By Maylia Baird
The Annual Paso Robles Rotary Winemaker’s Cookoff is an event that is not only enjoyable for local winemakers but also raises money for school scholarships for students in Paso Robles. It raises awareness of how expensive education can be and provides opportunities for our local high school seniors. This event is creative and fun but also gives back to the community. Some of the greatest winemakers in the area have generously donated their time, wine, food, staff, and culinary experience each year to make this event happen.
By attending the cookoff, you have the opportunity to enjoy delicious wine and amazing food prepared by some of the best winemakers in Paso Robles. There will also be live music for your entertainment while you enjoy your food and drinks. Over the years certain wineries are known to even theme their booths and come in costume for the fun of it.There will be over 20 wineries such as Allegretto, Ancient Peaks, Opolo, Tobin James, Tooth & Nail, Vina Robles, and many more. Rotarians John and Sally Davis add a creative touch to the cookoff by painting wine barrels that serve as tables for guests to place their wine glasses and food plates on.
What also adds to the excitement is the competitive aspect. There are two food prize categories in the cookoff. The first being the People’s Choice, where visitors and event attendees get to vote for their favorite meal. Then the Judges’ Choice, where a panel of professional judges from the culinary and wine industries vote. They divide the wineries into two categories: amateurs and professionals. Professionals are wineries who already have a chef on staff and theamateurs are those that have different restaurants and caterers who cook on their behalf.
“What we came up with the first year was there are no rules, and what ends up happening is a lot of bribery,” Vicki Silva, one of the event founders, explained.
It’s all supposed to be laid back, so bribery is not only allowed, it’s encouraged every year. Some wineries may even try and convince you to vote for them whether it be by giving you a taste of a vintage wine, a chocolate to pair with your wine, or different giveaway items with the company’s name on it.
“It’s really fun at the end of the evening to give out the awards,” Vicki says.
The awards are of no great value but business owners get excited by the possibility of winning, and those who do are thrilled that they won something. This year is special because it’s the cookoff’s 25th anniversary, yet traditions will stay the same. The purpose of the event is to, of course, raise money for scholarships but to also have fun.
“It’s not like this serious wine-tasting event where you swirl the wine or sniff it. There’s none of that that goes on. It’s laid back and fun,” Vicki says.
They awarded roughly $94,000 in scholarships last year. There were some $10,000 scholarships and many $5,000 ones. It means a lot to the students who do get the scholarships, especially considering how expensive college is these days.
Vicki says, “That’s the whole thing is that you come, have fun, and also feel like you’re doing something good for somebody.”
The original idea was Gary Eberle’s and over 20 years ago he started the event with Vicki as co-founder. In their first year, they raised over $7,000 with the hope that the event would be just as fun for the wineries as it is for the participants. Their long-term goal is to raise more money each year in order to give out an increasing number of scholarships, which is why they keep doing it to grow the funds.
Vicki explains, “Whatever happens, the fund is there, and it’s going to keep growing, and that feels good that we’ve got it to the point where it has a life of its own. If the event stops the fund keeps going.”
This year, the event will happen on Aug. 10 from 6 until 9 p.m. at the Paso Robles Event Center, which is hosted by the Paso Robles Rotary Club. Tickets are limited and sell out fast, so make sure to get yours soon! Visit winemakerscookoff.com for tickets and more details.
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