TORRANCE, Calif. (May 5, 2011)—With a lineup including the future co-host of NBC’s “The Chew,” a contestant and a judge from “The Next Iron Chef, Season 4,” along with James Beard winners, the Lexus Culinary Masters team made its debut at the prestigious Pebble Beach Food Wine Festival, April 28 – May 1, 2011, where Lexus returned as a sponsor. Chefs Daniel Boulud, Michael Chiarello, Dean Fearing, Christopher Kostow, Masaharu Morimoto and Michael Symon delighted 200 guests with cooking demonstrations of seasonal bites at the Lexus Presents—Taste Perfection with Louis Roederer Cristal event. The Spring-inspired menu included:

• Chef Masaharu Morimoto: Cristal “Bubble Tea” with hibiscus and Cristal granite, Cristal soda and Cristal foam;
• Chef Michael Chiarello: Burrata and English peas served with caramelized wild mushrooms and a crispy parmigiano vinaigrette;
• Chef Daniel Boulud: Wild king salmon with sorrel sauce;
• Chef Michael Symon: Zucchini fritters;
• Chef Dean Fearing: Barbecued shrimp taco with mango-pickled red onion salad and smoky citrus vinaigrette; and
• Chef Christopher Kostow: Coffee sponge.

“Pebble Beach Food & Wine was the perfect venue to introduce this exclusive group of chefs. Each shares the same passion for perfecting their culinary craft as Lexus does with its luxury automobiles,” said Dave Nordstrom, Lexus vice president of marketing. “We’re looking forward to creating exciting programs with these chefs, including owner benefits, entertainment productions and philanthropic endeavors.”

The weekend took off with a heart-racing start as Chefs Daniel Boulud and Michael Chiarello took a thrilling spin around the Laguna Seca racetrack in the Lexus LFA supercar with professional race car driver, Scott Pruett.

Lexus hosted numerous sold-out events during the weekend, including Friday evening’s Lexus Presents—REMIX: A New Spin on Haute Cuisine with Champagne Krug. Fine dining converged with pop culture at REMIX as guests savored Lexus Culinary Masters-prepared fare with Krug’s finest champagne and music from DJ Mom Jeans aka Danny Masterson.

Additional events included the Lexus Chef’s Table Lunch Featuring Michael Chiarello and Graham Elliot, as well as two Lexus Grand Tasting Events. The famed Tasting Events included hundreds of gourmands enjoying unparalleled access to 25 world-renowned chefs, along with 200 premium wineries pouring more than 500 vintages.