The Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival is raising the bar for culinary events in Southern California with the announcement of an impressive roster of celebrity chefs and culinary personalities set to appear during its three-day celebration of food, wine, and culture. The festival takes place November 13–15, 2026, at Downtown Palm Springs Park, adjacent to the Palm Springs Art Museum, with sweeping views of the San Jacinto Mountains.
Known as one of the largest international food and wine events in Southern California, the festival will bring together more than 25 chef-owned fine dining restaurants, acclaimed wineries, and over 100 wine varietals. Festival Executive Producer Jeff Hocker says the move to the new downtown venue reflects the event’s continued growth and reputation as a premier culinary destination.
Among this year’s featured celebrity chefs is Jamie Gwen, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, certified sommelier, nationally syndicated radio host, and seven-time cookbook author. Recognized for her frequent television appearances on KTLA, NBC’s California Live, Food Network favorites including Beat Bobby Flay and Cutthroat Kitchen, and numerous national media outlets, Gwen has become one of the country’s most recognizable culinary personalities. She is also the founder of RELISH Culinary Experiences and helped revive the Newport Beach Food & Wine Festival in 2025.
Joining Gwen is Dave Martin, a Top Chef alum and Food Network champion whose career spans television, restaurants, culinary consulting, events, and brand collaborations. Based in San Diego, Martin is a familiar presence throughout Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley, where he regularly hosts private dinners and special culinary experiences while continuing projects in New York and the Hamptons.
The festival will also spotlight Beejhy Barhany, chef, entrepreneur, and founder of the BINA Cultural Foundation. Born in Ethiopia, raised in Israel, and now based in Harlem, Barhany has dedicated her career to preserving and celebrating Ethiopian Jewish culture through food, arts, and community programming.
Chef, entrepreneur, and media personality Sharone Hakman will bring his signature approach to clean, flavor-forward cooking. First gaining national attention as a standout contestant on MasterChef, Hakman later launched Chef Hak’s, a successful line of organic sauces, dressings, and prepared meals now sold through retailers including Costco and Whole Foods. He has also appeared as a host and judge on programs for Food Network, National Geographic, NBC, and E! Network.
Palm Springs diners may already be familiar with Igor Krichmar, executive chef of Colony Palms and L’Horizon. Krichmar earned national recognition after winning Food Network’s Supermarket Stakeout while working at New Orleans’ Windsor Court Hotel. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, he has built a reputation for refined cuisine rooted in fresh ingredients, classic technique, and international influences.
Representing the local culinary scene is Gabriel Woo, one of the Coachella Valley’s most celebrated chefs. Born in Guadalajara and raised in Palm Springs, Woo began his culinary career washing dishes at age 15 before rising through the ranks of the restaurant industry. Today, he leads Woo Hospitality and is behind acclaimed local destinations including Bar Cecil and Liv’s in Palm Springs. He also oversees food and beverage operations at O’Donnell Golf Club and is preparing to launch Donna Forte in downtown Indio.
Liv’s, located within the Palm Springs Art Museum, was created by Woo and his wife Jackie and inspired by their daughter Olivia. The restaurant emphasizes seasonal ingredients, California-inspired comfort food, and thoughtfully crafted dining experiences set amid the museum’s sculpture garden and mountain views.
Rounding out the celebrity chef lineup is Daphne Brogdon, host, chef, and comedian known for Food Network’s Daphne Dishes and appearances on Beat Bobby Flay. Today she reaches food lovers through FoodTokTV and her popular YouTube channel, blending humor and approachable cooking demonstrations.
Beyond exceptional dining and wine experiences, the Palm Springs Food & Wine Festival supports important community causes. Proceeds benefit the Culinary Institute of America Fellows and the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert Food Bank.
The festival is made possible through support from numerous community partners and sponsors, including PS Resorts and the City of Palm Springs, Mercedes-Benz Palm Springs, Oceania Cruises, Expedia Cruises, US Foods, Prime Time Produce, Jewish Federation of the Desert, Town Real Estate, Stars Travel, and many others.
For tickets, event information, and updates, visit https://PalmSpringsFoodandWine.org.
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