Jacques Pepin shook my hand and called me cherie. Talk about the ultimate Rocky Mountain High!
I’m at the 30th annual Aspen Food & Wine Classic, where it’s perfectly possible to bump into the A-list culinary talent. The people who put the celebrity into celebrity chef.
So far, I’ve seen Mario Batali hugging it out with Jose Andres. I had my photo snapped with Marcus Samuelson. Andrew Zimmern, Giada De Laurentiis, Emeril and Bobby Flay are here, along with 5,000 consumers who have forked over more than $1,000 to feast, drink and learn.
So far, one of the highlights was a pre-funk pool party last night hosted by Washington state winemaker Charles Smith. A huge crowd of industry folks mixed and mingled while tasty apps were passed that would thrill your average stoner: Mini corndogs, bite-size pizza, lobster mac-n-cheese, blissful desserts.
No sign yet of Madison Park Conservatory’s Cormac Mahoney or Blaine Wetzel from Willows Inn. But I will track them down at their demos in the Tasting Pavillion. Stay tuned.
