Fourteenth Annual Napa Valley Mustard Festival
Edited By Wendy J Betts
Celebrate Napa Valley bounty during the 14th annual Napa Valley Mustard
Festival through March 31, 2007. Mustard in bloom shares the spotlight with
mustard the condiment throughout the two-month marathon of food, wine, and art
events.
Tribute and Benefit
 The Napa Valley Mustard Festival is a non-profit community service
organization. This year's Season of Events honors members of the Hispanic
community who work in the restaurant, hospitality, and wine industries to bring
the public exceptional experiences and world-class foods and wines.
The Festival will raise funding for Clinic Olé through the sale of the
Festival's original artwork, Vineyard Mustard, by Lowell Herrero; specific
auction lots; and events. Clinic Olé's mission is to provide accessible,
affordable, quality health care to the under-served in Napa County. It was
founded in 1972 to serve Latino farm workers laboring in the valley's vineyards
and wineries.
 Mark Young of Calistoga's Left Coast Restaurants, opened bidding on Vineyard
Mustard at Robert Mondavi Winery on November 18 at $40,000 and Scott Bauder of
Napa raised the bid to $42,000. Bidding will continue until 10 p.m. on March 31
at The Mumm Napa Photo Finish.
Host Chef and Winemaker
Alejandro Ayala, Banquet Chef at Meadowood Napa Valley, a member of Relais
and Chateaux, serves as Host Chef of the 14th annual Season of Events, and the
Ceja family of Ceja Vineyards serves as Host Winemaking family. Both Ayala and
Ceja families migrated to the United States from Mexico. Chef Ayala began his
career as a dishwasher at Meadowood twenty years ago and members of the Ceja
family worked in the vineyards. Through hard work and determination Chef Ayala
and the Cejas have achieved status, respect, and success in their chosen fields.
The Events
The art competition exhibit, unveiled at Mustard Magic, will be featured at
St. Supéry Vineyards and Winery through the Mustard Season.
 Savor five sumptuous courses at Romantica with your sweetheart at Meadowood
Napa Valley presented by the Host Chef Ayala and the Ceja's, Host Winemaking
family, on Saturday, February 10, at 6 pm. Show your loved one the romance and
allure of Meadowood Napa Valley while capturing the vibrant flavors of Host Chef
Ayala's Latin-inspired cuisine. Chef Ayala will present a five-course menu
paired with Ceja wines, as well as the wines of selected neighboring
wineries. Mexican balladeers will lend sensuous strains to this sensational
setting.
One extraordinary auction lot will be offered at Romantica: A very special
dinner for ten prepared by Chef Ayala and paired with Ceja wines at Ceja
Vineyards. Proceeds will benefit a Napa Valley College scholarship fund for
four-year college bound students whose parents are farm workers. "We believe in
supporting the children of farm workers, and hope they will come back to
contribute to our wonderful community and wine industry," says Amelia Ceja.
Seating for Romantica is limited to 100 lovers and is offered at $175 per
person. Proceeds will benefit Clinic Olé and support the Napa Valley Mustard
Festival. Stay at Meadowood Napa Valley for the weekend and make this a
memorable Valentine celebration. Visit
meadowood.com for special Mustard Season offers.
 Indulge in seven extraordinary courses presented by seven celebrated chefs at
The Grand Dinner – the Mustard Season's signature sit down celebration - on
Friday, February 23, 6 pm at FARM. This impressive new Napa Valley restaurant
recently opened by The Carneros Inn, a PlumpJack Resort, is the venue for the
2007 Grand Dinner. The Grand Dinner will embrace the region's top chefs as they
prepare a winter season's gourmet extravaganza. Executive Chef Kimball Jones
will open his dramatic new kitchen to a line-up of chefs which includes Festival
Host Chef Alejandro Ayala, Executive Banquet Chef, Meadowood Napa Valley;
Retiring Host Chef Robert Curry, Executive Chef, Auberge du Soleil; Ken Frank,
Owner/Executive Chef, La Toque; Executive Chef Jonathan Leiva, Jack Falstaff;
Executive Chef James Syhabout, Plumpjack Café, and Pastry Chef David Baker,
Farm. Each course will be paired with one of Napa Valley's finest vintages
presented by the winemakers. The wines of Host Winery, Ceja Vineyards, Domaine
Carneros, Etude, Far Niente, Groth, HdV – Hyde Vineyards, Honig, and Plumpjack
will be featured. Seating is limited to 120 guests at $350 per person.
