The NCA Feast Fest lives here
Friday, October 29, 2010
NOVEMBER 1 KITCHEN PASS LOTTERY REGISTRATION CLOSED
Good evening everyone! It's after midnight on the East Coast, meaning that the registration for Monday's kitchen pass lottery has been CLOSED. 120 kitchen passes are up for grabs, and 31,068 people entered for Monday's lottery! The chances may seem one in a million, but, after all, 120 people have to win--one of them could be you. Here's how the Monday lottery will work: We take all 31,068 names and sort them in a random order--the first 120 on the list win a kitchen pass package; those ranked 120-220 win a FREE lodging/dining hall admission package. So, even if you don't win a kitchen pass, we're still giving out 100 FREE lodging/dining hall admission packages. 300 entrants will win one of these lucky prizes! Many have entered, few will win. Don't forget to come back here on Monday for the OFFICIAL results! Good luck to everyone, and have a fabulous weekend! This site will be updated again on Monday with additional information as the Feast Fest month of November gets underway.
THE FINAL KITCHEN PASS LOTTERY -- ENTER BY MIDNIGHT
The clock is ticking! If you don't have your 2010 Feast Fest kitchen passes yet, you MUST register your name for Monday's lottery by MIDNIGHT Eastern time TONIGHT. That's 9 p.m. Pacific Time. So, register before 12amE/9pmP TONIGHT to get registered, and be sure to come back to feastfest.blogspot.com for the results of the lottery on Monday, November 1! There's only 2 1/2 hours left to register--so what are you waiting for? Go to www.feastfesttickets.com/kitchenpasses and register IMMEDIATELY!
Happy Halloween weekend to all!
Happy Halloween weekend to all!
Scouter's Message of Welcome
As this year’s leader
of Feast Fest’s Scouting
Department, allow me first to
thank you for attending this
spectacular culinary event.
As you may or may not know, the scouting department of Feast Fest is responsible for mediating and overseeing the contracts of the chefs that are a part of Feast Fest, in addition to signing new chefs. Last year, Feast Fest had 56 wonderful chefs. This year, we enter Feast Fest 2010 with 57, but after quite a rocky offseason. Five chefs left, six joined, and one chef announced she would be leaving Feast Fest after this year’s event, leaving a rather gaping hole for us to fill in the next offseason. On a positive note, however, we did sign Sandi & Parker Mason back on to their Head Chef spots. After their original contracts expired on January 1, they were successfully redrafted and re-signed on February 23 (in order to accomplish this, one of our scouters had to make an unscheduled trip to Vancouver, but it was worth it nonetheless to sustain the Masons’ presence at Feast Fest).
In August, we asked the Masons how they would feel about introducing current Head Sous-Chef Jim McAllister into a Head Chef position, along with the Masons, for Feast Fest 2011. They said they would be ecstatic to bring Jim up to the head chef’s table, and on August 27 his contract was modified such that this will be his final year as Head Sous-Chef and so that he will go to the Head Chef’s Table in 2011. In this process, several chefs will move up a position—Lynn Avi will take over Jim’s former position, and so on. For example, this is how the upper tiers of power in Feast Fest look now:
The Masons
|
Jim McAllister
/ \
Lynn Avi Joe Pasik
\ /
Jan Stephan Jacqueline Pierce Lisa Choi other chefs…
And here is how it will look next year:
The Masons & Jim McAllister
|
Lynn Avi
/ \
Jan Stephan Joe Pasik
\ /
Jacqueline Pierce Lisa Choi Stephen Dreim other chefs…
and so on.
McAllister says he is “elated” to be moving up to the Head Chefs’ table, and Avi says she will be overjoyed to take on McAllister’s former spot. Jan Stephan, slated to fill Avi’s spot, will earn his first spot of major authority in Feast Fest, of which he says, “I cannot wait to be in such a major position in this event in 2011.” Feast Fest XVII will see some major changes in the chain of power, but, everyone hopes, for the better.
Other offseason developments included the stunning announcement of October 16 that Brianna Galen Ames, the youngest chef of the event, one year younger than Parker, would be leaving Feast Fest after 2010. Ames, who joined in 2007 at age 12, said she will be moving to Europe in the summer and that she will likely be unable to attend Feast Fest, but she said that her departure from the event is uncertain. “I am only making this announcement just in case I do leave, so the scouters can make the appropriate arrangements,” Ames said.
Other departures from Feast Fest included D.A. Cook, a 6 year veteran of the event, Mei Okoworth, a Japanese chef whose brother will remain in the event, Alsace Jacquairaiene, a French chef who joined in 2009 and only was part of the event for one year, and Hillary Wilkin and Zackary Livensworth, who both joined in 2008. However, we tacked on five brilliant chefs to fill their spots and added a 6th to up 2010’s chef count to 57, up from last year’s 56 Our goal is to add more and more chefs to the event every year, and, though we added less than some years, we still accomplished this goal for 2010.
So, the faces you will see at Feast Fest will be some new, some old, but they will join together perfectly to create a wonderful, harmonious Thanksgiving meal that everyone will devour with delight.
Happy Holidays,
Jim Dall
Feast Fest Head Scouter
of Feast Fest’s Scouting
Department, allow me first to
thank you for attending this
spectacular culinary event.
As you may or may not know, the scouting department of Feast Fest is responsible for mediating and overseeing the contracts of the chefs that are a part of Feast Fest, in addition to signing new chefs. Last year, Feast Fest had 56 wonderful chefs. This year, we enter Feast Fest 2010 with 57, but after quite a rocky offseason. Five chefs left, six joined, and one chef announced she would be leaving Feast Fest after this year’s event, leaving a rather gaping hole for us to fill in the next offseason. On a positive note, however, we did sign Sandi & Parker Mason back on to their Head Chef spots. After their original contracts expired on January 1, they were successfully redrafted and re-signed on February 23 (in order to accomplish this, one of our scouters had to make an unscheduled trip to Vancouver, but it was worth it nonetheless to sustain the Masons’ presence at Feast Fest).
In August, we asked the Masons how they would feel about introducing current Head Sous-Chef Jim McAllister into a Head Chef position, along with the Masons, for Feast Fest 2011. They said they would be ecstatic to bring Jim up to the head chef’s table, and on August 27 his contract was modified such that this will be his final year as Head Sous-Chef and so that he will go to the Head Chef’s Table in 2011. In this process, several chefs will move up a position—Lynn Avi will take over Jim’s former position, and so on. For example, this is how the upper tiers of power in Feast Fest look now:
The Masons
|
Jim McAllister
/ \
Lynn Avi Joe Pasik
\ /
Jan Stephan Jacqueline Pierce Lisa Choi other chefs…
And here is how it will look next year:
The Masons & Jim McAllister
|
Lynn Avi
/ \
Jan Stephan Joe Pasik
\ /
Jacqueline Pierce Lisa Choi Stephen Dreim other chefs…
and so on.
McAllister says he is “elated” to be moving up to the Head Chefs’ table, and Avi says she will be overjoyed to take on McAllister’s former spot. Jan Stephan, slated to fill Avi’s spot, will earn his first spot of major authority in Feast Fest, of which he says, “I cannot wait to be in such a major position in this event in 2011.” Feast Fest XVII will see some major changes in the chain of power, but, everyone hopes, for the better.
