Seven local chefs competed for top honors at the annual Paso Robles Children’s Museum event
PASO ROBLES — Seven chefs competed at the Paso Robles Event Center for the coveted Judges Choice and People’s Choice awards at the annual Cioppino & Vino fundraiser benefiting the Paso Robles Children’s Museum. Over 100 guests gathered together on Sunday, March 2, for the museum’s largest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds supporting the museum’s programs and daily operations.
The event featured cioppino tasting from local chefs, wine tasting, cheese and wine pairings, and live and silent auctions, with all proceeds going directly to the museum. Cioppino was made by local chefs, with each putting their own unique touch on the dish. The cioppino was tasted by a panel of judges, with one winner coming out on top. Additionally, Chefs vied for the guests’ votes to win the People’s Choice Award.
This year’s competing chefs were:
- Justin Alvarez of Big Spoon Little Spoon
- Jeffry Wiesinger of Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ
- Gregg Wangard of Kelle Co To Go
- Nick Nolan of Trumpet Vine Catering
- Evan Hoffman of Brick & Mortar Catering Company
- Jorge Magdonal of Sabor & Sazon
- Mike Espy of Thomas Hill Organics
The honorable judges were Debbie Thomas (food, wine, and travel writer and retired restaurateur), Gail Cayetano Classick (Edible Magazine publisher), Pepper Daniels (local radio personality and program director), and Rachel Haggstrom (chef of restaurant at Justin). Participating wineries were Arndt Cellars, Hope Family Wines, Dubost Wine, Hoyt Family Vineyards, Everle Winery, J Dusi Wines, Graveyard Vineyards, and Peachy Canyon Winery.
The winner of this year’s Judge’s Choice was Chef Jeffry Wiesinger of Jeffry’s Wine Country BBQ, and People’s Choice was Chef Jorge Magdonal of Sabor & Sazon.
Owner of Graveyard Vineyards Paul Campbell, was one of the local wineries pouring at the event. “This is our at least ninth time participating in this event, which is a beautiful event every single year. And I love seeing it grow and grow, and it’s become quite the lovely event for [Paso Robles],” he said.
The Children’s Museum, located at the Paso Robles Volunteer Firehouse, is a nonprofit that serves children and families in the community. The museum offers playful environments where the youth can learn while having fun. They provide various youth programs and a place to host birthday parties, and they often partner with other youth-based programs in the community.
Founding President of the Board for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum Emily Reneau is proud to see the museum stillthriving over 20 years later.
“I think it’s amazing. It feels like more numbers of children are coming through the museum and it’s held up,” she said.”It’s sustained, which is all that we had imagined and there are new exhibits that do come in frequently and some that come out. But it’s sustained. Which might not sound that positive, but it is a very positive thing.”
The museum first impacted Operations Manager Yoana Sandoval as a child.
“The Paso Robles Children’s Museum, a place that has shaped not just my life, but also the lives of countless children and families in our community,” she said. “When I was a child, I remember visiting the museum, wide-eyed and excited to explore all the hands-on exhibits. The museum was a place of wonder, something I had never experienced before — whether it was creating a craft, shopping in the market area or just letting my imagination run wild in every corner. It was a place where curiosity thrived and where I, like so many children, felt like I could be anything I wanted to be.”
Years later, Sandoval became a valued team member at the museum. Starting as a floor employee, she worked her way up to becoming operations manager, dedicated to creating magical experiences for families.
“The Paso Robles Children’s Museum is more than just a place; it’s a community — a space where children and families can learn, grow, and create memories that last a lifetime,” Sandoval said. “Which is why we are here today; we need your support to continue to be able to engage children in a joyful learn-through-play environment and inspire educational curiosity while honoring the heritage of our volunteer firefighters.”
Board President Joanna Maxted is looking forward to the museum bringing in new exhibits and refurbishing some old favorites.
“One of the kids’ favorite things to play with is the Newton’s balls and that unfortunately is one of the ones that’s now atthis point, 20 years old is one of the hardest to maintain,” Maxted shared.
To learn more about the Paso Robles Children’s Museum, visit pasokids.org
Feature Image: (From left) Chefs Justin Alvarez, Gregg Wangard, Jorge Magdonal, Jeffry Wiesinger, Nick Nolan, Evan Hoffman, and Mike Espy vied for the top awards at the Cioppino and Vino fundraiser for the Paso Robles Children’s Museum. Photos by Camille DeVaul/PRP
