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Health & Fitness

Last Chance to Upgrade Your Food + Wine Knowledge

The final day of the Palm Desert Food & Wine Festival today features more food & wine stars and loads of food and wine tastings from dozens of SoCal's top restaurants.

The Food+Wine Festival Palm Desert isn’t just about tasting specialties of some of Southern California’s best chefs and sipping top quality wines from around the world.

It’s also a unique opportunity to enjoy seminars presented by renowned food and wine professionals. Special cooking demonstrations will be presented on three of the four stages, with a series of famous chefs like Roy Yamaguchi, Andrew Copley, Mark Peel, Adam Gertler, and Dave Conn.

Oscar Ayala, of Escena in Palm Springs, pictured here with Escena’s manager Elise Arouh, will be on stage 2 at 1:45 p.m.

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A very special treat will be Sean Kanan, soap star on The Young and the Restless who wrote the very useful handbook The Modern Gentleman: Cooking & Entertaining With Sean Kanan. I interviewed him on my radio show about the book last fall, and he’s not just another pretty face (although he’s that, too). Find him on stage 1 at 12:15 p.m.

And if it’s wine education you want, just plop yourself down in front of stage 4 about 1:30 p.m. to make sure you won’t have to stand, because the three presenters are exceptional and you’re not likely to find them, together or alone, up close and personal, anywhere else.

Find out what's happening in Palm Desertwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Tracy Cervellone, a Certified Wine Educator, is up first at 1:45 p.m.

Her CWE credential is the toughest to earn in the wine industry, and she’s a walking encyclopedia of wine knowledge.

Then, at 2:45 p.m., Geoff Labitzke, Master of Wine and corporate Vice President of Wine at Young’s Market Company, shares his perspective.

Finally, at 3:45 p.m., Jesse Rodrigues, Wine Director for Addison@The Grand Del Mar reveals how one of California’s top restaurants approaches wine. Of course, you’re invited to ask questions at any of the presentations.

But let’s not forget the acre of food and wine in which you you can indulge.

It’s definitely a good idea to pace yourself so you can pack more in! Today’s hours are Noon to 5:00 p.m., tickets are $65 and available at the door. Look for the Big White Tent (well, there are tents, plural, this year to accommodate the event’s expansion) across from The Gardens on El Paseo.

And remember: no one under 21 is admitted, and don’t bring your adorable dog either because he won’t get in.

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