Other offseason developments included the stunning announcement of October 16 that Brianna Galen Ames, the youngest chef of the event, one year younger than Parker, would be leaving Feast Fest after 2010. Ames, who joined in 2007 at age 12, said she will be moving to Europe in the summer and that she will likely be unable to attend Feast Fest, but she said that her departure from the event is uncertain. “I am only making this announcement just in case I do leave, so the scouters can make the appropriate arrangements,” Ames said.
Other departures from Feast Fest included D.A. Cook, a 6 year veteran of the event, Mei Okoworth, a Japanese chef whose brother will remain in the event, Alsace Jacquairaiene, a French chef who joined in 2009 and only was part of the event for one year, and Hillary Wilkin and Zackary Livensworth, who both joined in 2008. However, we tacked on five brilliant chefs to fill their spots and added a 6th to up 2010’s chef count to 57, up from last year’s 56 Our goal is to add more and more chefs to the event every year, and, though we added less than some years, we still accomplished this goal for 2010.
So, the faces you will see at Feast Fest will be some new, some old, but they will join together perfectly to create a wonderful, harmonious Thanksgiving meal that everyone will devour with delight.
Happy Holidays,
Jim Dall
Feast Fest Head Scouter
Monday, October 25, 2010
Just released, Natasha Miene's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
Hello, it is my pleasure to
welcome you to the 16th Annual
National Culinary Association
Feast Fest, Feast Fest XVI. As the head chairperson of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and of the L.A. Experience, I am responsible for making Feast Fest a critical and unique part of the L.A. Experience.
The L.A. Experience is moderated by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and it is a collection of sights, places, and events that truly define the Los Angeles spirit. In 2006, Feast Fest was added to the L.A. Experience, and it has been a valiant member of the Experience ever since. As the head chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, I am proud to have the privilege of endorsing Feast Fest as part of the L.A. Experience. This, ironically, is my first year as Head Chairperson, meaning that this will be my first year sitting at the reserved table for the Chamber of Commerce at Feast Fest. It will be a true luxury to be able to be the face of the Chamber of Commerce at this spectacular event.
I also encourage all out-of-town visitors to soak up some of the L.A. culture during your visit. Get out in the sun and the surf and truly experience the allure of this metropolis! You will see why I am so proud to represent it.
I hope your holidays are filled with wonderment and that you have a glorious gastronomic journey—as is its aim—at Feast Fest.
Happy eating!
Natasha Miene
Los Angeles Chm. of Comm.
Chairperson
L.A. Experience
Spokeswoman
welcome you to the 16th Annual
National Culinary Association
Feast Fest, Feast Fest XVI. As the head chairperson of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and of the L.A. Experience, I am responsible for making Feast Fest a critical and unique part of the L.A. Experience.
The L.A. Experience is moderated by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, and it is a collection of sights, places, and events that truly define the Los Angeles spirit. In 2006, Feast Fest was added to the L.A. Experience, and it has been a valiant member of the Experience ever since. As the head chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, I am proud to have the privilege of endorsing Feast Fest as part of the L.A. Experience. This, ironically, is my first year as Head Chairperson, meaning that this will be my first year sitting at the reserved table for the Chamber of Commerce at Feast Fest. It will be a true luxury to be able to be the face of the Chamber of Commerce at this spectacular event.
I also encourage all out-of-town visitors to soak up some of the L.A. culture during your visit. Get out in the sun and the surf and truly experience the allure of this metropolis! You will see why I am so proud to represent it.
I hope your holidays are filled with wonderment and that you have a glorious gastronomic journey—as is its aim—at Feast Fest.
Happy eating!
Natasha Miene
Los Angeles Chm. of Comm.
Chairperson
L.A. Experience
Spokeswoman
Just released, Suzy Jenkins's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
Happy holidays to all!!
When we think of all the
memories Feast Fest has
provided us over the years,
we cannot help but be appreciative at the enormous outpouring of support we get as Feast Fest’s Official Culinary Provider, L.A. Wild. When my husband Jan & I moved out to Los Angeles from the Carolinas in 1977, we had to assimilate to the West Coast culture the way Sandi Mason did when she first moved out to Cali. But we still keep with us a strong tradition and love of quintessential Southern cooking. When we realized Sandi Mason’s Southern cooking roots, we hung on for the ride with her even after the event’s original chef, Paula Deen, left after the 1999 Fest. Though we were unsure about Sandi at first, now we couldn’t be happier we stayed along for the ride! L.A. Wild is now recognized as California’s premier Southern culinary association, and we provide the event with all the vegetables, fruits, and thick cut meats needed to dish up a spectacular Thanksgiving meal. Even 2/5 of the event’s turkeys, we are proud to say, come from us! And now, with my husband’s brother, Mike, as a National Culinary Association critic, we know that he can help Feast Fest get the 100 rating it has sought for so long now. Enjoy your time here at Feast Fest, and, while chowing down, think of the efforts of all the great folks out there at L.A. Wild, who helped to make the vision of that meal a delectable reality.
Happy Hollys!
Suzy, Jan, & Mike Jenkins
L.A. Wild Owners (Suzy, Jan)
NCA Critic (Mike)
When we think of all the
memories Feast Fest has
provided us over the years,
we cannot help but be appreciative at the enormous outpouring of support we get as Feast Fest’s Official Culinary Provider, L.A. Wild. When my husband Jan & I moved out to Los Angeles from the Carolinas in 1977, we had to assimilate to the West Coast culture the way Sandi Mason did when she first moved out to Cali. But we still keep with us a strong tradition and love of quintessential Southern cooking. When we realized Sandi Mason’s Southern cooking roots, we hung on for the ride with her even after the event’s original chef, Paula Deen, left after the 1999 Fest. Though we were unsure about Sandi at first, now we couldn’t be happier we stayed along for the ride! L.A. Wild is now recognized as California’s premier Southern culinary association, and we provide the event with all the vegetables, fruits, and thick cut meats needed to dish up a spectacular Thanksgiving meal. Even 2/5 of the event’s turkeys, we are proud to say, come from us! And now, with my husband’s brother, Mike, as a National Culinary Association critic, we know that he can help Feast Fest get the 100 rating it has sought for so long now. Enjoy your time here at Feast Fest, and, while chowing down, think of the efforts of all the great folks out there at L.A. Wild, who helped to make the vision of that meal a delectable reality.
Happy Hollys!
Suzy, Jan, & Mike Jenkins
L.A. Wild Owners (Suzy, Jan)
NCA Critic (Mike)
Just released, William Vanderbilt's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
To all, I issue a hearty wish that
your holidays may be filled with
joy. I am the manager of the
Marina del Rey Hotels & Suites
Beachview Resort, and, as such,
I am ecstatic to welcome you to Feast Fest. For ten years, I have been the general manager of this fine establishment, and it is up to me to see to it that everyone has a safe, enjoyable, and hassle-free experience. I take the time to welcome my guests warmly, and I try to get out and about throughout my hotel, instead of being cooped up in an office. You will likely see me during your stay, as I patrol the gentle halls of this exquisite lodging parlor, wearing one of my vividly colored blazers, and you are encouraged to come up and say hello, as every guest is. My responsibilities running this hotel are huge ones, but I love them nonetheless. As you enjoy the unbelievably perfect melding of world cultures and the traditional Americana of Thanksgiving, please bear in mind that several rules do go in effect Wednesday through Sunday, especially on Thursday:
*Please, no roughhousing or running in public areas
*Please, no public inebriation; our alcoholic vendors will limit purchases to two (2) drinks per person
*Please, if you have a security problem, please notify our
Hardtackle Security personnel
*Please, keep your young ones well behaved throughout the event
*Please, remain out of the kitchen unless you have a Kitchen Pass
*Please, if you are a hotel guest, the lobby is closed from 2-6 am,
aside from the night manager’s desk
*Please, if you abide by these rules, I can assure you will have a
wonderful stay!
