Culinary Tour de Force

Luxury vehicle maker Lexus and its hotel partners are the driving forces behind an annual fine dining weekend filled with surprises.

BY MARIE LOOK

Once a year, the Lexus Culinary Classic invites driving enthusiasts and gourmands alike to Sausalito’s utterly postcard-perfect retreat known as Cavallo Point, the Lodge at the Golden Gate, for a three-day weekend of epicurean sophistication. The lineup includes multi-course menus by the world-class chefs from Cavallo Point and Lexus’ other hotel partners, pours by Napa Valley vintners, tutoring in wine blending and cheesemaking, and enhanced excursions to destinations both public (the San Francisco’s farmers market) and private (filmmaker George Lucas’ by-invitation-only Skywalker Ranch). It culminates in Sunday afternoon’s Grand Tasting, a veritable smorgasbord of all the hotel partners’ signature dishes alongside premier wines.

The whole affair is intended to be not just a good time but also a showcase—a taste—of the kind of special experiences Lexus owners can regularly enjoy. Examples include access to the Lexus Suite Lounge at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre, discounted tickets to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre, preferred parking at the Capitol One Arena in Washington, D.C., and being among the first to secure spots at the discrete events on the Classic’s annual itinerary.

For the Culinary Classic’s fifth incarnation— featuring 15 world-class chefs, 20 vintners and a fleet of Lexus vehicles—I am along for the ride. Well, in the driver’s seat, technically, as my adventure begins on a Friday in April when I slide behind the precision-crafted steering wheel of a loaned 2019 Lexus LS 500 Hybrid. Boasting a high-performing hybrid engine plus executive-quality seating and superior drive-assist technology, the LS promises to be a more-than-acceptable carriage for the six-hour journey my boyfriend and I are now eager to undertake from Los Angeles north to Marin County. So in pursuit of firsthand knowledge of what makes both a Lexus and a Lexus-curated event so unquantifiably special, I ready myself to bite, sip and, yes, steer my way through every aspect of the culinary nirvana that awaits.

The 400 miles go by much faster than I expect, with just one break halfway to switch drivers and zero stops for gas. The upgrades don’t hurt either, like the ultra-comfortable 28-way power-adjustable driver and passenger seats with massage capabilities; the four-zone climate concierge; and a Mark Levinson-designed, immersive surround sound audio system with 23 speakers, including four in the ceiling and the largest subwoofer ever in a Lexus (our road trip playlist never sounded so good). A spacious interior means my boyfriend—who is 6-foot-4 and generally feels cramped in most spaces— doesn’t complain once about a lack of stretching room. Instead, “smooth” and “a surprising amount of acceleration” are his first impressions of the LS 500h.

With a twin-turbo V-6 engine, 354 total horsepower, and a multistage electronically controlled transmission married to a four-speed automatic transmission, this car has a greater get-up-and-go factor than I had anticipated. Not to mention, it just looks good, both outside and inside, with a 12-inch touch screen up front; premium wood trim; super-soft perforated leather; and Kiriko cut glass and hand-pleated fabric on the door panels. The sum of all the details makes our on-the-road home away from home a delight.

By the time we arrive at our destination, the LS 500h has already made a solid case for sustainability and luxury coexisting in the same road machine. But the weekend is just beginning and, as first-timers to the Classic, we’re looking forward to seeing what else Lexus has in store for us. To start? An epic venue. As we start up Cavallo Point’s horseshoe-shaped drive, the visual is striking. The former structures of Fort Baker, a U.S. Army outpost built at the turn of the 20th century, come into view, with several charming officers’ residences—converted into two-story suites—encircling the drive. Now part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, these and other historical buildings from the fort’s heyday are part of the 142-room retreat called Cavallo Point, created by the Fort Baker Retreat Group, spearheaded by Passport Resorts and opened in 2008.

At the property’s main lodge, the valet temporarily relieves us of the LS 500h, and a porter shuttles us and our bags via golf cart to a higher point on the property, where 13 two-story buildings (constructed according to green architectural standards) comprising Cavallo Point’s contemporary lodging are set into a hillside. Upon entering our second-floor Contemporary Deluxe King suite via a private entrance, the first thing we notice is the incredible view of the horseshoe drive and front lawn against the breathtaking backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge and sailboats touring San Francisco Bay. Also waiting to be appreciated are the 478-square-foot space’s bamboo furnishings, gas fireplace, cozy window seat, floor-to-ceiling windows, and balcony with outdoor lounge chairs facing the water.

