We had a great time at the Chef's Holiday this past January. As noted via the link above, they are already making plans for 2009. We chose the package that included three nights at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls. There was nothing fancy about the twin-bedded room, but it was adequate. The free National Park Service shuttle provides easy access to the Ahwahnee Hotel, where all the cooking de
monstrations, receptions and the Gala Chef's Dinner were held.What made it special for us was that our package included demonstrations by an up-and-coming La Jolla chef, Tony DiSalvo, of Jack's. This chef prodigy, only 34 years of age, managed to wow the attendees with a 7-course Gala Chef's Dinner. One can check the details for Session III (January 13-15, 2008) on the Web.
We chose not to bring a vehicle to Yosemite, because of the risk of ice and snow. Instead, we parked our car in Mariposa, 42 miles away, and took the Yosemite Area Regional Transit System (YARTS) bus into Yosemite Valley. Round trip tickets between Mariposa and Yosemite Valley were only $12 ($8 for seniors 62 and over). The YARTS bus connects with AMTRAK in Merced.
In all, this was a most enjoyable experience and we recommend it highly.
Doug & Marie McHenry