Feast Fest really does bring the best of both worlds because you can experience this great hotel and this great event in a package deal—instead of two expensive price tags, one affordable one! And that only explains why Feast Fest is getting more and more popular every year—it’s the perfect vacation: Southern California, sun, surf, fine dining, this glamorous hotel—all included under one low price. What could be better? If you’re a workaholic who hasn’t been out of the office in a while, this is just the vacation you’re looking for! As you chow down on that wonderful food, I deeply hope you will enjoy both the food itself and the setting in which you are enjoying it—this wonderful hotel.
Have a glorious holiday!
William Vanderbilt, Executive Manager
your holidays may be filled with
joy. I am the manager of the
Marina del Rey Hotels & Suites
Beachview Resort, and, as such,
I am ecstatic to welcome you to Feast Fest. For ten years, I have been the general manager of this fine establishment, and it is up to me to see to it that everyone has a safe, enjoyable, and hassle-free experience. I take the time to welcome my guests warmly, and I try to get out and about throughout my hotel, instead of being cooped up in an office. You will likely see me during your stay, as I patrol the gentle halls of this exquisite lodging parlor, wearing one of my vividly colored blazers, and you are encouraged to come up and say hello, as every guest is. My responsibilities running this hotel are huge ones, but I love them nonetheless. As you enjoy the unbelievably perfect melding of world cultures and the traditional Americana of Thanksgiving, please bear in mind that several rules do go in effect Wednesday through Sunday, especially on Thursday:
*Please, no roughhousing or running in public areas
*Please, no public inebriation; our alcoholic vendors will limit purchases to two (2) drinks per person
*Please, if you have a security problem, please notify our
Hardtackle Security personnel
*Please, keep your young ones well behaved throughout the event
*Please, remain out of the kitchen unless you have a Kitchen Pass
*Please, if you are a hotel guest, the lobby is closed from 2-6 am,
aside from the night manager’s desk
*Please, if you abide by these rules, I can assure you will have a
wonderful stay!
Feast Fest really does bring the best of both worlds because you can experience this great hotel and this great event in a package deal—instead of two expensive price tags, one affordable one! And that only explains why Feast Fest is getting more and more popular every year—it’s the perfect vacation: Southern California, sun, surf, fine dining, this glamorous hotel—all included under one low price. What could be better? If you’re a workaholic who hasn’t been out of the office in a while, this is just the vacation you’re looking for! As you chow down on that wonderful food, I deeply hope you will enjoy both the food itself and the setting in which you are enjoying it—this wonderful hotel.
Have a glorious holiday!
William Vanderbilt, Executive Manager
Just released, Al Green's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
Happy holidays, everyone!
With the utmost pleasure,
I welcome you to the 2010
National Culinary Association
Feast Fest. The National Culinary Association, or NCA, is the world’s largest chefs’ union, with over 12,000 culinary workers in the U.S. signed as members of the NCA. The NCA gives official ratings to restaurants, chefs, and special culinary events, just like Feast Fest. As of 2006, in addition to being highly involved with, scoring and judging Feast Fest, we are now official sponsors of Feast Fest. We held this position solely until allowing room this year for Zurich Help Point to become the official corporate sponsor, leaving us to be the official culinary sponsor. The NCA has long been dazzled by the stunning displays of cookery shown by the chefs at Feast Fest. Every chef is NCA-certified, and among the best chefs in the world. Though some have NCA ratings in the upper 70s or low 80s, we remind you that the average NCA rating for the average Joe—the person who cooks just to get dinner on the table—is 12.7. So when we say Feast Fest has the best chefs in the world, we mean it. As a matter of fact, only 500 chefs worldwide have NCA ratings of 90 or higher—Feast Fest alone has 23 this year.
In addition to the chefs having a high rating, Feast Fest itself has always had high NCA approval ratings. In 2008, Feast Fest received a rating of 98.9, the highest record in the event’s history and the highest record of an official culinary event in NCA history. Although Feast Fest scored slightly lower in 2009, due to its phenomenal 2008 score, Feast Fest is now considered by the NCA to be the foremost culinary event in the world. And you, the reader of this program, will be one of the lucky few who get to taste the sumptuous Thanksgiving meal dished out by the country’s best chefs. In 2010, Feast Fest hopes to score a perfect 100—of course, we’ll leave our judges to figure that one out, but, nevertheless, no matter what the score, your Feast Fest experience will be an unparalleled one, one you will never forget. Have a glorious Thanksgiving weekend, and remember that the food you’ll be chewing isn’t just any food—it’s some of the best food in the world.
Al Green
NCA President
With the utmost pleasure,
I welcome you to the 2010
National Culinary Association
Feast Fest. The National Culinary Association, or NCA, is the world’s largest chefs’ union, with over 12,000 culinary workers in the U.S. signed as members of the NCA. The NCA gives official ratings to restaurants, chefs, and special culinary events, just like Feast Fest. As of 2006, in addition to being highly involved with, scoring and judging Feast Fest, we are now official sponsors of Feast Fest. We held this position solely until allowing room this year for Zurich Help Point to become the official corporate sponsor, leaving us to be the official culinary sponsor. The NCA has long been dazzled by the stunning displays of cookery shown by the chefs at Feast Fest. Every chef is NCA-certified, and among the best chefs in the world. Though some have NCA ratings in the upper 70s or low 80s, we remind you that the average NCA rating for the average Joe—the person who cooks just to get dinner on the table—is 12.7. So when we say Feast Fest has the best chefs in the world, we mean it. As a matter of fact, only 500 chefs worldwide have NCA ratings of 90 or higher—Feast Fest alone has 23 this year.
In addition to the chefs having a high rating, Feast Fest itself has always had high NCA approval ratings. In 2008, Feast Fest received a rating of 98.9, the highest record in the event’s history and the highest record of an official culinary event in NCA history. Although Feast Fest scored slightly lower in 2009, due to its phenomenal 2008 score, Feast Fest is now considered by the NCA to be the foremost culinary event in the world. And you, the reader of this program, will be one of the lucky few who get to taste the sumptuous Thanksgiving meal dished out by the country’s best chefs. In 2010, Feast Fest hopes to score a perfect 100—of course, we’ll leave our judges to figure that one out, but, nevertheless, no matter what the score, your Feast Fest experience will be an unparalleled one, one you will never forget. Have a glorious Thanksgiving weekend, and remember that the food you’ll be chewing isn’t just any food—it’s some of the best food in the world.
Al Green
NCA President
Just released, Mike LaPines's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
Hello all—welcome to Feast
Fest! It is a pleasure to welcome
everyone to the 16th Annual National
Culinary Association (NCA) Feast Fest,
and to the 1st EVER NCA Feast Fest sponsored by Zurich Help Point.