The Grand Dinner will include a reception featuring elegant Domaine Carneros'
sparkling wines, music, and a Silent Auction of collectible Napa Valley vintages
exclusive to auction patrons. The Carneros Inn is offering The Grand Dinner
Package featuring overnight accommodations, signature spa treatments, breakfast
at The Boonfly Cafe and two tickets to the Grand Dinner at FARM for $1497,
including tax. Please contact The Carneros Inn at
www.thecarnerosinn.com or call 707 299 4900.
Reserve early for Spice!, a gourmet dinner dance to honor Artist of the Year,
Lowell Herrero, at Robert Mondavi Winery on Saturday, March 3, at 6 pm. The
artist and his wife Janet, will welcome you, and Vineyard Mustard, the
Festival's original artwork, will be present for bidding. Take pleasure in each
tantalizing bite of the four-course menu presented by Robert Mondavi Winery
Executive Chef Richard Haake, paired with Robert Mondavi Winery wines. Salsa
performances by Ariel Ceja and Janelle Chase will add pizzaz to each mustard
inspired course with a salsa performance to entice you and your partner to
celebrate Spice! on the dance floor.
 Sponsored in full by Robert Mondavi Winery,
Spice! will benefit Clinic Olé and support the Napa Valley Mustard Festival.
Come prepared for an engaging evening of food, wine, art, music and dance!
Seating is limited to 90 guests at $225 per person.
Taste original mustard recipes by Napa Valley Chefs and help select the Napa
Valley Mustard Festival's People Choice Chef of the Year at The Awards ~A Tasty
Competition! on March 16, 7 pm at COPIA: the American Center for Wine, Food and
the Arts in Napa. The critic's choice judging, headed by Gene Burns of KGO
AM810's Dining Around with Gene Burn, will take place behind the scenes. Vote
for the People's Choice Chef and discover how your taste buds compare with the
experts when winners are announced. You'll meet World Champion Mustard Makers
from around the world as you indulge in some of the finest foods and wines of
the season at this black tie, red carpet gala. Tickets are $100 in
advance; $150 at the door.
 Celebrate the mustard season and taste
mustards from around the world at The Marketplace ~ A Signature Event for
Connoisseurs ~ on Saturday and Sunday, March 17 and 18, 11 am to 5 pm at COPIA.
Highlights of this rain or shine food, wine and arts festival include Viking
Range celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, a KGO Newstalk AM810 live remote
broadcast of Dining Around with Gene Burns, and a Sunset Magazine pavilion.
Artful activities include juried fine arts and crafts, Arts Council of Napa
Valley hands-on art projects for children, and live performances of jazz, world,
and classical music.
Adult admission to The Marketplace at $30 in advance, $35 at the door,
includes 8 food and 5 wine tasting tickets (value $1 each), plus a souvenir wine
glass. Student admission, ages 13 to 20, at $10 includes 5 food-tasting
tickets. Admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $5. Children under the age of 6
are admitted for free. To purchase advance adult tickets, visit participating
California Raley's, Nob Hill Foods, and Bel Air Markets, which includes a
voucher for 5 additional tasting tickets.
Weekend packages are available from
mustardfestival.org and may be purchased in advance. The Signature Event
Weekend Package includes admission to The Awards on March 16 and The Marketplace
on March 17 or 18. Available for $125 per person.
Raley's, Nob Hill Foods, and Bel Air Markets will offer a Something Extra
Signature Event Weekend Package: Purchase the package which includes tickets to
The Awards and The Marketplace at the special price of $100 per person
(available for $125 at
mustardfestival.org ) and receive a voucher for five additional tasting
tickets for The Marketplace and a voucher for a special gift at The Marketplace.
The Something Extra gift will include Mustard Festival private label mustard and
a gift from Raley's.
 Don't miss the array of community and non-profit events. The Napa Valley
Museum's Angel Gala on Saturday, February 10 in Yountville; Cravings Creations
at Vintage 1870 on Saturday, February18 in Yountville; Mustard, Mud, & Music – A
Calistoga Jazz Festival on Saturday, March 10 in downtown Calistoga; the
Volunteer Center of Napa Valley's Masquerade Ball on Saturday, March 24, at V.
Sattui Winery in St. Helena; and A Taste of Yountville on Saturday, March 24 in
downtown Yountville.
