STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Gwen Sellers looked at the bar in Whiskey’s where two hostesses were mixing tall glasses of peach-colored Italo-Mexico drinks made with mango puree and Cazadores. Then she looked out the window to see the view as the sun was beginning to set behind Bald Mountain ski resort.

“Who’d have thought we’d be coming to Idaho in January!” she exclaimed.

Sellers and her husband Neil left their Louisiana home on Tuesday bound for the third annual Sun Valley Food & Wine Celebration taking place through Sunday, Feb. 2. They were one of three couples who won a week in Sun Valley via an online auction offered by United Airlines, which is a sponsor of this year’s festival.

“We love food and wine, and we’ve never been here so we thought, ‘That sounds like a great idea,’ ” said Gwen, who used miles to bid on the package. “At home we have the St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival, which we love. But it’s fun to go to other regions and taste their foods.”

The Sellers were able to fly out on Tuesday after the temperature in Louisiana warmed to 70 degrees, melting the seven inches of snow that had kept them homebound for three days.

“If we’d known we were coming we would have gotten in shape for skiing,” Neil said, adding that they had skied at a couple ski areas, such as Breckinridge in the past.

But the two still managed to burn off some calories before the Sun Valley festival started, getting 12,000 steps their first day walking around the Sun Valley Lodge and visiting the lodge at Warm Springs.

Upon arriving at Whiskey’s that afternoon, they came face to face with an array of appetizers to work through, including a Saffron Arancini, Oysters with Italian Mignonette, Burrata with Anchovies and Salsa Verde and Wild Mushroom and Boursin prepared by Beat Bobby Flay winner Britt Rescigno, who has been a staple at the celebration since its inception.

And that was only a taste of things to come over the six-day event, which includes a Caviar and Wine Pairing Seminar, lavish dinner at Trail Creek Cabin, Sunday Brunch and an array of cooking classes taught by James Beard Award winning chefs, Food Network celebrities and Iron Chef winners.

The Sun Valley Food & Wine Celebration supports the Sun Valley Culinary Institute’s student education, allowing students to graduate with little to no academic debt.

“I love that they’re training new chefs, training kids in the community,” said Kathryn Hulbert who, with her husband Terry are enthusiastic participants in the cooking classes and other offerings.

Britt Rescigno and her partner Kinsey Leodler were among the chefs asked to take part in the inaugural Sun Valley Food & Wine Celebration. They fell in love with Sun Valley and now are preparing to open  Fiamma Restaurant in downtown Ketchum.

Also back for the third time is Jonathon Sawyer, a James Beard Award winner and Food Network celebrity from the Great Lakes.

Sawyer said he loves the intimacy of the Sun Valley event, compared with the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, which attracts 18,000 people over its course, and even the Steamboat Springs Food & Wine Festival, which draws 3,000 attendees.

“I’ve made great friends here,” he said.

Chefs are now contacting the Sun Valley Culinary Institute seeking to be part of the festival as word of mouth spreads, said Karl Uri, the Culinary Institute’s executive director. And wine companies, such as Phifer Pavitt are coming on board.

Brook Williams and Cory Williams came from Silverthorne, Colo., to introduce their J. Dirt Wines grown with Biodynamic regenerative farming practices in a 600-acre vineyard in Santa Barbara, Calif.

“We’ve been to festivals in Telluride, Steamboat Springs, Vail…but this is our first time to Sun Valley,” said Brook Williams. “We love it because we get to meet people, enjoy food and wine. And, hopefully, we can introduce people to our wine, as well.”

Having United Airlines come on board this year is huge, said Uri, as they fly the chefs to Sun Valley, in addition to bringing in their frequent flyer guests. The airline is trying to build packages around its new destinations, which now include Mongolia and a direct Denver to Rome route.

“We’ve expanded our Apres Ski Grand Tasting at the Limelight Hotel to allow for 300 people,” Uri said. “And Britt’s Burger Bash on Saturday is something anyone can come to. You can buy a burger at Apple’s in Warm Springs and have an opportunity to meet all the chefs.”

The Sun Valley Food & Wine Celebration moved from March to January this year to make room for the 2025 Audi FIS World Cup Finals that will take place in Sun Valley March 22-27. Uri said it will stay in January.

“We’ve had great support from Sun Valley Resort and the Limelight in our new slot because it comes at a time of winter that’s quieter,” said Uri. “So, we want to keep it here.”

COMING UP:

+ Today’s expanded Apres Ski Grand Tasting from 3 to 6 p.m. at Limelight Hotel Ketchum will include gourmet food tastings by all the chefs, as well as wine tastings from Whispering Angel, Blackbird Vineyards, AXR Napa Valley, J. Dirt Wines, Rodney Strong and others.

There also will be signatures cocktails prepared by Cazadores tequila mixologist Manny Hinojosa and by Party Animal Vodka, Farmer’s Organic Gin, Boozie and Idawater. Learn more at  https://sunvalleyculinary.org/food-wine-celebration

+ Britt’s Burger Bash at Apple’s Bar & Grill featuring special burgers made by Beat Bobby Flay Chef Britt Rescigno will start at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, running through the afternoon. No need to purchase tickets in advance. Just show up and buy a burger.