MSU Billings Foundation’s Wine & Food Festival 2016
MSU Billings Foundation’s Wine & Food Festival 2016A celebration of fine wines and foods with winemaster Joy Merrilees of Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery in Clearlake Oaks, California and Marc Mondavi of Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, California.
May 9-14, 2016
Tickets will go on sale April 4, 2016 at 8:00 am.
Monday, May 9th
Guest Chef Dinner: From Sound To Sky
6:00 pm – The Rex • 2401 Montana Avenue • Billings, MT 59101
Featuring Shane Ryan, Executive Chef at Matt’s in the Market in Seattle, Washington, and David Maplethorpe, Executive Chef at The Rex in Billings, Montana.
Shane is a graduate of South Seattle Community College’s Culinary Arts Program. Upon graduation, Shane moved to Las Vegas and joined the team that opened the now three Michelin Star Joël Robuchon at The Mansion. From Las Vegas, Shane moved half way around the world to Thimphu, Bhutan, then on to St. Maarten. Chef Shane, a Seattle native, longed for home and returned to Seattle to help open some of Seattle’s, and indeed America’s, top restaurants, among them Tavolata, How To Cook A Wolf, and Staple and Fancy. In 2011, Chef Shane moved to Matt’s in the Market and currently serves as their executive chef.
We are pleased to have Chef Shane join us for our kick-off event of Wine & Food Festival week. Collaborating with Chef Shane in this spectacular dining event is Executive Chef David Maplethorpe of The Rex. Two highly skilled and talented chefs together for one evening – it will be an evening of culinary wonder.
The week of 2016 Wine & Food Festival festivities will begin with this unique and spectacular feast. Don’t miss the opportunity to savor every morsel.
$150.00 per person
Sponsors: The Rex, Sysco Montana, Inc., Okragly Cattle Company, Inc/Mike & Cherry Okragly, ACES Apparel/Tony & Kim Prill, Kevin & Erica Okragly, Seafoods of the World
Tuesday, May 10th
Home Cooking School: “A Shoemaker Must Make Shoes” – A Vegetarian Culinary Experience
11:00 am – Roy & Kim Brown residence • 1810 Poly Drive
Billings, MT 59102
Featuring Executive Chef Carl Kurokawa of Juliano’s Restaurant in Billings, Montana.
Well known in Billings, Chef Carl began his culinary career in his home state of Hawaii before relocating to Montana in 1980. Once in Montana, Chef Carl worked at the Sheraton Hotel in Billings, Riverside Country Club in Bozeman, Radisson Northern Hotel in Billings, and DeVerniero’s Ristorante in Billings. In 1995, Chef Carl and two partners purchased Juliano’s Restaurant. Juliano’s is one of only three establishments in Montana to receive the prestigious DiRoNa Award as one of the distinguished restaurants in America, and Chef Carl has received the Chefs and Cooks of Montana Chef of the Year numerous times.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., Dr. Joseph Howell, Mike & Cara Schaer
Home Cooking School: Field and Foraged Northwest Dinner
6:00 pm – Doug & Jenny Koffler residence • 2535 Coonie Court
Billings, MT 59106
Featuring Executive Chef/Owner Jason Wilson of CRUSH and Miller’s Guild in Seattle, Washington.
Chef Jason’s culinary experience spans 25 years and many countries. A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Jason worked with great chefs around the world, perfecting his talents and finally opening his own restaurant, CRUSH with his wife and business partner, Nicole, in 2005 in Seattle. Chef Jason’s innovation and desire to lead the culinary movement in the Northwest resulted in the opening of his second restaurant in 2013, Miller’s Guild, in partnership with Nicole, Kurt Huffman and Jake Kosseff.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., ISU Streeter Brothers Insurance, Pierce Flooring & Cabinet Design
Home Cooking School: Gallatin Gone Wild
6:00 pm – Donna Yeargain residence • 5332 Green Teal Drive
Billings, MT 59106
Featuring Executive Chef Jake Irwin of Rainbow Ranch in Big
Sky, Montana.
Chef Jake moved to Montana from Arizona where he spent 10 years honing his skills as a chef while working in some of the most prestigious restaurants in that state. Most recently, Chef Jake was sous chef at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club in Gold Canyon, Arizona. Jake’s experience working in fine restaurants and lodges includes Talking Rock Golf & Country Club and The Palace Restaurant, both in Prescott, Arizona; Lake Marie Fishing Lodge in Chugiak, Alaska; and Sierra Pointe in Scottsdale, Arizona.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., HGFA Architects
Wednesday, May 11th
Home Cooking School: Market Fresh
6:00 pm – Cliff & Susan Edwards residence • 4375 Laredo Place
Billings, MT 59106
Featuring Executive Chef Shane Ryan of Matt’s in the Market in Seattle, Washington.