As regional manager of ZFSG (Zurich Financial Services Group), it is exciting to be endorsing such a storied culinary event that gets bigger and bigger every year. I, speaking on behalf of all of us at Zurich Help Point, cannot begin to tell you how ecstatic we all are about this endorsement. We even gave away three free ticket/lodging packages to our customers. I’d like to take a moment to tell you about the core principles on which Zurich Help Point was founded, and how we can help you. We put you at the center of everything we do. We accomplish this by dedicating ourselves to a set of core principles: deep customer understanding, insightful guidance and global perspective, our fast, fair, and easy policy, and customer ethos. Here is a short overview of these principles, with quotes from our loyal customers.
Deep customer understanding— When IKEA expands into new countries, Zurich’s network and local contacts are of immense value for us. One example was when we built a store and big shopping center in Moscow. Thanks to the good input from Zurich’s risk engineering area, we were able to design a building to minimize the fire spread as well as reduce our premiums. But most important, should something go wrong, we now know we are in a much safer position.
Insightful guidance, global perspective—Zurich is a pleasure to work with. On the underwriting and risk engineering side, they know the questions to ask and they take a common sense approach. That's hard to find. The best thing I can say about Zurich is that they foster our relationship long after the premiums are paid.
Fast, fair, and easy—Our home in Sawpit Canyon was completely destroyed by the California wildfires last year. Our family was devastated. But before the last embers of that fire died down, Farmers Insurance Exchange contacted us. Most of our neighbours have had pretty negative experiences with their carriers, and many may not be able to rebuild their homes. We have spread the word about our confidence in Farmers and have told numerous people about your company. Thank you.
Customer ethos—Zurich’s help has been head and shoulders above any other insurance company that we deal with, and has helped us to reach higher levels of customer care. We have always been reluctant to lean on any one particular insurance company, but Zurich has now become our largest account, purely due to the excellent service and assistance provided.
While chowing down on a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at Feast Fest, as I will be, be sure to stop by our booth just outside the dining hall for additional information about how our services can tie in to your life—whether you run a large corporation or a small family, there is some way, we just know, that you can benefit from the services we have to offer. For more information, you can visit www.zurich.com. Happy holidays to all, and have a wonderful time at Feast Fest.
Mike LaPines
Zurich Help Point
Fest! It is a pleasure to welcome
everyone to the 16th Annual National
Culinary Association (NCA) Feast Fest,
and to the 1st EVER NCA Feast Fest sponsored by Zurich Help Point.
As regional manager of ZFSG (Zurich Financial Services Group), it is exciting to be endorsing such a storied culinary event that gets bigger and bigger every year. I, speaking on behalf of all of us at Zurich Help Point, cannot begin to tell you how ecstatic we all are about this endorsement. We even gave away three free ticket/lodging packages to our customers. I’d like to take a moment to tell you about the core principles on which Zurich Help Point was founded, and how we can help you. We put you at the center of everything we do. We accomplish this by dedicating ourselves to a set of core principles: deep customer understanding, insightful guidance and global perspective, our fast, fair, and easy policy, and customer ethos. Here is a short overview of these principles, with quotes from our loyal customers.
Deep customer understanding— When IKEA expands into new countries, Zurich’s network and local contacts are of immense value for us. One example was when we built a store and big shopping center in Moscow. Thanks to the good input from Zurich’s risk engineering area, we were able to design a building to minimize the fire spread as well as reduce our premiums. But most important, should something go wrong, we now know we are in a much safer position.
Insightful guidance, global perspective—Zurich is a pleasure to work with. On the underwriting and risk engineering side, they know the questions to ask and they take a common sense approach. That's hard to find. The best thing I can say about Zurich is that they foster our relationship long after the premiums are paid.
Fast, fair, and easy—Our home in Sawpit Canyon was completely destroyed by the California wildfires last year. Our family was devastated. But before the last embers of that fire died down, Farmers Insurance Exchange contacted us. Most of our neighbours have had pretty negative experiences with their carriers, and many may not be able to rebuild their homes. We have spread the word about our confidence in Farmers and have told numerous people about your company. Thank you.
Customer ethos—Zurich’s help has been head and shoulders above any other insurance company that we deal with, and has helped us to reach higher levels of customer care. We have always been reluctant to lean on any one particular insurance company, but Zurich has now become our largest account, purely due to the excellent service and assistance provided.
While chowing down on a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at Feast Fest, as I will be, be sure to stop by our booth just outside the dining hall for additional information about how our services can tie in to your life—whether you run a large corporation or a small family, there is some way, we just know, that you can benefit from the services we have to offer. For more information, you can visit www.zurich.com. Happy holidays to all, and have a wonderful time at Feast Fest.
Mike LaPines
Zurich Help Point
Just released, Otto Rangelstower's Official Letter of Welcome to Feast Fest
A hearty hello to all sojourning at
Feast Fest this year, and welcome to
this one of a kind event. As the president
of the CDP of Marina del Rey, it is my
greatest pleasure to have my wonderful
little community host such a spectacular
event. Marina del Rey has played host
for 14 of the 15 previous Feast Fests, using
the elegant Marina del Rey Beachview Resort as the event’s backdrop. From humble beginnings in 1995 to the multimillion dollar event it is today, Feast Fest has helped revolutionize Marina del Rey on a monumental scale. Many positive changes in the
At the time of writing, I have just been reelected to this honored position, on Tuesday, October 19. My first two year 2009-2011 term being almost up, on January 20 I will take on a second term watching over this humble and breathtaking community. I hope that, with my presence as the main governing leader of the
Have a glorious time at Feast Fest, and happy holidays!
Otto Rangelstower
Friday, October 22, 2010
NEW offer!
New ticketing offer available! Our ticket hotline will be taking calls Tuesday, November 2 from 3:00 p.m. to 3:10 p.m. Be the 12TH PERSON TO CALL IN during this point and get a FREE ticket and lodging package! A great way to enjoy Feast Fest, NO CHARGE! So be there or be square, Tuesday, November 2 from 3 - 3:10p.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
This Week's Chef Profile: Andri Jones
A new addition to the scene this year, Andri Jones is the younger brother of Feast Fest chef Petr Jones. Born December 11, 1977, Jones is, like his sibling, from Doistvistk , Novorossiysk, Belorechensk, Rossija, where cooking was a major part of his upbringing. From one of the southernmost regions of Russia, the fair climate allowed for wild turkeys. In 1986, when Jones was 9, the leaders of Novorossiysk declared a Day of Feasting and Thanks similar to the modern American thanksgiving. The feast set up by Jones's family included wild turkeys, helping to drive the appreciation of both Andri and his brother for pure harvest style cooking. Petr enrolled at Cordon Bleu Schools New York in 1990, and Andri did the same in 1996.
Jones's brother Petr had fond memories of his childhood feasts similar to those of Thanksgiving, and as he became a rising chef he joined Feast Fest in 2005. Like older brother, like younger brother, Andri signed on to be a part of Feast Fest in July of this year. "I am very much looking forward to participating in the great competitive cooking event with my brother," he said in August.
Jones works at a 4-star Russian-American restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, considered one of the best Russian establishments in the world. Jones is co-head chef there, and says he is fervently working towards getting the restaurant a 5-star rating at its next inspection.
