Chefs will come from far and wide at the behest of Chef Charlie Palmer and local entrepreneur Frank Léal to participate once again in one of Northern California’s most anticipated culinary events. The 3rd annual MOHI Food & Wine will be held in downtown Morgan Hill on Oct. 18, featuring local winemakers and culinary talent from all over California.
This year’s event brings renowned chefs including Chef Shane McAnelly of Dry Creek Kitchen, Chef Elizabeth Faulkner of T’MARO Brands Inc. and Chef Joe Shasto, co-founder of Santos, a Top Chef finalist, to join local chefs including Chef Lance Ramhurst of Léal, Head Baker & Pastry Chef Chris Casto of MOHI Farm and Founder and Chef Emanuel Vasquez of Cochi’s Kitchen.
They’ll be joined by Chef Thomas Bellec, Chief Culinary Director of Appellation Hotels, Chef Todd Fisher of The Meatery, Chef Neal Fraser of LA’s Redbird, Chef Pablo Mellin of Roy’s at Pebble Beach and COO and CEO, Chef Lynn Giacomini of Point Reyes Cheese.
Featured wineries include Bernardus Winery, Brassfield Estate Winery, Bricoleur Vineyards, Chandon, Farm Paso, Harney Lane Vineyards, Léal Vineyards, Narrative Fermentation, Roederer and Twice Tyger.
Each chef will create a dish to pair with a selected wine from their winery partner, and local artisans will showcase their wares, creating an unforgettable afternoon for food lovers, set amidst Morgan Hill’s lively restaurant scene and historic Santa Clara County vineyards. And it’s all to support youth on track to careers in hospitality.
A valuable cause
MOHI Food & Wine invests in future chefs, restaurateurs, hoteliers and leaders by helping provide access to education, resources and meaningful hands-on experiences. Last year’s festival welcomed more than 600 attendees and raised $72,000 in support of hospitality and culinary education initiatives.
With growing community support and increasing attendance each year, organizers look forward to building on that momentum and creating an even greater impact in 2026.
Asked what he’s learned about the Morgan Hill community and its needs and preferences from the previous two events, Léal said, “The community wants an event that feels fun and approachable, gives them the opportunity to expand their food and wine palate, and at the same time supports a cause that has a real local impact.
“That mission really came full circle for us this week as we celebrated the ribbon cutting at Live Oak High School for a space created to give the next generation of chefs greater access to the tools, resources and opportunities they need. Support from MOHI Food & Wine helps make investments like that possible.”
Palmer and Léal are also collaborating on the Morgan Hill installment of Palmer’s Appellation hotel series.
“The hotel continues to evolve daily,” Léal said. “Guests attending this year’s Food & Wine event will actually be able to walk past the main entrance and roundabout on Second Street and see how much the property has visually taken shape.”
Palmer, co-founder and CEO of Appellation, looks forward to MOHI Food & Wine every fall. “Getting together with Frank and chefs like Elizabeth, Joe, Shane and all of the tremendous Morgan Hill talent is a highlight of my year,” said Palmer. “Every year, I’m reminded of how much great culinary talent is growing in Morgan Hill. What’s especially rewarding is bringing an outstanding team together around food and wine, while also raising money to support the next generation of hospitality professionals.
“As we look ahead to the opening of The MOHI next year, we’re excited to continue building on that sense of community and creating more ways for people to experience and celebrate what makes Morgan Hill unique.”
Chef Ramhurst of Léal has participated from the outset.
“The event has been great exposure for the entire Léal Hospitality portfolio,” said Ramhurst. “It introduces guests not only to our food and wine, but also to our venues, public events, wine experiences, restaurants and everything else we offer.”
Asked what he might be preparing this year, he gave us a tease: “I don’t want to give everything away, but think salty, spicy and fatty. A taste of fall with a Thai-inspired twist. It’s going to have a lot of bold flavor and layers to it.”
He’s pretty bullish on the role that wine plays in crafting his dishes.
“I always joke that I treat wine like ketchup, it makes everything taste better,” said Ramhurst. “But there’s truth behind that. The wine is another component of the dish. Its acidity, fruit and structure can pull out flavors in the food, balance richness and spice, and make the entire bite more interesting.”
Another local chef participating this year is Head Baker & Pastry Chef, Chris Casto, of MOHI Farm.
“My goal is to showcase the talent we have at MOHI Farm, put my own creativity and style into the dish and give people something really delicious that represents what we do,” Casto said.
Asked about the creations for which he is best known, he replied, “Definitely my croissants, but more than anything, I’d say my lamination work. I love the technique behind it and the process of building all those layers. It’s probably what I’m best known for and one of the things I enjoy creating the most.”
