Happy Birthday, Dear Gale, Happy Birthday to You!

The week-long San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival came to end today with Gale Gand's Birthday Brunch with Friends hosted by Marina Kitchen, San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina. Executive Chef Aron Schwartz invited Gale's friends, The Hearty Boys, into his kitchen, and together they prepared a birthday brunch for the guest of honor. I was hidden back in the pastry kitchen and away from the action, but Chef Schwartz made sure I received each course to photograph. The desserts were to be served buffet-style, so one of the pastry chefs graciously offered to style a few plates for me. Although they were extremely tempting, I limited myself to a couple of the apple cider doughnut holes.

I was privileged to meet Gale last year during the Celebrity Chef Luncheon and Chef of the Fest judging, and we met again this year during the Celebrity Chef Dinner and Chef of the Fest judging. The Hearty Boys have also been active in the festival for the last few years.

For today's post, I'm sharing a few photos of the brunch menu and the Lemon Meringue Pie Gale prepared for the Celebrity Chef Dinner on Thursday.

FIRST COURSE

Apple Cider Doughnut Holes with warm Julian Mulled Cider

SECOND COURSE

Creamy Organic Grits with Poached Egg, Caviar and Chives

THIRD COURSE

Chicken & Waffles

Lavender Fried Chicken Thigh, Cheddar Waffles, Creamed Collards

DESSERT STATION

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce

Mini Peppermint Angel Food Bundt Cake

Crushed Malted Milk Ball and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Hot Fudge

Gale's Dessert for this year's Wine Spectator Celebrity Chef Dinner

Lemon Meringue Pie

Blackberries and Blackberry Paint

Gale Gand and The Hearty Boys (last year's photo)

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I still have hundreds of photos to sort through this week, write an article for Coronado Lifestyles, and get ready for Thanksgiving! Have a good evening...