Jones's brother Petr had fond memories of his childhood feasts similar to those of Thanksgiving, and as he became a rising chef he joined Feast Fest in 2005. Like older brother, like younger brother, Andri signed on to be a part of Feast Fest in July of this year. "I am very much looking forward to participating in the great competitive cooking event with my brother," he said in August.
Jones works at a 4-star Russian-American restaurant in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, considered one of the best Russian establishments in the world. Jones is co-head chef there, and says he is fervently working towards getting the restaurant a 5-star rating at its next inspection.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Venue Spotlight: Edelyn Cooking Arena
The only competitive cooking kitchen in the Sunshine State, Edelyn Cooking Arena in Punta Gorda, Florida, has been a gracious host for five Feast Fest exhibitions. Edelyn Cooking Arena is kindly to FF chefs--the average FF exhibition score at Edelyn has been 96.7.
Used mainly for local cooking competitions and sometimes as a large concessioner's kitchen for large-scale outdoor events, the FF exhibitions are the highest-caliber events hosted by the Arena.
With a capacity of 2,184, Edelyn has drawn full houses for the exhibitions, which are free to the public. A state of the art cooking arena, Edelyn looks to the future with a sleek design and unique aesthetical aspects. FF concurred at Edelyn most recently on April 28th of this year.
A complete breakdown of Feast Fest's performances in Punta Gorda:
10/3/05 -- score 87.9
6/26/07 -- score 99.8
1/18/09 -- score 99.2
11/3/09 -- score 98.1
4/28/10 -- score 98.8
Edelyn is very popular with Feast Fest chefs; many call it "the best" exhibition venue, and in 2009 Edelyn became the first and only FF exhibition venue to host two exhibitions in one Feast Fest year. Not only that, but in that year, 2009, Edelyn both opened AND closed the FF Exhibitional Season.
Edelyn also lays claim to being the venue with the highest ever FF exhibitional score, when Feast Fest concurred in Punta Gorda on June 26, 2007, and snagged a near-prefect 99.8 mark.
Edelyn has some of the best crowd turnouts, and tickets are already on sale at edelyncookingarena.com for the next exhibitions. Due to increasing demand, just as it did in 2009, Edelyn will open AND close the 2011 FF Exhibitional Season, with exhibitions on January 22 and November 8, and will again have 2 exhibitions in 2012.
Future FF exhibitions at Edelyn:
2011
Saturday, January 22, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, November 8, 7 p.m.
2012 (subject to change)
Friday, May 4, 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 28, 7 p.m.
Used mainly for local cooking competitions and sometimes as a large concessioner's kitchen for large-scale outdoor events, the FF exhibitions are the highest-caliber events hosted by the Arena.
With a capacity of 2,184, Edelyn has drawn full houses for the exhibitions, which are free to the public. A state of the art cooking arena, Edelyn looks to the future with a sleek design and unique aesthetical aspects. FF concurred at Edelyn most recently on April 28th of this year.
A complete breakdown of Feast Fest's performances in Punta Gorda:
10/3/05 -- score 87.9
6/26/07 -- score 99.8
1/18/09 -- score 99.2
11/3/09 -- score 98.1
4/28/10 -- score 98.8
Edelyn is very popular with Feast Fest chefs; many call it "the best" exhibition venue, and in 2009 Edelyn became the first and only FF exhibition venue to host two exhibitions in one Feast Fest year. Not only that, but in that year, 2009, Edelyn both opened AND closed the FF Exhibitional Season.
Edelyn also lays claim to being the venue with the highest ever FF exhibitional score, when Feast Fest concurred in Punta Gorda on June 26, 2007, and snagged a near-prefect 99.8 mark.
Edelyn has some of the best crowd turnouts, and tickets are already on sale at edelyncookingarena.com for the next exhibitions. Due to increasing demand, just as it did in 2009, Edelyn will open AND close the 2011 FF Exhibitional Season, with exhibitions on January 22 and November 8, and will again have 2 exhibitions in 2012.
Future FF exhibitions at Edelyn:
2011
Saturday, January 22, 2 p.m.
Tuesday, November 8, 7 p.m.
2012 (subject to change)
Friday, May 4, 7 p.m.
Sunday, October 28, 7 p.m.
Feast Fest News: More FF Guests Brings Virtuous Cycle...For Now, At Least
-Los Angeles
-LAX said today that they could have more domestic flights arriving at LAX on November 23 and 24 than any other date of the year, and, conversely, November 28 and 29 could have more domestic flights leaving LAX than any other date. Of course, Thanksgiving is always an extremely busy time for the airports, but what could be putting LAX over the top? Feast Fest.
Think about it, after all--most FF guests arrive and check in on November 24, a few on the 23rd, and November 28 is the last day of Feast Fest, and most everybody leaves on November 29.
"It's a good sign that Feast Fest is having a positive tourism impact that keeps growing," said Event organizer William Vanderbilt upon hearing the news.
Feast Fest packages include 20% of airfare costs, but only if the arriving flight is taken on the 23rd or 24th and if the departing flight is taken on the 28th or 29th.
"It's an enticing offer," said Vanderbilt. "We've had the offer for a number of years now, and we have a very small amount of guests who are in by Wednesday, out by Friday. Most stay the whole weekend."
And with the discounts on airfare and more luscious vacation time, many guests say it's a no-brainer.
Peter Voosk is an office manager from Minneapolis. He has attended Feast Fest ten years in a row, and always leaves on Tuesday and comes back Sunday. Voosk, a very committed worker, says the two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, before Thanksgiving are the only ones he takes off all year apart from his company-given vacation time.
"All my other workers will take 10, 15 days off throughout the year that the company doesn't give them off. I've only ever taken off Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and I will continue do."
Because when FF sets forth a package as hooking as it is, Voosk says, "it's worth it."
Increasing air traffic on Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, and Monday, may in a few years cause FF to extend their packages further, to leave on Monday and go back home on Monday or even Tuesday.
"If we can get people willing to take the whole Thanksgiving week off, it'll take the strain off LAX and its travelers by giving them an extra day to deal with the Feast Fest influx," Vanderbilt explained, "and it'll be an even sweeter deal for the guests. All of our packages are designed to increase guest influx, increase demand, increase profit, increase guest influx...it's a cycle that brings more and more guests to Feast Fest every year."
But, Vanderbilt warns that, "on the other hand, we can't get it too big, or FF will be compelled to move it to another venue. It's the problem with being both the manager of the event and the hotel it takes place in," he says.
"It makes me biased, I'm afraid."
-LAX said today that they could have more domestic flights arriving at LAX on November 23 and 24 than any other date of the year, and, conversely, November 28 and 29 could have more domestic flights leaving LAX than any other date. Of course, Thanksgiving is always an extremely busy time for the airports, but what could be putting LAX over the top? Feast Fest.
Think about it, after all--most FF guests arrive and check in on November 24, a few on the 23rd, and November 28 is the last day of Feast Fest, and most everybody leaves on November 29.
"It's a good sign that Feast Fest is having a positive tourism impact that keeps growing," said Event organizer William Vanderbilt upon hearing the news.
Feast Fest packages include 20% of airfare costs, but only if the arriving flight is taken on the 23rd or 24th and if the departing flight is taken on the 28th or 29th.
"It's an enticing offer," said Vanderbilt. "We've had the offer for a number of years now, and we have a very small amount of guests who are in by Wednesday, out by Friday. Most stay the whole weekend."
