Avila Beach ready for another huge Mac and Cheese Fest

Avila Beach ready for another huge Mac and Cheese Fest

If there is one defining comfort food for millions of Americans, it’s macaroni and cheese and in recent years it has taken on a culinary life of its own.

That celebration of an American classic, along with some pairing of the Central Coast’s finest beer and wine, will be on display from 2-6 p.m. Saturday at the Avila Beach Golf Resort with the sixth Mac and Cheese Fest.

“It’s something we all eat at some point,” said Debbie Thomas, owner of Thomas Hill Organics, which has restaurants in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. “So, for us to take the box mac and cheese that we all grew up with, and to put a little twist on it to make it more like fine dining, I think it’s fabulous.”

About 25 restaurants from the Central Coast, along with a formidable challenger from Bakersfield, will compete in Saturday’s event. The Mac and Cheese Fest will also have more than 25 wineries and breweries providing samples, and Paso Robles’ BarrelHouse Brewery will have full pours of their beers for sale at the event. The event is for those 21-years-old and over.

“We are really excited about the camaraderie of our competitors that has built for the last few years,” said Sam Brandon, who helps organize the event on behalf of American General Media, which owns the festival, kernradio.com and radio stations on the Central Coast.  “It makes for a really fun event. This really makes it the best event we’ve done yet.”

Leading the way is defending champion Jeffry’s Catering, which operates out of Paso Robles’ Barton Family Wines, and who stunned everyone with a steakhouse mac and cheese, but even that creation was almost toppled by Bakersfield’s Countryside Grill, which has won the Bakersfield Mac and Cheese Fest the last two years with spicy Chile Verde mac and cheese.

“We are going to change it up,” said Jeffry Weisinger, the owner of Jeffry’s Catering, who added he’s looking forward to defending his 2016 title. “We are going to mix up. I’m keeping it close to my chest.”

The simplicity of mac and cheese actually provides a challenge for the chefs trying to put their own distinctive flavor with the meal.

“It’s just a one pot cooking thing,” said Chef Shaun Behrens, who works with San Luis Obispo’s Luna Red and Mint + Craft. “I mean it’s like grandma. To me it could be paella, it could be mac and cheese, it could be cioppino, it could be a bouillabaisse, it is really just a comfortable part of it, and it’s so versatile.”

From traditional Mac and cheese with a lot of cheesy variety to those with bacon or Chile Verde, there will be something for everyone at the Mac and Cheese Fest.

AVILA BEACH GOLF RESORT

MINT + CRAFT and LUNA RED, San Luis Obispo

THE VERSATILITY OF MAC AND CHEESE

“It’s just a one pot cooking thing,” said chef Shaun Behrens, who works with San Luis Obispo’s Luna Red and Mint + Craft. “I mean it’s like grandma. To me it could be paella, it could be mac and cheese, it could be cioppino, it could be bouillabaisse, it is really just a comfortable part of it, and it’s so versatile.”

THOMAS HILL ORGANICS, San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles

THE TWIST ON MAC AND CHEESE

“It’s something we all eat at some point,” said Debbie Thomas, owner of Thomas Hill Organics, which has restaurants in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo. “So, for us to take the box mac and cheese that we all grew up with, and to put a little twist on it to make it more like fine dining, I think it’s fabulous.”

JEFFRY'S CATERING, Paso Robles

MIXING IT UP FOR 2017

“We are going to change it up,” said Jeffry Weisinger, the owner of Jeffry’s Catering, who added he’s looking forward to defending his 2016 title. “We are going to mix up. I’m keeping it close to my chest.”

THE BAKERSFIELD CHAMPS HEAD TO THE CENTRAL COAST

Latest Blogs

DA Zimmer On The Sentencing Of Trezell & Jacqueline West

DA Zimmer On The Sentencing Of Trezell & Jacqueline West

District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer stops by The Ralph Bailey Show to explain all the ins-and-outs of today’s sentencing of Trezell & Jacqueline West for the murder & abuse of their adopted sons Orrin & Orsen. Then Ralph dives into last night’s horrible GOP debate where none of the candidates made any significant push to catch…

Ralph Rips Republican Candidates For Horrific Showing At Last Night’s Debate

Ralph Rips Republican Candidates For Horrific Showing At Last Night’s Debate

The Ralph Bailey Show dissects last night’s GOP debate from the Reagan Library where absolutely none of the candidates had a good showing as they all constantly talked over one another & were fed awful questions by the media. Then Ralph briefly talks with listener Mario about what it’s going to take for Kevin McCarthy…

CVAF & Portrait of A Warrior Teaming Up For 4th Annual Socktober Clothes Drive

CVAF & Portrait of A Warrior Teaming Up For 4th Annual Socktober Clothes Drive

TRBS talks with Justina Howell of Portrait of A Warrior & Erik Martinez of California Veterans Assist Foundation about their upcoming Socktober clothes drive starting on October 1st where you can donate new and slightly warn socks, underwear, & other warm clothing to veterans & homeless that are in desperate need of help. KERN Radio…

President Biden Caught In Another Lie About Involvement In Son’s Business Dealings

President Biden Caught In Another Lie About Involvement In Son’s Business Dealings

TRBS shares new evidence from the investigations into business dealings of Hunter Biden that show his father, then Vice President, Joe Biden’s personal Wilmington address was used as a beneficiary address to $260,000 worth of transactions between the Biden home & Chinese businessman Jonathan Li. Then Head Football Coach of the Bakersfield College Renegade R.Todd…

Ralph Reluctant To Believe Biden Had No Personal Relationship With Jonathan Li

Ralph Reluctant To Believe Biden Had No Personal Relationship With Jonathan Li

TRBS Host Ralph Bailey shares his final thoughts on today’s top story as more evidence shared from Representative James Comer shows there is a clear personal relationship between Joe Biden & Chinese businessman Jonathan Li after Biden wrote a letter of recommendation for Li’s child to attend college in the United States. KERN Radio ·…