HOLLYWOOD RETURNS TO HONOLULU AT THE KAHALA'S FALL 2011 WINE & FOOD CLASSIC

HOLLYWOOD RETURNS TO HONOLULU AT

THE KAHALA'S FALL 2011 WINE & FOOD CLASSIC

Setting the Stage/Table are Chateau Marmont‘s Carolynn Spence

& Frank Family Vineyards

HONOLULU, HI (June 20, 2011) – The Kahala Hotel & Resort is going just a little bit Tinseltown with its fall Wine & Food Classic September 16 and 17, 2011. On board is glam executive chef Carolynn Spence, direct from the uber-hip Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood. Sharing the star-billing is one of Napa’s most popular vintners Rich Frank, owner of Frank Family Vineyards and producer of USA Network’s Royal Pains and FX’s Wilfred. Kahala W&FC regular Michael Herklots of Nat Sherman rounds out the ensemble cast with another batch of fine cigars.

The two-day culinary showcase will include cinema-worthy gourmet dinners on Friday and Saturday, a cooking demonstration and wineology seminar on Saturday morning, a cigar experience on Saturday afternoon, and a cigar tasting following dinner on Saturday night. All events are sold separately and open to the public.

The Kahala Wine & Food Classic: Hollywood Goes Hawaiian pairs Hollywood chef Carolynn Spence, California vintner Rich Frank and The Kahala’s own Chef Wayne Hirabayashi with the spotlight on the art of food preparation and wine pairings.

A Jersey girl  at heart with a real wild side, chef Carolynn Spence is  Hollywood’s newest kitchen rockstar. Tattoos of artichokes and  other tasty items line the forearms of this self-proclaimed  “old-school punk rocker.” She has a rep for pushing the  gastronomical envelope at the glitzy hotel Chateau Marmont  restaurant and Bar Marmont gastropub. Upon arrival she immediately  started wowing the celebrities and high-brow clientele with what she  calls, “good, modest, simple food with just the right amount of  attitude.” West Hollywood has never been the same. Just don‘t  ask her to name names or she “will have to kill you.” Carolynn was also the opening sous chef for New York’s trendy The  Spotted Pig, Chris Schlesinger‘s East Coast Grill and  Blue Room, Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill, Patricia Yeo’s  AZ and Danny Meyer’s Blue Smoke restaurant. Chef  Spence’s double-cut pork chops, bacon-wrapped apples and  salty-sweet pistachio cake and ice cream are amazing.

The punk rock chef shares the stage with vintner Rich Frank, of Frank Family  Vineyards, one of Hollywood’s most creative and ingenious players. In the late 80s, Frank, a long-time Disney exec, couldn’t get away  for long vacations. He started going to Napa on the weekends, then  in the early 90‘s purchased a home and the Kornell Champagne Cellars at the historic Larkmead Winery. This was the start of the  award-winning Frank Family Vineyards. Frank was chairman of Walt  Disney Television and Buena Vista, as well as Walt Disney Studios  for nearly a decade. Prior to Disney, Frank was president of the  Paramount Television Group, Chris Craft Television and one of the  founders of the USA Network. Cheers, Taxi, Family Ties, Shogun, Winds of War, Golden Girls, Home Improvement, Ellen, Regis and Kathy  Lee, Dead Poet’s Society, Good Morning Vietnam, Pretty Woman,  Father of the Bride, Aladdin and The Lion King were all produced under his leadership. Frank is currently producing “Royal Pains,”  a hit cable series on USA Network, and “Wilfred” which airs on  FX. 

Recurring  character Michael Herklots, executive director of retail and brand  development at Nat Sherman (a New York tobacco institution since  1930) will once again be on hand to introduce new and favorite cigars. He works extensively with manufacturers throughout the  Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras and oversees the company's retail operations including their iconic flagship store on  42nd Street in Manhattan. Herklots is a Certified Master  Tobacconist, a teacher for the American Sommelier Association and a  contributing writer. 

The public is invited to attend all culinary events at The Kahala’s Wine & Food Classic with advance ticket reservations beginning June 1, 2011. Single ticket prices for the seminars, gourmet dinners, and smoking events are listed below. (If you happen to be a hotel guest at The Kahala during the Wine & Food Classic, you will be able to attend any of the events below at a discount of 15%.)

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