And with the discounts on airfare and more luscious vacation time, many guests say it's a no-brainer.
Peter Voosk is an office manager from Minneapolis. He has attended Feast Fest ten years in a row, and always leaves on Tuesday and comes back Sunday. Voosk, a very committed worker, says the two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, before Thanksgiving are the only ones he takes off all year apart from his company-given vacation time.
"All my other workers will take 10, 15 days off throughout the year that the company doesn't give them off. I've only ever taken off Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and I will continue do."
Because when FF sets forth a package as hooking as it is, Voosk says, "it's worth it."
Increasing air traffic on Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday, and Monday, may in a few years cause FF to extend their packages further, to leave on Monday and go back home on Monday or even Tuesday.
"If we can get people willing to take the whole Thanksgiving week off, it'll take the strain off LAX and its travelers by giving them an extra day to deal with the Feast Fest influx," Vanderbilt explained, "and it'll be an even sweeter deal for the guests. All of our packages are designed to increase guest influx, increase demand, increase profit, increase guest influx...it's a cycle that brings more and more guests to Feast Fest every year."
But, Vanderbilt warns that, "on the other hand, we can't get it too big, or FF will be compelled to move it to another venue. It's the problem with being both the manager of the event and the hotel it takes place in," he says.
"It makes me biased, I'm afraid."
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Feast Fest News: Turkey plummets to 87.1 at Tokyo Exhibition
-TOKYO
-After two days of waiting and watching, the news is in from halfway around the world. The reports are in from Tokyo on Thursday, and they're not good, some say dismal.
It wasn't all that bad in the end, but the chefs were lucky to escape with as good a rating as they did--that of 96.4.
"96 is a very, very good rating, and we should be happy, but we were aiming for so much more than that," said Jim McAllister.
The main blow? The exhibition had the chefs preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and the turkey--the star of the dinner--got its lowest rating since 2002.
NCA critics gave the turkey an 87.1 rating, the lowest at any exhibition or the real event since the 2002 Feast Fest, when the bird garnered an 86.9 mark.
Fortunately, other foods add up to the average score, and other dinner components got some of their HIGHEST ratings ever--the stuffing earned 99.6, the cranberries 98.7, the pie, which was apple for the exhibition instead of the usual pumpkin, a solid 100.
It was only the second 100 for any Feast Fest food, the other being the 100 mark in 2008 for the giblet gravy, which helped that year's Fest achieve a 98.9 NCA approval rating.
The scoresheet was laid out as thus:
Turkey 87.1
Stuffing 99.6
Gravy 96.5
G'beans 96.9
C'berries 98.7
Rolls 93.2
M.P. 98.2
Peas 98.2
Pie 100
The blunder spread to other foods, too; rolls/biscuits received their lowest rating since 2005. The rolls and biscuits have consistently been the highest rated FF food.
The mash potatoes and peas split even at 98.2.
Several prime chefs--the Masons, Lynn Avi, Jan Stephan--were absent from the Tokyo exhibition, giving the showcase a little less zip. Jim McAllister was appointed head chef of the exhibition in place of the Masons; Joe Pasik played Head Sous-Chef, McAllister's real position in the event; and Lisa Choi and Andruw Stephan played Assistant Head Sous-Chefs in place of Avi and Pasik. 1,267 flocked to the exhibition. 90% of attendees were Japanese.
"I hope they enjoyed it, but I wish we could have given them just a little bit of a better show to see," said Pasik of the first ever Feast Fest exhibition outside North America. "Everyone in the audience got a little sample of the dinner. The NCA critics said the turkey was bone dry. I heard some people in the crowd saying the same thing in a sort of halting English. 'This is their traditional feast?' I heard one say."
Pasik was optimistic about the pie and stuffing, but remorseful about the turkey.
"We had it imported from the U.S. to Japan. I guess all that pressurized air on the plane dried it out. They didn't keep it moist. We were practically drowning this turkey and we couldn't get it moist at all," he explained.
"We could've done better."
The next exhibition will also be the last exhibition before Feast Fest--November 2nd, at Kitchen Stadium USA in New York.
"Higher hopes there, definitely," Pasik remarked.
-After two days of waiting and watching, the news is in from halfway around the world. The reports are in from Tokyo on Thursday, and they're not good, some say dismal.
It wasn't all that bad in the end, but the chefs were lucky to escape with as good a rating as they did--that of 96.4.
"96 is a very, very good rating, and we should be happy, but we were aiming for so much more than that," said Jim McAllister.
The main blow? The exhibition had the chefs preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal, and the turkey--the star of the dinner--got its lowest rating since 2002.
NCA critics gave the turkey an 87.1 rating, the lowest at any exhibition or the real event since the 2002 Feast Fest, when the bird garnered an 86.9 mark.
Fortunately, other foods add up to the average score, and other dinner components got some of their HIGHEST ratings ever--the stuffing earned 99.6, the cranberries 98.7, the pie, which was apple for the exhibition instead of the usual pumpkin, a solid 100.
It was only the second 100 for any Feast Fest food, the other being the 100 mark in 2008 for the giblet gravy, which helped that year's Fest achieve a 98.9 NCA approval rating.
The scoresheet was laid out as thus:
Turkey 87.1
Stuffing 99.6
Gravy 96.5
G'beans 96.9
C'berries 98.7
Rolls 93.2
M.P. 98.2
Peas 98.2
Pie 100
The blunder spread to other foods, too; rolls/biscuits received their lowest rating since 2005. The rolls and biscuits have consistently been the highest rated FF food.
The mash potatoes and peas split even at 98.2.
Several prime chefs--the Masons, Lynn Avi, Jan Stephan--were absent from the Tokyo exhibition, giving the showcase a little less zip. Jim McAllister was appointed head chef of the exhibition in place of the Masons; Joe Pasik played Head Sous-Chef, McAllister's real position in the event; and Lisa Choi and Andruw Stephan played Assistant Head Sous-Chefs in place of Avi and Pasik. 1,267 flocked to the exhibition. 90% of attendees were Japanese.
"I hope they enjoyed it, but I wish we could have given them just a little bit of a better show to see," said Pasik of the first ever Feast Fest exhibition outside North America. "Everyone in the audience got a little sample of the dinner. The NCA critics said the turkey was bone dry. I heard some people in the crowd saying the same thing in a sort of halting English. 'This is their traditional feast?' I heard one say."
Pasik was optimistic about the pie and stuffing, but remorseful about the turkey.
"We had it imported from the U.S. to Japan. I guess all that pressurized air on the plane dried it out. They didn't keep it moist. We were practically drowning this turkey and we couldn't get it moist at all," he explained.
"We could've done better."
The next exhibition will also be the last exhibition before Feast Fest--November 2nd, at Kitchen Stadium USA in New York.
"Higher hopes there, definitely," Pasik remarked.
Feast Fest News: 2010 Galen-Ames's Last Year
-10/16/10, 5:01 p.m.
-LOS ANGELES
-Feast Fest concurred in Los Angeles Friday, and before leaving to fly back home to Illinois before returning to L.A. for Feast Fest in November, Fest Chef Brianna Galen-Ames, the event's youngest ever chef, held a press conference and made a surprising--some might say stunning--announcement.