As for what he’s planning to prepare for MOHI guests, Casto is pretty excited about his two offerings.
“I’m planning a pumpkin cake with diplomat cream, which feels perfect for the season,” Casto said. “I’m also doing an al pastor croissant, which gives me a chance to really put that lamination work to use in a more unexpected, savory way. I wanted to give guests a little bit of both, something comforting and sweet, and something with a lot more punch and personality.”
Chef Vasquez, of Morgan Hill’s beloved Cochi’s Kitchen, is honored to participate once again, after last year’s excellent showing.
“I’m incredibly grateful and humbled to be invited back to the MOHI Food & Wine event,” said Vasquez. “This year, I’m bringing grilled swordfish ceviche to the table, paired with Brassfield Estate wines. I’ve had the chance to taste the wines while developing the dish, and that creative process—finding the flavors that make both the food and wine come alive—is what I love.
“For me, food is love. I cook from that place every time, and I hope people can taste it on Oct. 18.”
We asked returning chef, Shane McAnelly of Dry Creek Kitchen, what he thought about MOHI Food & Wine last year.
“What struck me was the feeling of community,” shared McAnelly. “I had a couple of the kids from the high school helping me cook and plate my dish, and the guests were very engaging.
“It felt like a community that is ready for more when it comes to food and wine, and everybody was very excited. This year we will be grilling gulf shrimp and serving it with blistered cherry tomatoes and a tomato vinaigrette.”
Chef Elizabeth Falkner is a downright celebrity, and always on the leading edge, so we asked her about food trends.
“I think people are starting to realize that food and beverage and how it is grown, made and prepared are valuable concepts,” Falkner shared. “And the more mindful and thoughtful and excellent the whole experience is, the more worthwhile in terms of time and money.”
Top Chef finalist, Joe Sasto of Tantos in LA, joins MOHI Food & wine for the first time this year.
“Top Chef taught me to trust my instincts,” Sasto told us. “The competition moves fast, and overthinking is usually your biggest enemy. It also reinforced the importance of adaptability, creativity under pressure and staying true to your own style of cooking rather than chasing what you think others want to see.”
Asked how he would describe his approach to food, he explained, “My approach to food is rooted in great ingredients, strong technique and a sense of fun. I love honoring Italian traditions while not being afraid to bend the rules a little. My goal is always the same: make food that brings people together and feels approachable without sacrificing quality.”
To show off the vibe of Tantos, he said he’ll be serving an Italian pasta nacho bite, which perfectly captures what Tantos is all about.
“It’s a combination of my two favorite food groups: pasta and nachos,” said Sasto. “Tantos started from the idea of taking pasta somewhere unexpected, and this dish does exactly that by turning our puffed pasta chips into the ultimate nacho experience.
“I’ve always believed that any meal can be nachos and any nachos can be a meal, so this is a fun, flavor-packed way to showcase the brand and get people thinking about pasta in a completely new way.”
Wine pairings
Among the local wineries participating is Twice Tyger, which will be paired with Chef Neal Fraser of LA’s Redbird restaurant. Twice Tyger’s General Manager, Mike Kohne, tells us that whatever dish Fraser is cooking up will be paired with their Cabernet Franc, grown on owner Billoo Rataul’s vineyard on Oak Glen Avenue in Morgan Hill.
The winery is temporarily using the former Dorcich facility on Watsonville Road as a tasting room until an estate facility can be built.
New this year is the Live-Fire Lounge by Big Green Egg, a dedicated gathering space where guests can relax, enjoy bites and beverages and take in the festival atmosphere. In addition to the lounge, all participating chefs will use the ceramic grills to cook.
VIP ticket holders will enjoy exclusive early access and enhanced culinary experiences during the VIP Hour, sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, including the return of the popular Hog Island Oyster and Tsar Nicoulai tasting area. VIP attendees can also look forward to premium beverage partnerships, expanded gift bags featuring offerings from festival partners and more perks.
Tickets are now available in both General Admission and limited VIP tiers. VIP admission includes exclusive access to the festival’s VIP Hour and specialty tasting experiences, with early access beginning at 12pm, while General Admission begins at 1pm.
Tickets are $400 for VIP Admission and $200 for General Admission. This is a 21-and-older event, and advance ticket purchase is required. Tickets are available at mohifoodandwine.com.
So if Leal likes MH so much, why can’t he finish that damn “hotel”?. Even after he begged the city council to let him add another floor? Then after all this time he complains about how furniture and other amenities cost more than they did 10 years ago?
Joke.