View the season's beauty captured by photographers from far and wide at The
Mumm Napa Photo Finish. This wildly exuberant Napa Valley Mustard Festival Grand
Finale Event will be held at Mumm Napa in Rutherford on Saturday, March 31 at 7
pm. Taste a heady array of Napa Valley wines along with sweets and savories,
view the Napa Valley Mustard Festival Photography Contest Exhibit, and revel in
the party until the last dance. Photographs are available for purchase. The
exhibit will be on display at Mumm Napa through May 3. Tickets for the Mumm Napa
Photo Finish are $90 in advance; $125 at the door.
Tickets and Information
For tickets and information, guidelines for the art, photography, and mustard
competitions, and a complete calendar of events call Summers-McCann, Inc.,
Public Relations, event producer, at 707.938.1133, visit
mustardfestival.org.
A variety of Napa Valley lodging facilities will offer special Mustard Season
packages, to be posted on or linked to the Festival's website.
2007 Mustard Season Calendar - Main Events
Mustard Magic
The Grand Opening Event
Food, wine, music, dancing, silent auction of entries in the Napa Valley Mustard
Festival Visual Art Competition, tableau vivants of paintings by world-famous
artists; Live & Silent auctions & more!
January 27 * 7 pm
The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone * St. Helena
Romantica
Show your loved one the romance and allure of Meadowood Napa Valley while
capturing the vibrant flavors of Napa Valley Mustard Festival Host Chef
Alejandro Ayala's Latin-inspired cuisine. Meadowood Executive Banquet Chef Ayala
will prepare a five-course menu inspired by his Hispanic heritage. Wines will be
paired by Host Winemaking Family - the Cejas of Ceja Vineyards.
February 10 * 6 pm
Meadowood Napa Valley * St. Helena
Limited to 100 guests
The Grand Dinner
The season's gourmet extravaganza! Seven courses prepared by seven celebrity
chefs - paired with the region's finest wines presented by the winemakers.
Silent Auction of wine and more!
February 23 * 6 pm
Farm at the Carneros Inn * Napa
Limited to 120 guests
Spice!
Gourmet Dinner Dance to honor Lowell Herrero, Napa Valley Mustard Festival
Artist of the Year. Five-course mustard inspired menu paired with Robert
Mondavi Winery wines. Salsa Music, Performances & Dancing.
Saturday, March 3 * 6 pm
Robert Mondavi Winery * Oakville
Limited to 90 guests
The Awards ~ A Tasty Competition!
Black-tie, Red-carpet, Jazzy Gala
Taste original mustard recipes by Napa Valley chefs with Napa Valley vintages.
Help select the "People's Choice" Mustard Festival Chef of the Year, and meet
World Champion Mustard Makers from around the World.
March 16 * 7 pm
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts * Napa
** The Marketplace ~ The Signature Event **
Showcase of Food, Wine, Music & Art
Mustards and an array of gourmet products will be showcased alongside
sensational wine country cuisine, world famous wines, hearty craft brews, Viking
cooking demonstrations, and fine arts & crafts.
March 17 & 18 * 11 am to 5 pm
COPIA: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts * Napa
The Mumm Napa Photo Finish
The Grand Finale Event
Food, wine, music, dancing, and exhibit of entries in the Napa Valley Mustard
Festival Photography Contest.
March 31 * 7 pm * Mumm Napa * Rutherford
Photography Exhibit April 1 through May 3
For an invitation, information, a complete calendar of events, tickets and
merchandise call 707.944.1133 or 707.938.1133, or visit
mustardfestival.org.
Photos in order:
(2007 Napa Valley Mustard Festival Poster - "Vineyard
Mustard" by Lowell Herrero)
(2007 Festival Host Winemaking Family - The Cejas of Ceja
Vineryads, and Host Chef Alejandro Ayala, Meadowood Banquet Chef) (The Chefs of
Grand Dinner 2006 - Richard Reddington, Partner/Executive Chef, Redd; Retiring
Festival Host Chef Robert Curry, Executive Chef, Auberge du Soleil; Paul Lemieux,
Executive Pastry Chef, Auberge du Soleil; Ken Frank, Owner/Executive Chef, La
Toque; and Thomas Keller, Owner/Executive Chef, The French Laundry) Lowell
Herrero (Martin Sundberg, photographer) (2006 Mustard Recipe Competition
Winners: Executive Chef Maynard Oestreich, Rings Steak, Seafood and Chops;
Executive Chef Peter Pahk, Silverado Resort; and Executive Chef Vincent Nattress,
Meadowood Napa Valley.) (Mumm Napa hosting The Mumm Napa Photo Finish)
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