Galen-Ames, 15, is entering her fourth year with Feast Fest after joining in 2007 at age 12. And this fourth Feast Fest, Galen-Ames said, will be her last.
"This decision is unbelievably hard to make, but 2010 will be my last Feast Fest," Galen-Ames declared in front of a small, exclusive, yet shocked crowd.
When pressed for an explanation, the 15 year old maven relented a little. "Well, say that this decision is 100%, I do not wish to. It is a probable decision but not 100% definite. My mother is moving to Europe in June and I will train in culinary schools there. The possibility of me being able to make it overseas to Feast Fest while committed to culinary school, however, is a small one. Therefore, I have decided to make this announcement to prepare everybody, but should I be able to return, I hope I will be welcomed back with open arms."
Galen-Ames's leave will leave yet another gaping hole for Feast Fest scouters to fill before 2011. They were hoping for a quiet offseason before 2011's Feast Fest after saying farewell to three chefs already this offseason. Keith Wholehreh, Alsace Jacquaraiene, and Guillaime Jacquetaine all left Feast Fest in summer of this year after only one year with the event
Her announcement, however, that she will not move to Europe until June has some FF enthusiasts stirring.
Event Manager William Vanderbilt stated, "There are about four or five Feast Fest preparatory exhibitions before the date she is slated to move. Whether or not she participates in those could give us some idea as to what her plan is for FF '11."
But, as Galen-Ames herself pointed out, that, is 13 months away. "This is a just-in-case announcement. I should know hopefully before the scouters close their deliberations next year whether or not I will want to return."
FF scouters had some salary disagreements with Galen-Ames over the summer, and some wondered if that helped to fuel her desire to leave, but she denied these claims. "If I must leave next year, I say here wholeheartedly that it will be very difficult for me."
-LOS ANGELES
-Feast Fest concurred in Los Angeles Friday, and before leaving to fly back home to Illinois before returning to L.A. for Feast Fest in November, Fest Chef Brianna Galen-Ames, the event's youngest ever chef, held a press conference and made a surprising--some might say stunning--announcement.
Galen-Ames, 15, is entering her fourth year with Feast Fest after joining in 2007 at age 12. And this fourth Feast Fest, Galen-Ames said, will be her last.
"This decision is unbelievably hard to make, but 2010 will be my last Feast Fest," Galen-Ames declared in front of a small, exclusive, yet shocked crowd.
When pressed for an explanation, the 15 year old maven relented a little. "Well, say that this decision is 100%, I do not wish to. It is a probable decision but not 100% definite. My mother is moving to Europe in June and I will train in culinary schools there. The possibility of me being able to make it overseas to Feast Fest while committed to culinary school, however, is a small one. Therefore, I have decided to make this announcement to prepare everybody, but should I be able to return, I hope I will be welcomed back with open arms."
Galen-Ames's leave will leave yet another gaping hole for Feast Fest scouters to fill before 2011. They were hoping for a quiet offseason before 2011's Feast Fest after saying farewell to three chefs already this offseason. Keith Wholehreh, Alsace Jacquaraiene, and Guillaime Jacquetaine all left Feast Fest in summer of this year after only one year with the event
Her announcement, however, that she will not move to Europe until June has some FF enthusiasts stirring.
Event Manager William Vanderbilt stated, "There are about four or five Feast Fest preparatory exhibitions before the date she is slated to move. Whether or not she participates in those could give us some idea as to what her plan is for FF '11."
But, as Galen-Ames herself pointed out, that, is 13 months away. "This is a just-in-case announcement. I should know hopefully before the scouters close their deliberations next year whether or not I will want to return."
FF scouters had some salary disagreements with Galen-Ames over the summer, and some wondered if that helped to fuel her desire to leave, but she denied these claims. "If I must leave next year, I say here wholeheartedly that it will be very difficult for me."
Feast Fest Mini Concerts, Boardgamers Baseball and Solars Hockey!
For the first time ever, we're having a mini concert EVERY day of Feast Fest, INCLUDING Thanksgiving, whereas before Thanksgiving was the one day that did NOT have a mini concert.
Playing Feast Fest this year:
Wed. Nov. 24, 7 p.m. - The Clarksons
Thu., Nov. 25, 5 p.m. - Black Leather
Fri., Nov. 26, 7 p.m. - Van Halen Tribute Band
Sat., Nov. 27, 7 p.m. - Van Morrison Tribute Band
Sun., Nov. 28, 7 p.m. - Skittles Tribute Band
ALSO, sports will be a part of Feast Fest for the first time ever this year! All who buy a Feast Fest package ticket will also receive FOUR FREE tickets to the two sports games taking place in conjunction with Feast Fest this year. Minor league hockey's Manhattan Beach Solars will move their November 24 and 26 home games a little further up the coast to the Marina Arena, steps from the Beachview. The Solars will host Morro Bay at 5 p.m. on Wednesday the 24th and Indianapolis at 7:30p.m. on Friday the 26th.
The Winter League's Yosemite Boardgamers will play their Nov. 24 game at B.C. Park, just steps away from the Beachview, at 5p.m. on Friday the 26th against the Toronto Ice.
Adding these extra concerts and sports games will help to further enhance a spectacular Thanksgiving weekend here in the Marina. Although the main event is centered around Thursday and the food, these additions will give Feast Fest guests several other fun activities to partake in as well.
Again, tickets to the mini concerts and sports games are FREE if you buy a Feast Fest ticket package--the tickets to the concerts and games are included in the Feast Fest package.
Playing Feast Fest this year:
Wed. Nov. 24, 7 p.m. - The Clarksons
Thu., Nov. 25, 5 p.m. - Black Leather
Fri., Nov. 26, 7 p.m. - Van Halen Tribute Band
Sat., Nov. 27, 7 p.m. - Van Morrison Tribute Band
Sun., Nov. 28, 7 p.m. - Skittles Tribute Band
ALSO, sports will be a part of Feast Fest for the first time ever this year! All who buy a Feast Fest package ticket will also receive FOUR FREE tickets to the two sports games taking place in conjunction with Feast Fest this year. Minor league hockey's Manhattan Beach Solars will move their November 24 and 26 home games a little further up the coast to the Marina Arena, steps from the Beachview. The Solars will host Morro Bay at 5 p.m. on Wednesday the 24th and Indianapolis at 7:30p.m. on Friday the 26th.
The Winter League's Yosemite Boardgamers will play their Nov. 24 game at B.C. Park, just steps away from the Beachview, at 5p.m. on Friday the 26th against the Toronto Ice.
Adding these extra concerts and sports games will help to further enhance a spectacular Thanksgiving weekend here in the Marina. Although the main event is centered around Thursday and the food, these additions will give Feast Fest guests several other fun activities to partake in as well.
Again, tickets to the mini concerts and sports games are FREE if you buy a Feast Fest ticket package--the tickets to the concerts and games are included in the Feast Fest package.
Feast Fest 2011-Nov. 23-27, 2011-tix on sale now!
-SPECIAL OFFER-
For those who already have their preparations in order for Feast Fest 2010, we remind you that tickets are NOW ON SALE -- at the earliest date EVER -- for Feast Fest 2011, Wednesday, November 23-Sunday, November 27, 2010, with the Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 24. SPECIAL EARLY BIRD RATES AVAILABLE if you book tickets for next year's Feast Fest BEFORE this year's Feast Fest. Book before Nov. 24 to receive up to 40% off!
