Chef
Kevin Rathbun and Winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez
Pair Together for Fundraising Dinner at
Government House, US Virgin Islands
Iron
Chef and Top Winemaker offer Gourmet Dinner and Wine Tasting
in Paradise
St.
Croix, US Virgin Islands - February 2009 - Chef
Kevin Rathbun of Rathbun Restaurants in Atlanta, Georgia
and winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez of Robert Mondavi
Winery in California will pair together for a special fundraising
dinner at Government House on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands on
April 17, 2009. The special Cork & Fork dinner is part of
the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience, an annual series of
culinary events that support the St. Croix Foundation. Tickets
are $1000 per person and the event is limited to 20 guests.
The 2009 St. Croix Food & Wine Experience is April 14-18.
For more information visit www.StCroixFoodandWine.com.
Award-winning
winemaker Gustavo Gonzalez, the only winemaker at Mondavi with
a Wine Spectator 100-point wine on his resumé, is in
charge of the red varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Pinot Noir, as well as Sauvignon Botrytis.
"Gustavo crafts incredible wines," said Kevin Rathbun,
who has more than 500 labels of wines in his cellars at his
restaurants in Atlanta, "Teaming with him to create this
dinner is an honor and together we are going to create an amazing
experience."
Kevin
Rathbun, named as a Rising Star Chef by the James Beard Foundation
in 1994 and a winning guest-chef on Food Network's Iron Chef
America, is joining the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience
for the second year in a row. Rathbun, who has three successful
restaurants in Atlanta (Rathbun's, Krog Bar and Kevin Rathbun
Steak) has been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, Travel
& Leisure, Gourmet, USA TODAY, Wall Street Journal, Oprah
Magazine, Food Arts and many more.
Guests will enjoy a five-course dinner paired with wines crafted
by Gustavo. Each guest will receive the book Government House,
St. Croix: Its History and Special Furnishings by Priscilla
Watkins. To make a donation or purchase tickets to this event,
please contact The St. Croix Foundation at 340-773-9898.
Since
2001, A Taste of St. Croix has celebrated the flavor of the
U.S. Virgin Islands by bringing together culinary artisans from
more than 50 local restaurants on St. Croix and welcoming celebrated
chefs and vintners from across the United States. The event
was immediately successful and has expanded into a weeklong
series of food and wine events called the St. Croix Food &
Wine Experience. In 2008, visiting vintners included Joel Peterson
from Ravenswood Winery, Bob Foley from Foley Wines, Paul Hoffman
of Medusa Wines, Carroll Kemp of Red Car Wines, and Kent Rosenblum
from Rosenblum Cellars. Guest chefs included Rocco DiSpirito,
Kevin Rathbun, Robbin Haas, Gerry Klaskala and Richard Reddington.
About the St. Croix Food & Wine Experience
The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience showcases the diverse
cuisine and wine available on St. Croix, US Virgin Islands.
The multi-day event includes gourmet dinners, wine seminars,
wine auctions, and the annual culinary competition, A Taste
of St. Croix. The event benefits the St. Croix Foundation (www.stxfoundation.org),
a non-profit community foundation that administers a number
of local programs. The event was started in 2001 by restaurant
owners Katherine Pugliese of Bacchus and Kelly Odum of Tutto
Bene and is recognized as the pre-eminent food and wine event
in the Caribbean. For more information visit http://stcroixfoodandwine.com.
About The St. Croix Foundation
Proceeds from The St. Croix Food & Wine Experience are donated
to The St. Croix Foundation, a non-profit organization focused
on community revitalization, economic development, youth programs,
education and additional needs in the community. The culinary
event has raised almost $500,000 for the Foundation over the
past seven years. For more information visit www.stxfoundation.org.