We’re tempted to enjoy a glass of wine on the deck before sunset, but there will be time for that later. Right now, we have the first Classic event on our itinerary to look forward to—the Asian-inspired East “Meats” West dinner a short walk away at Cavallo Point’s Mission Blue Chapel event space. At the outdoor cocktail hour, we and the other guests enthusiastically circle a 2019 LC Inspiration Series on display—one of just 100 limited-edition vehicles—featuring a V-8 engine, 471 horsepower and the ability to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds. Painted flare yellow with bespoke yellow semi-aniline interior trim and yellow stitching, it doesn’t exactly keep a low profile, and as the waitstaff ushers us inside the chapel, my boyfriend and I are still discussing the model’s starting price tag of $106,201.

Among our hosts is Lexus ambassador Scott Pruett, a veteran race car driver and the winemaker of Pruett Vineyard, who welcomes everyone to the first Classic event of the weekend. “It’s an honor for me to be a Lexus Brand Ambassador for several reasons,” he says. “Not only do I believe the cars are exceptional in ride, comfort, performance and attention to detail, I completely embrace and embody the culture of Lexus and what it stands for. It’s been a great transition going from racing, where for 50 years I have experienced an adrenaline high, to being able to get my adrenaline fix driving Lexus high-performance vehicles.” Our fellow dinner guests include locals and travelers alike, all with appetites at the ready. And the chefs from Lexus’ hotel partners, in addition to featured chef Brandon Jew of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred restaurant Mister Jiu’s, do not disappoint. The evening’s four tantalizing courses include grilled Magdalena scallops with shimeji mushrooms and kelp flakes by chef Bernard Ibarra (Terranea Resort); Australian lobster dumplings by chef Pablo Mellin (Pebble Beach Resorts); tea-smoked duck breast with black garlic by Jew; and a matcha panna cotta from chef Nate Lindsay (Bardessono). Vintages by Clif Family Winery, selected to complement each course, round out the experience, and suffice to say we don’t return to our room hungry.

The next morning, we meet Cavallo Point’s executive chef, Michael Garcia, along with James Beard Award-winning author Laura Werlin and other participants at the main lodge ahead of the Farmers Market Excursion to Ferry Plaza. We’re whisked across the Golden Gate Bridge via the property’s fleet of Lexus vehicles (always available to Cavallo Point guests for test-drives or short outings) to the landmark Ferry Building, home since 1993 to the city’s best-known marketplace. We weave among the vendors, surveying locally sourced meats, fish, vegetables, nuts, flowers and more. Garcia explains that all purveyors at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market must be from the area and incorporate sustainable farming practices, which enhance the quality and taste of their foods. But talk can be cheap—well, less delicious anyway—so we taste-test where we’re permitted to do so, sinking our teeth into slices of blood oranges, tender-skinned tomatoes and berries bursting with juice. At the urging of Werlin, an expert in Marin County’s cheeses, we try the awardwinning organic farmstead products by Nicasio Valley Cheese, which are so good my boyfriend and I agree, right there on the spot, that all other cheeses will forever pale in comparison.

With our appetites now in check, we return to Cavallo Point in time for the afternoon’s Napa Valley Wine Blending class, led by Lexus ambassador, master sommelier and CEO of Heitz Cellar Carlton McCoy, and St. Supéry Estate Vineyards winemaker Brooke Shenk. The knowledgable pair describe differences in the flavor, body, tannins and color of four varietals: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot. Then, armed with a number of St. Supéry vintages and a graduated cylinder, I play winemaker for an hour, pouring, swirling and tasting a few millileters at a time, zeroing in on blends that are pleasing to my palate. My tablemates and I enjoy comparing our results.

