renewed focus on retirement as a time of discovery and enriching experiences. The ultimate reward for a retirement well-earned is the wisdom to appreciate it all, and what better place to enjoy that unique perspective than Vi at La Jolla Village, in the heart of San Diego.
All-access pass to good living.
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Vi provides access to a connected and fulfilling community while making it easy to plan for future care, should the need ever arise. With a care plan in place, residents enjoy greater financial predictability and long-term value, freeing them to focus on making the most out of retirement.
Resort-style amenities at the epicenter of a cultural hub like San Diego offer a retirement experience unlike any other. Paired with exceptional dining, spacious accommodations and dedicated staff, the best of maintenance-free living is all around. And with the introduction of Vista 360 Well-Being, Vi’s panoramic approach to wellness, there are more ways than ever for residents to access it all.
The harmony of mind, body and community.
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
The key to longevity is striking the right balance in maintaining an active lifestyle with an active mind in a fulfilling community. With newly renovated community spaces and restaurants, Vista brings a variety of opportunities for residents to elevate their well-being through Vi-exclusive “Signature Experiences.”
Vista Enrich takes an evidence-based approach to brain vitality, keeping residents at the forefront of cognitive health through exergaming (exercising + gaming), nutritional plans and informative workshops. It is also home to The Brain Vitality Studio, an innovative facility dedicated to cognitive fitness that has garnered national recognition.
Vista Discover invites residents into stimulating educational experiences, from chef-led cooking demos and guided wine tastings to lectures at local universities and intimate lectures following cultural outings.
While Vista Enrich focuses on brain health and Vista Discover engages residents intellectually, Vista Explore cultivates a sense of adventure through curated travel and local excursions. But broadening one’s horizons doesn’t always require a plane ticket. One recent event brought a taste of the world right to the community: an onsite “jazz cruise” featuring live music and global cuisine served at a series of themed “ports” all within the community’s own ballroom.
“Location, location, location”
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
One of the biggest perks of life at Vi at La Jolla Village is its proximity to just about everything. With easy access to transportation and local attractions just steps away, residents can explore and engage with their community at their own pace.
“There are trolley and bus stops within a 5-minute walk that will get you to the beach, UCSD Campus, medical appointments, downtown La Jolla or San Diego, et cetera. We rarely use our car,” said resident Tom Yager.
With the best of San Diego just steps away, residents don’t just live in the city, they live within reach of everything that makes it special.
The best of all worlds.
Courtesy of Vi at La Jolla Village
At Vi at La Jolla Village, retirement isn’t a chapter to slow down; it’s an invitation to discover more. Tailored community experiences created by Vista, paired with the vibrant pulse of San Diego just outside the door, mean that residents don’t have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
This is what an all-access pass to good living looks like: the comforts of an elevated lifestyle, a community built for growth and a city made for discovery – all in one place.
To learn more about Vi at La Jolla Village or for details on available floor plans, visit ViatLaJollaVillage.com/SDM.
As a kid, Jacob Chen scrounged up whatever odd jobs he could—running lemonade stands, organizing garage sales, reselling appliances on Facebook Marketplace. But there was something about cooking that kept him coming back to the kitchen. “It started as a way for me to spend time with my mom,” he says. “In a way, I think it was inevitable that I would begin a food-based business.”
That business ended up being Made for MeiMei, a line of low-sugar, high protein and fiber mochi flavors like ube, matcha, red bean, black sesame, peanut butter and jelly, and chocolate hazelnut. “‘Mochi’ is derived from ‘mochigome,’ which is the special type of short grain rice that gives mochi its stretchy, chewy texture,” he explains. Traditionally served in Japan as a dessert to celebrate the new year (similar to bibingka in the Philippines and nian gao in China), American-style mochi tends to taste sweeter and often comes as mochi ice cream. However, Chen points out that wasn’t always the case.
Courtesy of Made for MeiMei
“Before mochi was synonymous with ice cream and refined sugar, it was simply a rice based snack filled with whole food ingredients,” he says. “That’s the version of mochi we’re trying to bring back.”
Made for MeiMei’s primary ingredients are rice flour and coconut milk, plus the featured ingredient for each flavor. But rather than using refined sugar, Chen sweetens his mochi with monk fruit and uses organic pumpkin seed protein and chicory root fiber to create what he calls “the first better-for-you mochi.”
Recent collaborations include a mochi-wrapped gelato with An’s Dry Cleaning, strawberry daifuku cream puff with Mon Chourie, and a funfetti chantilly cream dip mochi with The Clovery, but Chen has his sights set on retail expansion. Currently, Made for MeiMei products are available online, locally at Easy Does It Cafe, Bodega Market, or at upcoming events like Embolden Beer Company’s Taste of Shogun on September 27 (admission is free!) and a pop-up with Organic Oren on October 5.
