bASH pairs culinary students with St. Helena wines

More than 200 people attended Appellation St. Helena’s 14th Annual bASH event on April 5 at the Culinary Institute of America Greystone in St. Helena.

bASH is an annual wine and food pairing competition where the wines from Appellation St. Helena (ASH) member wineries are paired with savory bites prepared by teams of “rising star” students at the CIA. Judges included some professional chefs, such as Ken Frank. Attendees voted for their favorites in several categories.

Participating wineries were Anomaly Vineyards, Calafia Wines, Chase Cellars, CourAvant, Hall Wines, Mending Wall, Monticello Vineyards, Saint Helena Winery, Raymond Vineyards, Shibumi Knoll Vineyards, Spottswoode Estate Vineyard & Winery, Taplin Cellars, The Crane Assembly, Vineyard 29, Young Inglewood, Salvestrin, AXR Napa Valley, Titus Vineyards and Varozza Vineyards.

One highlight of the event is how meticulously the food “bites” are presented, using edible flowers, “smoke” (from dry ice!) and deep spoons with long handles.

“Our students look forward to bASH every year,” said Chef Daniel Kedan, assistant professor of culinary arts at the CIA. “It is an amazing opportunity for them to challenge themselves, build relationships, network and just have some fun. This year was one of the best yet.”

“This annual event featuring St. Helena area wines and tomorrow’s star chefs draws guests from all over the U.S. as well as neighbors from our own community,” said Lesley Russell, board member of Appellation St. Helena and general manager of Saint Helena Winery. “It’s one of the most entertaining, delicious and inspiring wine and food events I’ve experienced. The CIA students are incredible to work with.”

The professional judges selected these entries as winners:

First place:
Young Inglewood, Braised Oxtail with Curtido and Tomato Caviar, prepared by Adriel Maravilla (Pinole), Brenda Mendina Ruiz (John’s Creek, Georgia) and Emma Rosinski (Gig Harbor, Washington).
The wine was 2012 Young Inglewood Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.

Second place:
Hall Wines, Crimson Conejo, prepared by Valeria Leon (Guadalajara, Mexico), Sophia Faucett (Las Vegas, Nevada) and Jose Avila (San Diego).
The wine was Hall Winery’s 2020 Coeur.

Third place:
Monticello Vineyards, Prime Truffle Toast, prepared by Matthew Reyes (Bremerton, Washington), Ana Jimenez-Nava (Burlington, Washington) and Ayden O’Brien (Ft. Collins, Colorado).
The wine was Monticello Vineyards, 2009 Yewell St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon.

The winners of the popular vote were:

First place:
Spottswoode Estate, Braised Lamb Arancini, prepared by Hayden James (Santa Ana), Jed Anezil (Petaluma) and Leah Madrigal (Sacramento). The wine was Spottswoode Estate 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Second place:
Raymond Vineyards, Tuna Hand Roll, prepared by Anabel Lallouz (Miami, Florida), Syriana Davis (Tacoma, Washington) and Hannah Howard (Beavercreek, Oregon). The wine was Raymond Vineyards, 2021 District Collection Cabernet Sauvignon.

Third place:
Titus Vineyards, Steak and Sunchoke Skewer, prepared by Alexys Milburn (Folsom), Rosalie Sackett (Benicia) and Damariye Daniels (Fairfield). The wine was Titus 2022 Cabernet Franc.

This marked Chef Lars Kronmark’s final bASH. He was the founding chef of the event back in 2012.

The 2026 bASH will take place on Saturday, March 28, at the CIA.

ASH partnered with the Culinary Institute of America and the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce. ASH thanks Sunshine Foods and Le Creuset for their generous donations and support. Proceeds from the evening go to Appellation St. Helena and the scholarship fund of the Culinary Institute of America.

Originally posted in the St. Helena Star