If the afternoon was all about education, the evening will be all about play. The main event, the Forage and Feast dinner, is set to unfold at the very magical, very private Skywalker Ranch, which has served as both a workplace and a retreat for Star Wars filmmaker George Lucas over the past four decades. Among its sprawling 4,000-plus acres are such reported wonders as a farm with animals, organic gardens, a vineyard, an olive grove, an apiary and an observatory. But the ranch is not open to the public, nor is it visible from the road, nor is photography permitted. I absolutely can’t wait to see it.

About 90 enthusiastic dinner guests, including my boyfriend and I, are transported via chauffeured Lexus vehicle 35 minutes north of Cavallo Point to the secluded enclave in the Nicasio region of Marin County. Just as the sun starts to set, we arrive at the edge of the ranch’s sprawling acreage, of which much remains undeveloped, preserving the land’s majestic beauty. After traveling through a gate and down a long, winding road, we reach the area of the property known as Summit at Skywalker Ranch, an exclusive retreat for invited guests only. Following a reception in the ranch’s private wine tasting room, where vintages by winemaker Scott McLeod for Skywalker Vineyards are flowing, we move to the Summit’s main building. After we enter, the polite directives of “no photography inside, please” make complete sense, as I take in the rare art, memorabilia and vintage movie posters.

The only element that could rival the cinematic ambiance is the cuisine, including four farm-to-table courses by chefs Derek Leinonen (Lake Placid Lodge), Laurent Pillard (St. Regis Aspen Resort), Sunny Jin (Resort at Paw’s Up) and Ryan Rupp (Skywalker Ranch). My favorites include Pillard’s grilled Spanish octopus with green chickpea hummus, spiced panisse and lime, and Jin’s cask-smoked king salmon, served with parsnips, candied kumquats, blistered radishes and juniper gastrique. Following our meal, Skywalker staff invite us to tour the main building at our leisure, so as singer-songwriter Sara Niemietz croons, my boyfriend and I make our way upstairs to visit The Rockwell Gallery, where we thrill at the opportunity to admire some of George Lucas’ private art collection, which includes original works by Norman Rockwell, Maxfield Parrish and others alongside original concept art for the Star Wars films.

After a good night’s sleep—and visions of fine food and drink dancing in our heads—we manage to rouse ourselves Sunday morning in time for the Mission Blue Ride, a spin class with Lexus ambassador and former professional cyclist Christian Vande Velde. Though he’s competed in the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, he quickly puts our fears at ease: The class will be intense but not intimidating. To a killer soundtrack, he motivates us through sprints, up hills, and in and out of our bicycles’ saddles. Instead of struggling to keep up, we find ourselves smiling, laughing and, most definitely, sweating as we put 60 minutes toward burning off a fraction of the unforgettable indulgences we’ve enjoyed over the past few days.

Before we know it, the only event remaining is that afternoon’s Lexus Grand Tasting, held in one of Cavallo Point’s well-appointed event spaces with a view of the bridge and featuring 10 Lexus hotel partner chefs in addition to craft beer from Blackberry Farm brewery and vintners from Napa Valley, Marin and Sierra Foothills. For guests who have chosen this as their single Culinary Classic event to attend, it must be an exciting—and mouthwatering—introduction to all that Cavallo Point and the other Lexus hotel partners have to offer. For my boyfriend and me, however, the Grand Tasting is equal parts exciting and bittersweet, as we realize we are now enjoying our last few bites with new friends. We bounce among the circle of tables, visiting with the chefs, taste-testing dishes and noting our favorites. Before we go, we try Laura Werlin’s magnificent grilled cheese sandwich, featuring cheddar, raspberry jam and chocolate; and we enjoy one more glass of red with Lexus driving ambassador Scott Pruett as he pours us one of his own vintages.

And then, as much as we hate to tear ourselves away, it’s time to start thinking about returning to our lives in Los Angeles and bringing our luxurious Lexus Culinary Classic weekend to a close. Well, almost to a close—we can still look forward to enjoying those massages in the Lexus LS 500h on the way home.

The 2020 Lexus Culinary Classic is expected to take place in April, with tickets made available in February. Lexus owners receive a 15 percent discount on tickets to Classic events and Cavallo Point offers a 10 percent discount on accommodations for guests attending a Classic event. lexusculinaryclassic.com, cavallopoint.com