2nd Annual Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend Set for April 16-19, 2015

January 7, 2015 - Always on the forefront of what it means to live well, Santa Barbara is on the cutting-edge of what it means to eat and drink well, too.

In partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts, Bacara Resort & Spa is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend over April 16-19, 2015. Set within the luxurious surroundings of Bacara, the expanded four-day event will once again showcase the distinct tastes, sights and sounds of Santa Barbara while drawing culinary talent from across the country.

Highlights of the 2nd Annual Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend at Bacara, now themed: Savoring the Past, Cultivating the Future, include:

Educational lunch with Los Angeles' power couple and celebrity chefs, Suzanne Goin and David Lentz

Neighborhood Tasting & Market that explores Santa Barbara's top up-and-coming food regions, including Los Alamos, Arts District and Funk Zone

Cooking classes with famed chefs and cookbook authors, including Dorie Greenspan, Jim Dodge, Anne Willan and Virginia Willis

Santa Barbara County Vintners' Association wine reception and video tribute to Julia presented by her former producer and director, Geoffrey Drummond

Screening of A Year in Champagne in the resort's 211-seat movie theater paired with a glass of champagne and local chocolate tasting

The weekend is inspired by Julia's lifelong passion for learning, love of eating well and mission to further gastronomy. It's designed to marry entertainment and inspiration, celebration with learning. Event proceeds will benefit The Julia Child Foundation.

"The Foundation is delighted to again work with Bacara Resort & Spa to foster Julia Child's legacy and our connection to Santa Barbara. Last year's inaugural event embodied everything we had hoped it could, capturing what Julia loved about enjoying and exploring the best and latest in food, wine and cooking and what makes Santa Barbara such a special destination. We were very pleased that so many attendees agreed the event succeeded in honoring Julia's legacy while also delivering a weekend that was fresh, exciting and fulfilling. We hope to see many more Santa Barbarans join those from around the country at this year's expanded weekend." – Todd Schulkin, Executive Director, The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts.

Tickets for select events are now available at www.BacaraCulinaryWeekend.com. Advanced reservations are recommended as events do sell out but same day tickets will be available for select events with greater capacity such as the Neighborhood Tour. Bacara Resort is offering a room package which includes a two-night stay over the event, a welcome amenity of local artisan food products and valet parking from $450 a night.

For tickets and a complete list of events and more information about the Santa Barbara Food & Wine Weekend, please visit www.BacaraCulinaryWeekend.com.

About Bacara Resort & Spa:
Bacara Resort & Spa opened in 2000 and quickly established itself as the premier Santa Barbara resort destination. The property features 354 guestrooms and suites, four restaurants and lounges, a four- story spa and wellness center, three oceanfront swimming pools, a 12,000-bottle Wine Cellar, the Foley Food & Wine Society Wine Tasting Room and 70,000 square feet of function space. Embodying the essence of the American Riviera lifestyle, Bacara is nestled on the bluff and beaches of the Gaviota coast, just 40 miles from the famed Santa Ynez Wine Country and five miles from the Santa Barbara Airport. For reservations or more information, please call (855) 817-9782 or visit www.bacararesort.com.

About The Julia Child Foundation
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts was created by Julia in 1995 to continue to advance matters she valued. The Foundation's mission is to honor and further Julia's legacy, which centers on the importance of understanding where food comes from, what makes for good food, and the value of cooking. Headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, the Foundation is a grant-making, non-profit which primarily funds research and scholarships for professional culinary training as well as other activities in the fields of gastronomy and the culinary arts. Through the organizations and programs it supports, the Foundation continues to foster Julia's lifelong love of learning, her far-reaching impact as a teacher and mentor, and her passion for gastronomy and the culinary arts. For more information about the Foundation, please visit: www.juliachildfoundation.org.