THE AMERICAN TRUFFLE COMPANY INTRODUCES THE INAUGURAL
NAPA TRUFFLE FESTIVAL PRESENTED BY LEXUS
black truffles, cultivation and culinary programs, leading truffle scientists, Michelin Star chefs, fabulous food and wine pairings, a truffle orchard excursion, epicurean market and more…

December 10–12, 2010
 

"… The truffles themselves have been interrogated, and have answered simply: eat us and praise the Lord." Alexandre Dumas
 
 
Napa, CA, August 26, 2010 – The American Truffle Company proudly introduces the inaugural Napa Truffle Festival, presented by Lexus, December 10-12, 2010—featuring a unique gathering of leading truffle cultivation experts and scientists, along with internationally renowned Michelin Star chefs and special guests from the food and wine world.

The focus of the Festival is primarily black truffles—specifically, Tuber melanosporum (the winter or Périgord truffle) and Tuber aestivum/uncinatum (the summer or Burgundy truffle), which will be discussed, examined, probed, prepared, demonstrated, and finally paired with wines and feasted upon.

The Napa Truffle Festival weekend kicks off Friday evening with an opening reception at The Westin Verasa and organized dinners at select Napa restaurants. Saturday includes cultivation and culinary seminars, cooking classes, a truffle orchard tour excursion and the Michelin Star Truffle Dinner. Sunday concludes the Festival with a Champagne Truffle Brunch, followed by an Epicurean Marketplace.

The highlight of the Festival will be Saturday night’s Michelin Star Truffle Dinner, hosted by Michelin Star Chef Ken Frank of La Toque restaurant and featuring a multi-course truffle menu (each course prepared by a Michelin Star chef) and wine pairing.

Throughout the Truffle Festival weekend, local Napa Valley restaurants will provide seasonal truffle menus, and contribute to culinary seminars and classes focused on truffles.

Cultivation experts and scientists include Dr. Paul Thomas, partner and chief scientist, American Truffle Company and Managing Director, Mycorrhizal Systems Ltd (UK); and  Dr. Alexander Urban, University of Vienna.

Michelin Star chefs, with 13 stars among them, include Josiah Citrin of Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA; Ken Frank of La Toque, Napa, CA; David Kinch of Manresa, Los Gatos, CA; Gabriel Kreuther of The Modern, New York, NY; Nancy Oakes of Boulevard, San Francisco, CA,; and Sylvain Portay of Le Louis XV (Monte Carlo), Mix (Las Vegas) and Adour (NY).  
 
Prices
The Epicurean Grower Scientist: $850 per person
·      Welcome Reception and organized Truffle Tasting Dinners at Napa restaurants
including Bardessono, La Toque and Martini House

·      Saturday Continental Breakfast

·      Keynote

·      Truffle Lunch with Michelin Star Chefs at La Toque

·      Truffle Seminar: Science-based Truffle Cultivation

·      Truffle Seminar: The Economics of Truffle Cultivation

·      Robert Sinskey Vineyards Truffle Orchard Tour



The Gourmet: $950 per person

·      Welcome Reception and organized Truffle Tasting Dinners at Napa restaurants

·      Saturday Continental Breakfast

·      Keynote

·      Gourmet Lunch at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone

·      The Art of Wine-Truffle Pairing

·      Two Cooking Demonstration Classes, Morning and Afternoon

·      Champagne Brunch

·      Epicurean Marketplace


The Truffle Gourmand:  $1,325 per person
·      Three-day pass to all events including Michelin Star Truffle Dinner


Michelin Star Truffle Dinner:  $475 person

Order Tickets online: www.napatrufflefestival.com

The Westin Verasa in downtown Napa will serve as the host venue and offer a special discount rate for the Festival weekend. Guests can book rooms at www.napatrufflefestival.com/westin/ <http://www.napatrufflefestival.com/westin/>

Truffle Festival Schedule
See website <http://www.napatrufflefestival.com/>  for more details plus the latest updates!
Friday, December 10, 2010
·      Welcome reception at The Westin Verasa
·      Truffle Tasting Dinners at select Napa restaurants
Saturday, December 11, 2010
·      Continental Breakfast
·      Truffle Seminars
1.     Science-based Truffle Cultivation – with world-renowned truffle scientists Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Alexander Urban
2.     The Economics of Truffle Cultivation – with American Truffle Company’s Robert Chang and Dr. Paul Thomas
3.     Proprietary Truffle Science – by invitation only (for existing ATC client-partners)
·      The Art of Wine-Truffle Pairing
·      Two Cooking Demonstration Classes – each session taught by a different Michelin Star chef
·      Robert Sinskey Vineyards Truffle Orchard Tour in the Carneros Region – see what an operating truffle orchard looks like!
·      Michelin Star Truffle Dinner
Sunday, December 12, 2010
·      Champagne Truffle Brunch
·      ATC Champagne Brunch (by invitation only, for those guests interested in seriously pursuing truffle cultivation)
·      Epicurean Marketplace - fresh black truffles for sale along with local organic farmers and artisanal gourmet vendors on hand to show and sell their fresh produce and specialty food products.

Participating Michelin Star Chefs
·      Josiah Citrin of Mélisse, Santa Monica, CA

·      Ken Frank, La Toque – Napa, CA

·      David Kinch, Manresa - Los Gatos, CA

·      Gabriel Kreuther, The Modern - New York, NY

·      Nancy Oakes, Boulevard - San Francisco, CA

·      Sylvain Portay of Le Louis XV (Monte Carlo), Mix (Las Vegas) and Adour (NY).


A portion of the proceeds from the Napa Truffle Festival will go to support the Hunger Project <http://www.thp.org/>  and Feeding America <http://feedingamerica.org/default.aspx> .

Please check the website <http://www.napatrufflefestival.com/> for updates: www.napatrufflefestival.com <http://www.napatrufflefestival.com> .
 
About American Truffle Company
ATC was founded on the principle of applying significant scientific advances in the cultivation of truffles.  With a foundation rooted in over a decade of truffle research and field experience, they have pursued cutting-edge truffle research both in the laboratory and in their ever-growing global community of partner truffle orchards, resulting in one of the most technologically advanced truffle cultivation methodology systems. For more information, visit www.americantruffle.com <http://www.americantruffle.com> .

About Lexus
Lexus is the leading luxury automaker in the United States. With its reputation for high-quality products and exemplary customer service from its 228 dealers, Lexus has been the top-selling luxury automaker for ten years in a row. In addition, Lexus is the luxury hybrid leader, now offering four hybrids that provide the best in innovative technology and first-class luxury.  When Lexus was established in 1989, it offered two models of vehicles.  Now, more than 20 years later, Lexus offers variations of 11 vehicles, from the entry-level IS 250 to its first V10 supercar, the LFA. For more information, visit www.lexus.com <http://www.lexus.com> .

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Holly Krassner
(707) 252-7281
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