Shane is a graduate of South Seattle Community College’s Culinary Arts Program. Upon graduation, Shane moved to Las Vegas and joined the team that opened the now three Michelin Star Joël Robuchon at The Mansion. From Las Vegas, Shane moved half way around the world to Thimphu, Bhutan, then on to St. Maarten. Chef Shane, a Seattle native, longed for home and returned to Seattle to help open some of Seattle’s, and indeed America’s, top restaurants, among them Tavolata, How To Cook A Wolf, and Staple and Fancy. In 2011, Chef Shane moved to Matt’s in the Market and currently serves as their executive chef.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., Stacey Suydam, The Goodrich Law Firm, Dr. Joe Dillard & Stella Fong
Home Cooking School: Sri Lankan Elegance/Spice
6:00 pm – Jeff & Tricia Parkan residence • 625 O’Malley Drive
Billings, MT 59102
Featuring Executive Chef Ranga Perera of Laurian’s Table in Bozeman, Montana.
Ranga was raised in Sri Lanka, an island country in the northern Indian Ocean, and other Arab countries until he was 10. Moving to the San Francisco Bay area with his family, Ranga’s love of food and cooking only grew with the broad range of culinary opportunities. Once it became clear to Ranga that he should pursue his passion, he moved to Montana to cook at the Covered Wagon Ranch and, later, the Yellowstone Club in Big Sky and Over the Tapas in Bozeman. In 2012, Ranga’s superior hospitality skills and passion for great food evolved into creating Laurian’s Table, a pioneer of the supper club or pop-up restaurant movement in the Bozeman area.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., Cricket Clothing Company, Bill Royer – UBS Financial Services, Rimrock Auto Group
Brewmaster Symposium
7:00 pm – Billings Petroleum Club • 27 North 27th Street, 22nd Floor
Billings, MT 59101
Presented by Bjorn Nabozney of Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana with pairing menu by Executive Chef Mike Melius of the Billings Petroleum Club in Billings, Montana.
Bjorn is one of the founders of Big Sky Brewing Company (BSBC). He wrote the business plan for BSBC while earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration – finance emphasis at The University of Montana’s School of Business Administration. The brewery produced its first batch of beer in June 1995 and is Montana’s largest craft brewery. Bjorn will share his love of beer and beer brewing as participants learn the art of brewing several of Big Sky Brewing Company’s most popular beers and several of their select beers.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Billings Petroleum Club, Jones Construction, Diamond Jubilee Casino
Thursday, May 12th
(CANCELLED) Home Cooking School: Lights, Camera, Action… ADOUR
Featuring Executive Chef Carrie McCully of ADOUR Good Food Catering & Events Co. in Bozeman, Montana.
In 2012, Chef Carrie left the spotlight as the host of Food Network’s Chef Hunter. She imagined a year in Montana fly fishing, restoring the burn-out she felt after a lifetime of living in New York City and Los Angeles. ADOUR Good Food Catering & Events Co. came about by accident after Carrie catered a few luncheons for friends and realized she could no longer stay out of the kitchen with all of the good food found locally. Chef Carrie vowed to provide only the finest quality ingredients, exceptional customer service and innovative concepts for her clients.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., Bradford Roof Management, Simply Wine
Home Cooking School: Living A Culinary Adventure
6:00 pm – Deon & Anja Berube residence • 2975 Palm Drive
Billings, MT 59102
Featuring Executive Chef Melissa Harrison of Seasonal Montana in Bozeman, Montana.
Following graduation from The Baltimore International College of Culinary Program, Melissa moved to Boulder, Colorado to help open a restaurant, and in 2008, she was on Season Five of Bravo’s Top Chef. Soon after, Melissa moved to Patagonia, Chile, where everything there is farm-to-table, which is what inspired her business model for Seasonal Montana. During the spring and summer, Melissa lives in Bozeman, taking the “pop-up” restaurant trend to new splendor as patrons dine in different fields and farms in Big Sky Country. In the fall and winter, Melissa travels to Chile to serve as chef at Patagonia’s Martin Pescador Lodge.
$75.00 per person
Sponsors: Sysco Montana, Inc., David Maplethorpe, Simply Wine
Winemaster Symposium
7:00 pm – Northern Hotel • 19 North Broadway • Billings, MT 59101
Presented by our 2016 winemasters Joy Merrilees of Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery in Clearlake Oaks, California and Marc Mondavi of Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, California, with pairing menu by Executive Chef Nick Steen, Sous Chef Wally Bone, and Banquet Chef Christine Helmers of the Northern Hotel in Billings, Montana.
Taste exquisite wines with the guidance of experts who crafted them: Joy Merrilees of Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery and Marc Mondavi of Charles Krug Winery. Our winemasters have carefully chosen wines, some seldom seen outside the wineries, to illustrate the subtleties of the winemaster’s art. Expand your knowledge of wine while enjoying superb wine and food in a relaxed setting.
$100.00 per person
Sponsors: Northern Hotel, Archie Cochrane Ford, Bill Brown & Amy Gibler Brown, Dr. Joseph Howell
Friday, May 13th
Wine and Food Pairings Under the “Grand” Tent
6:00 pm – In the tent on the campus of MSU Billings
Enjoy a relaxing evening of wine and food tasting, silent auction, wine store and private cellar
$85.00 per person
Saturday, May 14th
The “Fine Finish”
5:30 pm – In the tent on the campus of MSU Billings
Relish the casual elegance of a champagne reception, gourmet dinner prepared by Executive Chef Jeremy Goldsmith of Sodexo, Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and live and silent auctions.
$125.00 per person