Courtesy of Made for MeiMei
Besides being better for you nutritionally, Chen’s goal for the business is to also be better for the world. He’s worked in rehabilitation clinics and volunteered at San Quentin when he lived in Berkeley—experiences that transformed his worldview. “It really doesn’t take much to be on the other side of the fence,” he says. That’s why he donates portions of proceeds to organizations like Second Chance San Diego (which helps formerly incarcerated people find steady employment), Immigrant Defenders Law Center (a nonprofit deportation defense law firm), and Border Angels, an advocacy group working to reduce fatalities of people crossing the United States and Mexico border.
Chen has his sights aimed high, hoping to bring Made for MeiMei to more local grocery stores and cafes before hitting national retail shelves. Will he stop at mochi? Maybe not.
“There are so many childhood treats that could use an ingredient upgrade,” he says. “Mochi is just the beginning!”
Courtesy of Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge
San Diego Restaurant News & Events
Leave It Up To The Chefs at Roppongi
There’s no such thing as too much omakase, and we’re leaning in. On September 24, chef Davin Waite (The Plot, Wrench & Rodent) will join chef Mark Correa at Roppongi Restaurant & Lounge for a one-night-only, eight-course omakase experience with an optional (but personally recommended) beverage pairing curated by sommelier Humberto Ramirez. You definitely need to snap up a reservation for this one before they’re gone—and with a dream team like this, they will be gone.
Courtesy of Swells Sourdough Bakery
Beth’s Bites
Another weekend, another food festival—not that I’m complaining! On October 3, the 15th annual Taste of North Park hits the streets with over 50 tastings and 15 beverage stops awaiting your arrival. The event sells out every year (for real), thanks to participants like the newly opened One of Us, Falafel Heights, Finca, and many, many more. (Leave the parking stress at home—this is the ideal time to take advantage of the not-utilized-enough North Park parking garage.)
Swells Sourdough Bakery is movin’ on up—to Little Italy, that is. The farmers market favorite officially opens at 2254 India Street on October 1, but eager patrons can stop by during the soft opening starting September 26. Swimsuit season is over, people. It’s time to get our bagel on.
Longtime Point Loma watering hole Paradise Lounge & Grill is closing its doors, but only temporarily. I’m keeping an eye out for an official opening date, but the business has posted they hope by the end of September. Hopefully, it’ll be in time for the Padres to make the playoffs—manifestation!
Listen Now: The Latest in San Diego’s Food and Drink Scene
Have breaking news, exciting scoops, or great stories about new San Diego restaurants or the city’s food scene? Send your pitches to [email protected].
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
At Del Mar Wine & Food Festival’s Grand Tasting, the walk between food tents can take a while. You might stop to watch a chef competition, get pulled toward the DJ, or find yourself playing mini golf before you remember which bite you were after.
Across the Del Mar Polo Fields, there’s also line dancing, a 1961 red Beetle ready for photos, and an aviation-themed pop-up with Reno Tahoe chefs and mixologists. Need a slower stretch? Check out the wellness stops or browse the shops. Here’s what to look for as you make your way through the festival’s zones:
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
VIP First Bites & First Sips
VIP ticket holders get a head start, with the VIP Reception running from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. and serving first bites, first sips, and a few surprises before the Grand Tasting officially gets going. Champagne Telmont will make the festival’s first pour, while Cohn Restaurant Group brings carajillos alongside pours from Karl Strauss, Licor 43, Tap Truck San Diego, Bebemos Tequila, and Devil’s Grin Gin.
The bites are just as good. Celebrity chef Beau MacMillan will serve a first bite, while Warung RieRie is bringing one of its highly coveted dishes. Yes, this is the restaurant that currently has an eight-month waitlist. You’ll also find bites from The Shellfish Affair, The Waverly, Wolf in the Woods, Dora Ristorante, Cori Pastificio Trattoria, An’s Gelato, Pacific 333, Vintana, and more.
And because every good first act needs a soundtrack, there will be live painting and music, with Courtney Govan bringing live jazz to the reception. It’s the perfect opening act before the main event.
Live Cooking & Culinary Moments
During the VIP Reception, chefs Tommy Gomes and Jeff Roberto will conduct a live ahi cutting. Plant Paradise brings another culinary angle, with celebrity chef Zuliya Khawaja joining the plant-based lineup. The area combines chef talent with plant-forward restaurants and brands, giving guests a chance to see just how creative plant-based cooking can get.
