Michelle Metter co-founded the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival in 2004. She was seeking something “more closely aligned with a purpose,” she recalls. According to Metter, San Diego, at the time, was not regarded as a major food city. She knew that perception needed to change.
“When we started 20 years ago, we were just in our infancy and now it’s one of the largest luxury wine and food events in the country,” says Michelle Metter.
The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, which runs Nov. 8-12, continuously tops the ranks on USA Today’s 10 best wine festivals in the U.S. Metter credits the region’s vibrant diversity.
“You see a representation of great chefs, whether you’re at a mariscos counter or a taqueria, or a James Beard winner or a place that landed its first Michelin,” she says. “You’re going to see this real spectrum of how different chefs approach food. It’s all great food. We’re just leveling the playing field.”
A partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico gives attendees access to Mexican beer, wine, and spirits. As part of the series, chefs Roberto Alcocer, Drew Deckman, and Claudia Sandoval will meet with festival-goers. The cross-cultural exploration continues with an all-day excursion to Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe on Nov. 8. The guided trip across the border gives attendees access to wineries, restaurants and culinary experiences in Baja California.
Another integral part of the festival is giving back. The organization has raised upwards of $600,000 in scholarships for culinary and hospitality professionals.
“When we began, we talked about what would be important to help our chefs and restaurants have a vibrant workforce,” says Metter. “We created a scholarship program to help students and culinary professionals in our city. They can get the skills and training and bring it back; bettering our hospitality community. Today, we’ve distributed up to $600,000 in scholarship funds over the course of 19 years. That’s a lot of people we can touch, to help them further their career, and to help our restaurant community thrive.”
This year, The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano was selected as its philanthropic partner.
“Beyond a portion of ticket sales, the Southern California event will also feature The Ecology Center produce and pantry products to its more than 3,000 attendees,” says Jonathan Zaidman, director impact & partnership at The Ecology Center.
“I felt there was so much more as a festival that we could do to further missions like The Ecology Center. To really be part of this cultural shift; in the way we look at, view, and consume food. It’s about equitable access. It’s about having the tools and the knowledge to promote a healthy community. It’s about our environmental footprint,” says Metter.
The Ecology Center will also “incorporate local sources, waste diversion, and educational experiences into its program,” adds Zaidman.
We spoke with Metter to learn more about the festival and how enlisting The Ecology Center as a partner was integral to elevating the conversation of how festivals serve the community.
This interview is edited for clarity and brevity.
Q. Why did you partner with The Ecology Center?
A. The Ecology Center is this incredible agricultural property in Orange County. It’s a 28-acre regenerative organic certified farm and educational center. We view it, and the community, as a hub for the ecological movement that’s happening. …
Next year is our 20th anniversary of the wine and food festival. The Ecology Center will work closely with us to look at what role a festival like ours plays in the social dialogue. What could we be doing differently?
We’re here to entertain but we’re also here to educate. … We are part of this dialogue over the way we grow food, cook it, the way we experience it. Also that we’re creating an environment that helps to serve as connectors to enhance the conversation about healthy living. That is really what [working with] The Ecology Center is about.
Q. How are neighborhoods highlighted?
A. We have expeditions [Love Thy Neighbor(hood)] in Little Italy so people can come and join the expedition and be given this real insider’s tour of restaurants and the chefs. They explore the spirit of Little Italy and San Diego’s Convoy districts.
Q. What events top your list?
A. Our VIP experience at the Grand Tasting. The Ecology Center is helping Jack Ford of Taj Farms with the fermentation stations. Mesa College has received a lot of the proteins that are being broken down by the students for all the patés. The cheeses are made here locally for the raclette. The porróns are filled with wines from the local region. It’s this very experiential, sights, sounds, smells, moment. I stand back and I get really fulfilled seeing the way that piece comes together. It’s right there on the Embarcadero with sailboats going by.
I also love our Grand Fiesta. Our final day is a partnership with the Tourism Board of Mexico. Chefs from throughout Baja, wines from the Guadalupe Valley, tequila and mezcal. We have a taco competition.
Q. What’s special about this year?
A. To my knowledge we’re the only festival that’s hosting a festival in two countries at the same time. So until someone refutes that, I’m going to claim it.
Q. Tell us about hosting a festival in two countries.
A. One of the privileges of being in San Diego is that within 10 minutes, we’re across the border and we have access to this Baja-Mediterranean cuisine that so heavily influences the way we experience food here in the states, and especially in southern California.
The seafood, the purveyors, the chefs, the preparation of the food, the farmers, the viticulture down there in the Guadalupe Valley, it’s so incredibly soulful and it’s amiss if we don’t have that resonate. … We really define that as our bio-region. The area of chefs where we’re getting our inspiration from.
What’s exciting, too, is that we have a partnership with the Consulate of Mexico and Baja Tourism. They are helping us curate the talent, chefs, and winemakers that are coming up.
For more information, visit sandiegowineclassic.com.