A culinary extravaganza is in store this Saturday, Nov. 13, at the north end of the Embarcadero, where the World of Wine Events will present its first annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

The festival, titled “The Grand Event”, culminates a four-day program that featured cooking seminars, wine dinners and tastings earlier in the week. Saturday’s event, however, will feature more than 35 restaurants and gourmet food companies, plus nearly 150 wineries flaunting their products and doling out samples.

“San Diego just doesn’t have a large culinary event like what we see held each year in Aspen, Santa Fe, New Mexico or Miami’s South Beach,” says Ken Loyst, president of World of Wine Events. “We already have people coming in from all over the United States, and we’re expecting about 600 visitors to the grand event.”

The San Diego-based production company that Loyst heads up has presented consumer shows over the past 20 years in the areas of diving and travel. “This is our first venture into the world of food and wine,” he notes. “I’ve been interested in wine and cuisine for 30 years and felt that San Diego could use an event like this. It brings people into the region right after the wine crushes take place.”

Loyst is particularly excited over the number of diverse wineries he solicited. “It’s been our biggest coup – the pedigree of wineries that will participate,” he adds, referring to boutique vintners such as the Lair Family, Duck Horn, Paoletti Estates and Chappellet Winery. Additionally, the entire Paso Robles Westside Grand Crew with its eight award-winning wineries will take part, along with several wineries and restaurants from areas throughout Baja. “In many cases, the winery owners themselves will be on site.”

But wine lovers, he says, will have plenty else to sample in the way of haute cuisine. Among the restaurants signed on are Laurel Restaurant & Bar, Spread, Jake’s of Del Mar, Peohe’s, El Bizcocho, Sammy’s Woodfire Pizza and Max New York Restaurant, to name a few. Visitors can expect to taste everything from sugar-spiced ahi, grilled sausages and fire shrimp to artichoke soup, Boar’s Head meats and gourmet peanut butters.

A handful of specialty food retailers from around the country will also be on hand, such as Maple Leaf Meats, Mad Mike’s Gourmet Foods, the Secret Recipe Toffee Company, Harvest Ranch and more. The event, adds Loyst, “has been a year in the making. We’ve looked closely at the Santa Fe Wine and Chili Pepper Fiesta model, and next year we want to bring in a full kitchen for cooking demonstrations and add a lot more culinary-related exhibits. What we have for a first-year event, though, is pretty phenomenal and it shows there is a high interest in supporting this in San Diego.”

The event also features a live auction at 2:00 p.m., with 24 auction lots offering wine, art and overnight stays at wineries. Visitors will also be given a 19-ounce “connoisseur glass” they can keep upon arrival.

The event will be held throughout the Embarcadero Park North. Admission is $85 per person. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, or ordered online: Visit this article at www.gaylesbiantime.com for the link. For more information, call (619) 342-7337.