San Diego's Top Chefs and Bartenders to Compete in Carlsbad

Tickets available now for the Dual Chef/Bartender Shakedown July 28 at Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa

San Diego County’s premier chefs and bartenders will face off in a unique beverage and culinary competition on Sunday, July 28, as Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa hosts the 2013 Dual Chef/Bartender Shakedown -- a premier qualifier for this year’s San Diego Spirits Festival.

The innovative take on food and beverage competition will present two-person teams, each featuring an acclaimed chef and mixologist, competing to create a signature cocktail and a complementary small plate pairing. As judged by esteemed culinary experts from throughout the region, the two highest-scoring teams will qualify to compete in the finals of the fifth annual San Diego Spirits Festival on August 25.

Chefs scheduled to compete in the Dual/Chef Bartender Shakedown include Pascal Vignau (Chandler’s Restaurant and Lounge at Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa), Charles Andres (Roy Yamaguchi’s, La Jolla), Scotty Wagner (Chi Cuisine), Chad White (Plancha Baja Med, Sea Rocket Bistro and EGO Culinary Trends, San Diego), Donald Lockhart (Cusp Dining & Drinks, La Jolla), Jon Bautista (L’Auberge Del Mar), Aron Schwartz (Marina Kitchen at San Diego Marriott Marquis), and Eric Bauer (Rancho Valencia).

Priced at $20 for admission, ticketholders can watch the competition and enjoy small samples of delicious bites and cocktail creations. Entertainment and complimentary self-parking are also included in the ticket price.

Purchase tickets at: http://sandiegospiritsfestivalshakedown.eventbrite.com/

–Hilton Carlsbad Oceanfront Resort & Spa Press Release