-INFORMATION-
Feast Fest 2011 or Feast Fest XVII will be the seventeenth installment of the world's largest simultaneous international competitive cooking event, to be held at the Marina del Rey Hotel-Beachview Resort in Marina del Rey, California, from 12:07 p.m. to 6:46 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2011, with ceremonies surrounding the event from Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, November 27. The event will be presided over by the Mason duo and Jim McAllister, who will become the third co-head chef in 2011. 2010 will be his last year as Head Sous-Chef, and his position will be assumed by Lynn Avi. Lynn Avi, formerly an Assistant Head Sous-Chef, will leave room for Jan Stephan to assume his first authoritative position with the event.
For those who already have their preparations in order for Feast Fest 2010, we remind you that tickets are NOW ON SALE -- at the earliest date EVER -- for Feast Fest 2011, Wednesday, November 23-Sunday, November 27, 2010, with the Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 24. SPECIAL EARLY BIRD RATES AVAILABLE if you book tickets for next year's Feast Fest BEFORE this year's Feast Fest. Book before Nov. 24 to receive up to 40% off!
-INFORMATION-
Feast Fest 2011 or Feast Fest XVII will be the seventeenth installment of the world's largest simultaneous international competitive cooking event, to be held at the Marina del Rey Hotel-Beachview Resort in Marina del Rey, California, from 12:07 p.m. to 6:46 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2011, with ceremonies surrounding the event from Wednesday, November 23 to Sunday, November 27. The event will be presided over by the Mason duo and Jim McAllister, who will become the third co-head chef in 2011. 2010 will be his last year as Head Sous-Chef, and his position will be assumed by Lynn Avi. Lynn Avi, formerly an Assistant Head Sous-Chef, will leave room for Jan Stephan to assume his first authoritative position with the event.
Feast Fest 2010 Wiki
From the Feast Fest 2010 Wiki:
Feast Fest 2010 or Feast Fest XVI, will be the sixteenth installment of Feast Fest, the world's largest international simultaneous competitive cooking event. The event is set to take place at the Marina del Rey Hotel-Beachview Resort from 12:14 p.m. to 6:53 p.m. on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2010. After a slight decline in customer traffic in 2009 due to the economic crisis, Feast Fest 2010 is estimated to be the most highly attended Feast Fest ever. The number of Kitchen Passes, the Passes that allow one to view the cooking action from the kitchen, have been upgraded by customer demand from 125 to 200. After much turmoil in the 2010 Feast Fest offseason regarding the possibility of the Masons leaving the event and Jim McAllister taking over as Head Chef, it was concluded in September 2010 that the Masons would Head-Chef the 2010 Feast Fest and that McAllister would join them at the Head Chef's table in 2011.
EXHIBITIONS
6 preparatory exhibitions were performed for Feast Fest, all with high NCA scores. There is one exhibition left on the schedule.
1/16/10 @ Nyland Cooking Center, San Diego, CA, score 95.4
1/27/10 @ Lala Restaurant, Manhattan, NY, score 95.9
4/2/10 @ Windows on the Water Restaurant, Morro Bay, CA, score 97.3
4/28/10 @ Edelyn Cooking Arena, Punta Gorda, FL, score 98.8
7/25/10 @ Notes Restaurant, Long Beach, CA, score 98.1
10/14/10 @ Kitchen Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, score 96.2
11/2/10 @ U.S. Kitchen Stadium, New York, NY
The Masons were absent for the 4/28 and 10/14 exhibitions and will be absent for the 11/2 exhibition.
Jim McAllister was absent on the cooking floor for, ironically, the 7/25 exhibition, which was held in his own restaurant, due to a 7/21 appendectomy. McAllister attended but did not participate in the exhibition.
Lynn Avi was absent for the 10/14 Tokyo exhibition.
Joe Pasik will be absent for the 11/2 exhibition.
Jan Stephan was absent for the 1/16 and 10/14 exhibitions.
Andruw Stephan was absent for the 1/27 exhibition.
Only one exhibition (4/2, Morro Bay, CA), had all 58 Feast Fest chefs in participation.
Feast Fest 2010 or Feast Fest XVI, will be the sixteenth installment of Feast Fest, the world's largest international simultaneous competitive cooking event. The event is set to take place at the Marina del Rey Hotel-Beachview Resort from 12:14 p.m. to 6:53 p.m. on Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2010. After a slight decline in customer traffic in 2009 due to the economic crisis, Feast Fest 2010 is estimated to be the most highly attended Feast Fest ever. The number of Kitchen Passes, the Passes that allow one to view the cooking action from the kitchen, have been upgraded by customer demand from 125 to 200. After much turmoil in the 2010 Feast Fest offseason regarding the possibility of the Masons leaving the event and Jim McAllister taking over as Head Chef, it was concluded in September 2010 that the Masons would Head-Chef the 2010 Feast Fest and that McAllister would join them at the Head Chef's table in 2011.
EXHIBITIONS
6 preparatory exhibitions were performed for Feast Fest, all with high NCA scores. There is one exhibition left on the schedule.
1/16/10 @ Nyland Cooking Center, San Diego, CA, score 95.4
1/27/10 @ Lala Restaurant, Manhattan, NY, score 95.9
4/2/10 @ Windows on the Water Restaurant, Morro Bay, CA, score 97.3
4/28/10 @ Edelyn Cooking Arena, Punta Gorda, FL, score 98.8
7/25/10 @ Notes Restaurant, Long Beach, CA, score 98.1
10/14/10 @ Kitchen Stadium, Tokyo, Japan, score 96.2
11/2/10 @ U.S. Kitchen Stadium, New York, NY
The Masons were absent for the 4/28 and 10/14 exhibitions and will be absent for the 11/2 exhibition.
Jim McAllister was absent on the cooking floor for, ironically, the 7/25 exhibition, which was held in his own restaurant, due to a 7/21 appendectomy. McAllister attended but did not participate in the exhibition.
Lynn Avi was absent for the 10/14 Tokyo exhibition.
Joe Pasik will be absent for the 11/2 exhibition.
Jan Stephan was absent for the 1/16 and 10/14 exhibitions.
Andruw Stephan was absent for the 1/27 exhibition.
Only one exhibition (4/2, Morro Bay, CA), had all 58 Feast Fest chefs in participation.
FEAST FEST 2010
2010 Feast Fest - 11/24-11/28
Join us for the sixteenth consecutive year as the Beachview Resort here in Marina del Rey hosts the 2010 NCA Feast Fest, Thanksgiving weekend, Wednesday, November 24, 2010, to Sunday, November 28, 2010. Come taste the best Thanksgiving meals in the world and witness all the culinary action by purchasing a Kitchen Pass. Host your Thanksgiving family reunion here in beautiful Marina del Rey, using Feast Fest as the backdrop for an incredible holiday weekend you'll never forget.
Join us for the sixteenth consecutive year as the Beachview Resort here in Marina del Rey hosts the 2010 NCA Feast Fest, Thanksgiving weekend, Wednesday, November 24, 2010, to Sunday, November 28, 2010. Come taste the best Thanksgiving meals in the world and witness all the culinary action by purchasing a Kitchen Pass. Host your Thanksgiving family reunion here in beautiful Marina del Rey, using Feast Fest as the backdrop for an incredible holiday weekend you'll never forget.
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