Throughout the weekend, The Stage keeps the cooking demonstrations coming, with celebrities and chefs sharing techniques, recipes, and plenty of inspiration for anyone who plans to actually cook something when they get home. Before you know it, you’re watching a chef demo, casting your awards vote, and sipping mezcal on the grass with friends you just met in line.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
DJs, Music, & The Party
At the Grand Tasting, dancing just sort of… happens. A DJ drops the right song. Someone’s holding a taco in one hand and a glass of wine in the other. The country zone breaks into a two-step. Friends convince friends. Strangers become temporary dance partners. By the end of the day, everyone’s forgotten they were ever worried about looking cool.
DJ TENAX will be spinning in Plant Paradise, bringing house, techno, and UKG to an open-air dance floor that’s hard to leave. Chris Cantore, a veteran San Diego broadcaster, takes over the VIP Tent, while BootScootin Line Dance and PVO Events bring country-style line dancing to the Polo Fields, so you can work off your tasting itinerary one two-step at a time.
Then a live guitar hum in the distance leads you to a fuchsia boa over at the Pride Zone, where you’ll find yourself covered in sequins and having the lawn party of a lifetime.
Sports, Tailgates, & Games
Not every activity at the festival requires a tasting glass (although it’s certainly encouraged).
The Matchday Experience brings San Diego FC and San Diego Wave FC into the Grand Tasting, complete with interactive tents and plenty of game-day energy. Athletic Brewing is also sharing activation space with San Diego Wave FC, bringing a fun nonalcoholic option into the mix.
For golf fans, the Los Angeles Golf Club is bringing a Dryve Box golf simulator to the festival. And if your competitive streak is less fairway and more miniature windmill, SD Pop Up Mini Golf has you covered.
The Beach Zone gets in on the action, too, with surfing-inspired elements and Playavole paddle courts. Hemlock Hats and other California brands add to the coastal atmosphere, but the real draw is having somewhere to actually play. And don’t worry, you can cool down in COOLA’s turquoise beach chairs, too, and when your bestie suggests reapplying sunscreen, obviously you do. Basically, there are plenty of ways to work up an appetite between tastings.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Photo Ops & Instagram Moments
You’re going to want to take photos, and the festival has made that extremely easy.
A Timeless Day is bringing multiple photo moments to the Grand Tasting, including a 1961 red Beetle at The Italian Getaway and a teal VW bus in The Beach Zone. For something a little more polished than the standard group selfie, head to the Locals Zone for Pixster Photo Booth and San Diego’s version of a Glam-Bot, complete with a grass red carpet.
Bebemos Tequila is also bringing back its festival-favorite hidden speakeasy. If there’s ever a time for a photo, it’s here. Otherwise, people might not believe you. The speakeasy serves bone marrow shots straight from the bone, with candlelight, a lounge area that makes it hard to believe you’re in a tent outside, and little orange shot glasses. This is “first slide of your festival photo dump” material.
You can also grab your squad and head to LaCroix’s bright and ridiculously cute setup, or swing by San Diego Magazine’s area, where you might stop for a photo in front of the larger-than-life SD Magazine sign and find yourself watching a painting come to life.
But really, you’re in Del Mar. The ocean is essentially your backdrop, and every zone gives you an excuse to stop for the obligatory “totally candid” photo. And yes, the best strategy is to get the group shot before everyone has been sampling wine for three hours.
Shop, Browse, & Take Something Home
The Grand Tasting also doubles as a little shopping excursion, with local makers, fashion, vintage finds, jewelry, and lifestyle brands scattered throughout the grounds. Smoke Revival Vintage Vault brings the thrill of vintage treasure hunting, while Nortte Hats and Hemlock Hat Company make a pretty good case for leaving with a new accessory.
Keep an eye out for jewelry and creative vendors, too, including Iris Studio Jewelry and New Nightfall Jewelry, plus local artists and makers featured throughout the festival.
You can come for an all day food and wine festival, but still leave with something shiny you definitely did not plan to buy.
Wellness & Reset Moments
We know, at some point, even the most dedicated grazer has to come up for air. The Novo Dia Wellness Zone is designed for exactly that, bringing together mocktails, coffee, hydration, wellness brands, and even bites from Parakeet Cafe.
Step away from the food and drink frenzy for a few minutes, relax in the shade, try some skincare, stretch with prAna, and maybe grab some Instant Hydration Electrolytes before round three.
There’s also nothing wrong with stopping to smell the roses at Green Air Botanicals while devouring a dairy-free cheese dip. It’s less about disappearing from the party and more about making sure you have enough energy to keep going.
The zones give you somewhere to wander, and the activities give you a reason to keep going. So grab your tasting glass, check the schedule, and leave a little room in your afternoon for something you didn’t plan on doing. At Del Mar Wine & Food, that’s usually where things get interesting.
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
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