RELISH Returns with its Three-Day Immersive Food, Wine & Spirits Experience
Images courtesy of RELISH
The countdown has begun for RELISH, Orange County’s premier immersive food, wine, and spirits experience created by Celebrity Chef Jamie Gwen and Celebrity Event Planner Nicole Hirsty of Cobalt Events. Returning for its second year, RELISH promises a three-day world-class epicurean celebration, kicking off with the highly anticipated Opening Night Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting, where guests will enjoy a bespoke evening of chef-curated hors d’oeuvres, interactive food and drink pop-ups, hand-crafted cocktails and award-winning wines, held Friday, October 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at VEA Newport Beach, a Marriott Resort & Spa.
"Get ready for an unparalleled gastronomic experience, beginning with the Opening Night Cocktail Party and Grand Tasting that will delight your taste buds and give a stunning preview of what’s to come,” said chef Gwen. “We love bringing people together around unforgettable, highly curated immersive culinary experiences that are designed to foster meaningful connection,” added event planner Hirsty.
Friday’s Opening Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting will set the stage for RELISH’s weekend of epicurean mastery, offering a rare opportunity to mingle with some of the most celebrated names in the industry, including:
Geoffrey Zakarian | World-renowned chef, restaurateur, TV personality, and author
Scott Conant | Award-winning chef, restaurateur, TV personality, and author
Sherry Yard | James Beard award–winning pastry chef
Kat Turner | Executive chef, restaurateur, and TV personality
Afrim Pristine | World’s youngest maitre fromager, Canada’s premier cheese expert
Rebecca Rose Phillips | Certified sommelier, wine educator, and hospitality consultant
Katie Chin | Award-winning author, TV personality, playwright
Jamie Gwen | Celebrity chef and co-founder of RELISH
The celebration continues at RELISH After Hours*, where style meets sophistication in a private, after-hours setting designed for those seeking an elevated end to an extraordinary evening. An exclusive Meet & Greet with RELISH Talent is the icing on the cake at After Hours!
Saturday offers a full day of culinary discovery, beginning with Fashion + Food at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza, featuring an exclusive luncheon and meet-and-greet with Chefs Geoffrey Zakarian and Scott Conant at ANQI at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza. The afternoon continues at The Park Club with The Art of Cheese & Wine, led by acclaimed Maître Fromager Afrim Pristine, alongside a limited-attendance knife class with Wolfe Cutlery, Master the Art of the Perfect Cut. The day culminates with the RELISH Culinary Icons Dinner + Sip & Savor Cocktail Hour, where Chefs Zakarian and Conant, alongside Pastry Chef Sherry Yard, come together for an intimate, one-night-only, multi-course dining experience celebrating their signature flavors and creativity.
Sunday at VEA begins with the RELISH Burgers+Bubbles Brunch, a celebration of culinary creativity featuring Chefs Sherry Yard and Kat Turner, where imaginative sweet and savory flavors come together in a feast for the senses with a tasting of some of the best burgers in Orange County, perfectly paired with Veuve Clicquot. The weekend concludes with RELISH in Wellness, a revitalizing retreat that brings together mindfulness, nourishing cuisine and immersive activities led by leading wellness experts, offering guests a restorative opportunity to reconnect, recharge and feel inspired.
RELISH is honored to partner with premier partners, including VEA Newport Beach, The Park Club, Visit Newport Beach, Travel Costa Mesa, Kaiser Permanente, South Coast Plaza, Bloomingdale’s, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, Veuve Clicquot, Belvedere Vodka, Volcan de mi Tierra Tequila, Hennessy, Chandon Spritz, Modern Luxury Riviera Orange County, Meredith Marks Caviar, Golden Eagle Vodka, Wolfe Cutlery, Drybar, Le Creuset, Levoni Salami, Martone Street Sauces, Melissa’s Produce, Hollywood Photo Booth, GINSIX, Girlactik, Sprout Living, California Dates, Good Karma, Viberi, Nelson's Green Briar Whiskey, Kleos, Ole Bison Bourbon, Barton & Guestier, Patriarche, Brewer-Clifton Wines, Bell Wine Cellars, Foxen Vineyard & Winery, Zuccardi, Jackson Family Wines, Vineyard Brands Wines, Bouchaine Vineyards, ZD Wines, Austin Hope Wines, Landing Wines and more.
Individual tickets and event packages are available at RelishFoodWine.com. For the latest event updates, chef spotlights and behind-the-scenes glimpses, follow @relishfoodwine on Instagram.
RELISH Event Schedule
Friday, October 2
5–8 p.m. | Opening Night Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting at VEA
8–10 p.m. | RELISH After Hours* at VEA
Saturday, October 3
11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Fashion & Food at ANQI at Bloomingdale's South Coast Plaza with Chefs Geoffrey Zakarian and Scott Conant
2:30-3:30 p.m. | The Art of Cheese & Wine with Cheesemaster Afrim Pristine at The Park Club
3:30-4:30 p.m. | Master the Art of the Perfect Cut with WOLFE Cutlery at The Park Club
5:30-10 p.m. | RELISH Culinary Icons Dinner + Sip & Savor Cocktail Hour at The Park Club
Sunday, October 4
10 a.m.- 12 p.m. | RELISH Burgers + Bubbles Brunch at VEA
12:00 p.m.-2:30 p.m. | RELISH in Wellness at VEA
*Limited tickets available
About RELISH
RELISH is Southern California’s premier food, wine & spirits experience, uniting the nation’s top celebrity chefs, master sommeliers and spirits experts for an unforgettable weekend of culinary bliss. Co-founded in 2025 by Celebrity Chef Jamie Gwen and Celebrity Event Planner Nicole Hirsty of Cobalt Events, RELISH offers a three-day immersive celebration featuring master classes and expertly curated culinary experiences that go beyond the dining table. RELISH is redefining the culinary and event landscape, establishing a new benchmark of excellence and delivering an elevated, one-of-a-kind epicurean journey. For more information and updates, www.relishfoodwine.com.
