SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL AND THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF WINE & FOOD NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR CULINARY/ENOLOGY SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Up to $30,000 in Scholarships To Be
Awarded To Deserving Students and Professionals in San Diego
San Diego, CA (August 16, 2007) – Producers of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival (November 14-18, 2007) and the American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF) announce that applications are now being accepted for this year’s award of up to $30,000 in scholarships to students and professionals looking to further their education in culinary and enology fields.
“This is now the third year that the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has raised funds for AIWF’s scholarship program and it is exciting to see such growth in the number of individuals who receive awards,” said Michelle Metter, co-producer of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival.  “We are proud to help make the education and professional aspirations of our culinary community a possibility.”
The San Diego Chapter of AIWF will award scholarships for the pursuit of culinary arts and enology/viticulture in full time or continuing education programs through donations made to the organization with funds raised at the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival. The scholarship amounts will range from $1,000 to $5,000 and may be used for study within or outside of San Diego County at an accredited school, college, or university. Scholarship applications will be accepted from any current or prospective student, or professional connected to the San Diego area by school, work, or recent involvement in food or wine in the area. Scholarship awards fund tuition or other school fees and will be paid directly to the school. Â
Last year’s scholarship recipients include: Jeremy Mandrell, winner of a $5,000 Scholarship for study at The Art Institute of California – San Diego; Andrea Cilurzo, winner of the Piret and George Munger Scholarship in the amount of $5,000 for study at The Art Institute California – San Diego; Sandra Kim, winner of the John M. and Sally B. Thornton Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 for study at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York; Molly Nelson, winner of the Union Bank of California Scholarship in the amount of $2,500 for study at The Art Institute California – San Diego; Jon Creger, winner of a $1,000 Scholarship for study at The Art Institute of California – San Diego; Allison Grossman, winner of a $1,000 Scholarship for study at New York University; and Jennifer Jones winner of a $1,000 Scholarship for study at The Art Institute of California – San Diego.
“AIWF is a national non-profit educational organization dedicated to understanding and celebrating the pleasures, benefits and traditions of the table with membership open to all food and wine enthusiasts,” said Lisa Lipton, chairwoman of the organization’s San Diego Chapter and the AIWF National Chapter Council Chairman. “AIWF is most thankful to the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival’s support and beautiful setting for our auction to raise the funds so that more students and professionals can pursue excellence in both the culinary and enology fields.”
Applications will be accepted until September 28, 2007. Scholarship winners will be announced during the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival Grand Tasting event on November 17. Applications may be found by visiting www.aiwf.org click on “local chapters” and then click on “San Diego” or by visiting the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival website at www.worldofwineevents.com. For questions call AIWF at 619 297-0951.
Tickets for the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival are available online or by calling
619-342-7337.
ABOUT AIWF
AIWF was founded as a 501(c)(3) educational organization. It was established in 1981 by Robert Mondavi, the late Julia Child and others to promote a forum for the study and enjoyment of gastronomy. San Diego is host to the AIWF Culinary Collection at the Mandeville Special collections Library at UCSD. Visit www.aiwf.org for further information.
ABOUT SAN DIEGO BAY WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL
The San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival is an international showcase of the world’s premier wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities, and gourmet foods. Held November 14-18, 2007, the event benefits the American Institute of Wine & Food culinary arts scholarship program. Over 700 wines, 60 of San Diego’s top fine dining restaurants and 30 gourmet food companies and exhibitors will participate in the 2007 Festival. Now in its fourth year, the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival has quickly grown into a world-class wine and culinary extravaganza. The five-day festival features wine tasting seminars, cooking classes by award- winning chefs, and an elegant Reserve Tasting at one of San Diego’s finest hotels. The festival culminates on Saturday at the star-studded Grand Tasting Event and Fine Wine/Lifestyle Auction complete with dueling chef demonstration stages, celebrity cookbook signing tents, Cost Plus entertainment tent, and more. For more information visit www.worldofwineevents.com.
ABOUT WORLD OF WINE EVENTS
World of Wine Events, LLC is an event management and festival production company specializing in the creation of world-class wine and culinary trade and consumer events. World of Wine Events provides strategic guidance, logistics, operations, marketing, public relations, and industry insights for winery and spirits road shows, distributor trade tastings, as well as large format tasting and lifestyle festivals. World of Wine Events is the producer of the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, Southern California’s largest wine and culinary extravaganza. More information on World of Wine Events and the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival may be found by contacting Michelle Metter at 619-602-9789 or by visiting www.worldofwineevents.com
