Sam Nazarian to be Honored with the Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award at Hospitality Uncorked
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 22, 2012
(Feb. 29, 2012 Update - This event is sold out. 600 tickets have been sold.)
(March 7, 2012 Update - More than $200,000 was raised to support The Collins College. Photos of the night are posted on Google+ and Facebook.)
(Los Angeles, CA) – February 14, 2012 – The Southern California hospitality industry will come together to honor Sam Nazarian, Founder, CEO and Chairman of sbe, with the 2012 Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award, on March 3 during Hospitality Uncorked at the JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live. This vibrant gala will benefit The Collins College of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly Pomona.
The Collins College, which is the oldest and largest hospitality management program in California, has shown its appreciation to individuals whose vision and leadership have advanced the wine and food industry with the Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Award. The award is steeped in tradition, and past recipients have included Julia Child, Alice Waters and Margrit and Robert Mondavi.
“It’s an absolute honor to receive such a prestigious award from The Collins College, and it is a significant milestone in my career,” said Nazarian. “The Food & Wine award is a reflection of the tireless work and commitment of my entire team at sbe, our valued partners like AEG and of course my family.”
During the evening, Nazarian will be presented with the award by Tim Leiweke, President and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and Margrit Mondavi, Vice President of Cultural Affairs at the Robert Mondavi Winery.
Founded in 2002, sbe has quickly emerged as one of the most transcendent forces in hospitality, real estate and entertainment. With Nazarian at the helm, sbe has established a thriving collection of award-winning hospitality and lifestyle destinations that are developed and managed through its Hotels, Restaurants, Nightlife and Real Estate groups. With the ability to speak to a wide array of lifestyle experiences, sbe has authored a refreshing new vocabulary in hospitality through a voice that's re-imagining an entire industry.
“Sam Nazarian has an amazing sense of what’s hot and what will be the next major trend to drive the hospitality industry,” said Collins College Dean Andy Feinstein. “He is an entrepreneur with impeccable taste, and he has the ability to combine these two qualities to build a hugely successful company. It is a privilege to honor him.”
Guests of Hospitality Uncorked will enjoy a full evening of gourmet tastings by guest chefs, vintner tastings, specialty cocktails, silent and live auctions, a seated dinner and live entertainment by The Disney Event Group. More than 550 tickets have already been sold. The featured chefs will be:
- Cleo and Katsuya by S+arck: Danny Elmaleh, Executive Chef
- LA Market Restaurant: Kerry Simon, “Rock and Roll” Chef and Nona Sivley, Chef de Cuisine
- Napa Rose Restaurant, Disneyland Resort: Andrew Sutton, Executive Chef
- The Tar Pit by Mark Peel: Jason Fullilove, Executive Chef
- The Collins College of Hospitality Management Student Chefs: Scott Rudolph, Executive Chef
A silent and live auction will feature numerous exclusive hospitality experiences not normally available to the public. They include the Disneyland Dream Suite, VIP access at a Lakers game, airfare and five nights at any Hilton location worldwide, and two nights in the Presidential Suite of the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel & Spa with breakfast, spa treatments and a $1,000 shopping spree at Fashion Island.
Tickets are $250 and are available online at http://collins.cpp.edu or by calling Joan Wrede at (310) 574-3663. Sponsorship packages are available.
About The Collins College - Founded in 1973, The Collins College of Hospitality Management is the first and largest four-year hospitality management degree program in California and the only hospitality management college on the West Coast. Approximately 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students receive a superior education in the state-of-the-art Collins College facilities, where they learn to apply hospitality management theories and concepts to real-world settings. Part of this unique academic experience includes managing and operating the full-service Restaurant at Kellogg Ranch.