Pasadena PinotFest kickoff Jan. 15

The Grand Kickoff Dinner for the fourth-annual Pasadena PinotFest promises to be a delectable event done by the numbers—specifically, the numbers five, five, five—as the evening celebration will feature five exquisite courses prepared by five preeminent chefs, all accompanied by outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines provided by five of California's top wineries, in an elegant country club setting. And to make this standout event even more significant, a portion of the proceeds will benefit the in-need children and families served by Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services—one of the largest provider of children's mental-health services in Los Angeles County.



The Grand Kickoff Dinner will be held on Jan. 15, 2012, 6 p.m., at the Altadena Town & Country Club. Guests will be treated to a five-course, epicurean experience and will be joined by the winemakers:

· Course I—Elements Kitchen (Chef Onil Chibάs) and Clos Pepe Winery (Wes Hagen);

· Course II—AKA Bistro & Bistro 45 (Chef James Lambrinos) and Hitching Post Winery (Gray Hartley and Frank Osini);

· Course III—Altadena Town & Country Club (Chef John Angelopulos) and Alma Rosa Winery (Richard Sanford);

· Course IV—The Raymond Restaurant (Chef Tim Guiltinan) and D'Alfonso-Curran Wines (Kris Curran and Bruno D'Alfonso);

· Course V—Noir Food & Wine (Chef Claud Beltran) and Williams-Selyam Winery (Jeff Mangahas and Bob Cabral)



To purchase Grand Kickoff dinner tickets,which are $149 - $179 per person, please visit http://www.pasadenapinotfest.com/Kickoff_Dinner-2012.html




The Grand Kickoff Dinner ushers in the always-highly anticipated Pasadena PinotFest—sponsored by Pasadena's top-rated Noir Food & Wine—which promises once again to be a palate-satisfying series of spectacular events from Jan. 15 through Feb. 11, 2012. A month-long celebration of the wonderful world of Pinot Noir, events include gourmet winemaker dinners at Elements Kitchen, Vertical Wine Bistro and Raymond Restaurant, as well as wine tastings at Noir Food & Wine. The festival will culminate with a Grand Public Tasting at the Altadena Town & Country Club on Feb. 11, which will feature wines from more than 100 wineries. For information and tickets ($95 per person), visit http://www.pasadenapinotfest.com or call 626.795.7199.