Epicurean by the Bay: A Grand Escape to the San Diego Food & Wine Festival
- Torri Ylan
- Nov 28, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Nov 29, 2025
This year is coming to a close—fast. And as always, the end of a year brings its own invitation to pause and reflect. Although the blog officially launched last year, 2024 didn’t offer many moments to slow down and capture the experiences worth sharing.
But 2025? This year created space—space to observe, to process, and to be more intentional about stopping to put those reflections into the world through The C-Suite Contradiction.
Well… maybe not stop entirely.
But definitely to find a better balance. And that, at its core, is the whole premise of the blog: being deliberate about creating a full, rich life while showing up as a thriving businesswoman.
That’s why my recent trip to San Diego (a city that’s quickly becoming one of my favorite places in the U.S.) for their Food & Wine Festival felt like confirmation that I’m aligned with that goal.
There’s just something different about eating incredible food and sipping great wine along the West Coast.
Maybe it’s the vineyards just a drive away. Maybe it’s the fresh, local ingredients that barely travel before landing beautifully on the plate.
Whatever it was, the three days I spent at the festival were some of the most flavorful, joy-filled days I’ve had in a long time.
San Diego as the Coastal Muse
This was my third or fourth time visiting "America's Finest City" that has easily become one of the top five in the US for me. If you've been to San Diego, you surely understand why. The backdrop of the city is absolutely breathtaking. Whether it's waterfront breezes, golden Pacific light at sunset or the energy of the marina, San Diego has a lot to offer. And good food doesn't only show up during special events. Most of the eats I've had there deliver on quality of ingredients and tastiness.
So when I saw that the 21st Annual Food & Wine Festival was taking place there and my calendar was wide open, I was delighted to add that to my 2025 travel itinerary.
Tastings, Talent and Culinary Theatre
Each night of the San Diego Food & Wine Festival brought its own personality, its own rhythm, and its own invitation to indulge. What I loved most was how every event felt like a chapter in a story: beginning with a deep dive into local vineyards, rising to a crescendo along the waterfront, and closing with a celebration of Latin flavor and community.
Day One: The Grand Decant — A Toast to California’s Roots
Friday evening opened with The Grand Decant, an intimate showcase of California’s wine heritage. Under the evening lights and coastal air, I wandered from table to table sampling pours from local vineyards — some established, others emerging with bold, youthful ambition. It was the kind of night that reminded you how deeply wine is woven into California’s identity: part agriculture, part artistry, part generational storytelling. Each sip felt like an introduction not just to a varietal, but to the people and places shaping the state’s wine economy. Add in Michelin Star bites such as those from Chef Carlos Gaytán from Paseo in Anaheim, CA and this traveling foodie couldn't have been happier.
Day Two: The Grand Tasting — Oceanside Opulence at Seaport Village
Saturday delivered the festival’s signature experience: The Grand Tasting at Seaport Village. Set against the marina and framed by that unmistakable Pacific hue, the event transformed the waterfront into a culinary playground. Top chefs, global vineyards, craft distillers, and artisan food makers filled the air with aromas that traveled as easily as the ocean breeze. This was the centerpiece — where culinary innovation met the casual elegance of San Diego’s coastal lifestyle. I found myself savoring bites that were both surprising and comforting, all while drifting between live demonstrations, gourmet stations, and the energy of visitors from around the world.
Day Three: The Grand Fiesta — A Celebration of Latin Flavor and Spirit
By Sunday, the festival shifted into its most lively and colorful chapter: The Grand Fiesta. With Latin-inspired cuisine and vibrant entertainment, the finale was a joyful celebration of culture, community, and culinary fusion. Bold spices, bright salsas, smoky meats, handcrafted cocktails — every offering carried a bit of rhythm. Music pulsed, chefs laughed alongside guests, and the spirit of the day felt less like a tasting and more like a gathering of families, friends, and food lovers who came to honor the richness of Latin culinary traditions. It was the perfect crescendo: spirited, flavorful, and deeply human.
Leadership Lessons and a Final Toast
As the festival drew to a close, I found myself thinking about how closely the world of wine mirrors the world of leadership. Winemakers speak often about patience, timing, and the long arc of cultivation — lessons any business leader can appreciate. Great wines, like great strategies, aren’t rushed; they evolve through intention, care, and the willingness to adapt when nature (or the market) shifts.
Even the chefs and artisans I met embodied a kind of fearless creativity, the same courage leaders need to innovate beyond what’s predictable.
As I flew home, watching the coastline fade beneath the clouds, I felt a renewed appreciation for experiences that stretch both sides of the brain: the analytical and the artistic, the disciplined and the decadent. San Diego offered all of it — a city where taste becomes memory and leisure becomes insight.
In the end, this trip was more than a weekend of food and wine; it was a reminder to pause, savor, and stay curious. Because the best leaders aren’t only building businesses — they’re building lives rich with discovery, culture, and connection.
So here’s to coastal breezes, bold flavors, and the beautiful contradictions that shape us. Cheers to the next journey, and to the lessons waiting in every glass.
About the Author
Torri Ylan Smith is a dynamic leader in business, finance, technology, and lifestyle. Throughout her career, she has led exceptional teams in Engineering and Technology, driving innovation across multiple industries. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering and an MBA from top-tier universities. At this stage in her journey, Torri is dedicated to mentoring and sharing her financial expertise with emerging business, creative and technology professionals. In her free time, she enjoys traveling the world, taking reflective solo walks, exotic beaches, being creative herself, nurturing her many plants, experimenting with new recipes, and cherishing moments with her chosen family and friends.
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