Orange County is getting a full weekend dedicated to food, wine and the people behind the table. From October 2–4, RELISH returns for its second year, bringing chefs, pastry artists, sommeliers, spirits experts and culinary enthusiasts together for three days of tastings, intimate dinners, master classes and immersive experiences across Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
Created by Celebrity Chef Jamie Gwen and event planner Nicole Hirsty of Cobalt Events, RELISH takes a broader approach to the traditional food festival. Rather than centering the weekend around one large tasting event, the program moves guests through a series of experiences designed around food, hospitality and discovery.
The weekend begins Friday evening at VEA Newport Beach, where the Opening Night Cocktail Party & Grand Tasting sets the tone for the celebration. From 5 to 8 p.m., guests can expect chef-curated bites, interactive food and beverage stations, handcrafted cocktails and wines, along with opportunities to meet several of the weekend’s featured culinary personalities.
Among the participating talent are chefs Geoffrey Zakarian and Scott Conant, James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Sherry Yard, executive chef and restaurateur Kat Turner, Canadian maître fromager Afrim Pristine, sommelier and wine educator Rebecca Rose Phillips, and author and television personality Katie Chin, alongside RELISH co-founder Jamie Gwen.
The evening continues with RELISH After Hours, a more intimate late-night experience at VEA featuring an exclusive meet-and-greet with RELISH talent.
Saturday shifts the focus toward culinary education and the intersection of food, fashion and design.
The day begins at ANQI at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza with Fashion + Food, an exclusive luncheon and meet-and-greet featuring Zakarian and Conant. Later, guests head to The Park Club for two hands-on experiences: The Art of Cheese & Wine with Afrim Pristine and Master the Art of the Perfect Cut, a limited-attendance knife class presented with Wolfe Cutlery.
The centerpiece of Saturday evening is the RELISH Culinary Icons Dinner + Sip & Savor Cocktail Hour at The Park Club. Zakarian, Conant and Yard will come together for a multi-course dinner built around their individual culinary styles, creating an intimate one-night-only experience rather than a traditional festival tasting.
Sunday brings a more relaxed close to the weekend at VEA.
The RELISH Burgers + Bubbles Brunch pairs creative takes on one of America’s most familiar foods with Veuve Clicquot, with Yard and Turner contributing sweet and savory interpretations. Later that afternoon, RELISH moves into wellness with RELISH in Wellness, combining nourishing cuisine, mindfulness and immersive activities for a final opportunity to slow down and recharge before the weekend comes to a close.
For Gwen and Hirsty, the goal is to create something that goes beyond a series of meals.
“We love bringing people together around unforgettable, highly-curated immersive culinary experiences that are designed to foster meaningful connection,” Hirsty said.
That idea is reflected in the structure of the weekend itself: a chef luncheon followed by a cheese and wine session, a knife class leading into a multi-course dinner, and a Sunday brunch that transitions into wellness. Each experience offers a different way to engage with the culinary world while keeping the people behind the food at the center.
With events taking place at VEA Newport Beach, South Coast Plaza and The Park Club, RELISH also gives visitors an opportunity to experience several of Orange County’s hospitality destinations along the way.
RELISH takes place October 2–4, 2026. Individual tickets and event packages are available through the official RELISH website, with limited tickets available for select experiences.
For more information and updates, follow RELISH on Instagram at @relishfoodwine. For more details, visit www.relishfoodwine.com