San Diego Chefs Salute Tommy Gomes is set to be one of the most delicious culinary events San Diego has ever seen. Taking place on Sunday, February 23 at Handlery Hotel, the event will feature tastes from the area's best chefs, all coming together to pay tribute to America's Finest Fish Monger - Tommy Gomes of Catalina Offshore Products. While the event was slated to be a grandiose food festival originally offering 500 passes, plans have changed and organizers have scaled down the attendance to make for a more intimate tribute. The roster has also been altered a bit with some participants dropping out and others added. We have all the updated details right here for this festival in honor of San Diego's favorite seafood supplier.
This tasting event is organized by Handlery Hotel's Gus Thompson and Executive Chef Karl Prohaska (the guys behind the Mission Valley Craft Beer & Food Fest and a slew of other awesome events) and will use Catalina Offshores' seafood to prepare tasty dishes for participants to enjoy, but food offerings will not be limited to only seafood, as Tommy's appreciation for food extends beyond just what comes from the sea.
Tommy Gomes is the face of Catalina Offshore Products, a local seafood wholesale and retail company that supplies many of San Diego's best restaurants. Gomes is a native San Diegan who comes from a long family history of professional fisherman. He personally works with more than 30 local restaurants to provide the freshest catch from Southern California and Baja. Every chef worth a damn in San Diego knows him, and most of them love him as a trusted friend and advisor. On February 23, the gentlemen behind the Mission Valley Craft Beer & Food Fest, along with more than 15 other chefs, will pay tribute with a food and beer festival like no other.
"When I first put the event together I was thinking that it would be a good tribute to invite my chef friends and 4 or 500 folks out to this to pay tribute to Tommy. Make it like a mini-festival. As we went through motions of setting it all up, I came to realize that inviting that many people to this takes away from what we’re trying to do and that is honor a guy who is truly a friend to all of us and a HUGE supporter of all things food and beverage in this town," explained event organizer Chef Karl Prohaska.
"To me, what’s important about this event is the celebration of Tommy and all the work we do as competitors but also as peers and friends. So we checked the grand plan, and we’re now doing something far more intimate. Having said that, we are capping the ticket sales at 100. This smaller number allows for better food and a true celebration of the chefs and the number #1 fish guy Tommy Gomes."
The current line-up of participating rockstar chefs and vendors is as follows: Ryan Studebaker of Encore Champagne Bar; Nate Soroko or Toronado SD; Hanis Cavin of Carnitas Snack Shack; Rich Sweeney of R Gang Eatery and soon-to-open Florent; Tyson Blake of O'Brien's Pub; Karrie Hills of The Red Door ; Amy DiBiase of Baleen (soon to be rebranded); Karen Blair of Hamilton's Tavern, Small Bar, & Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery; Brandon Brooks of Sessions Public; Daniel Barron of La Valencia; Alex Carballo of URBN; Tommy Fraioli formerly of Sea Rocket Bistro and currently of Beaumont's; Karl Prohaska of Handlery Hotel; Christopher Logan of Creative Flavors Catering; Robin Ross of Caxao Chocolates; Andrea Davis of Andrea's Truffles; and culinary teacher and caterer, Jenn Felmley. Hess Brewing and Societe Brewing will be on hand pouring their fantastic beers and Ian Ward of Picks & Rocks Cocktails will be shaking up signature craft cocktails. There will be other special guests and surprises as well.
A limited amount of tickets are still available for San Diego Chefs Salute Tommy Gomes at the cost of $75, which includes unlimited food and drink until the chefs and brewers run out! Get them online while you can at brownpapertickets.com/event/526443, because this event will undoubtedly sell out.
For more information on San Diego Chefs Salute Tommy Gomes, visit the Facebook Event Page.
