‘BBQ Bootcamp: Spring Classic’

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Emceed by Chef Valerie Gordon, the “BBQ Bootcamp: Spring Classic” at Alisal Ranch from May 7 through 10 will feature a star-studded roster of culinary talent for the tri-annual event of seminars, workshops and demos celebrating barbecue flavors and techniques.

Alisal Ranch’s Executive Chef Craig Riker will kick off the festivities with a cooking demo teaching guests how to properly

Experts help guests hone skills at Alisal Ranch event in Solvang

cut and prepare steak for the grill, followed by a hands-on opportunity for guests to grill alongside the chefs and an al fresco barbecue dinner featuring local wineries and distilleries.

Ms. Gordon is the celebrated Los Angeles chocolatier and James Beard finalist cookbook author for 2013’s “Sweet.” She founded Valerie Confections in 2004 and eventually guided the confectionery to become one of the nation’s most highly acclaimed boutique chocolatiers. In addition to emceeing the boot camp, Ms. Gordon will also conduct her own cooking demonstration, sharing recipes and tips to grilling breakfast.

Paula Disbrowe, an awardwinning chef and cookbook author, will lead a cooking demonstration, “Thank You for Smoking,” sharing with guests tips for smoke-infused grilling recipes, followed by lunch.

Burt Bakman of Slab BBQ, Trudy’s Underground Barbecue — the chef behind “LA’s best-kept barbecue secret” and beloved brisket — returns to the ranch for a cooking demonstration.

Jordan Kepler, owner of Sasquatch Survival Gear and one of the Season 8 champions of the

History’s Channel’s “Forged in Fire,” will lead a one-of-a-kind knife-making workshop, guiding guests through the entirety of the process from forging, heat treating and tempering to shaping and handle making for guests to make their own creation to take home.

Rachel Greenspan and Brendan Smith — owners of Bettina Pizzeria, the Italymeets-California local Montecito neighborhood restaurant that is celebrated for its farmers marketfresh ingredients and honest, sustainable cooking — will put on a woodfire pizza demo and lunch.

Joy Culley and Taylor Facha of

Solvang Spice Merchant will guide an interactive spice blending seminar, where guests will learn about the flavor profiles of various spices and create their own signature spice blends and rubs to take home.

In addition to guest chef demos, seminars and meals, BBQ Bootcamp attendees will also be treated to daily breakfast with a build-your-own Bloody Mary bar, a horseback or hay wagon ride to Alisal’s beloved Old Adobe, a cocktail-making class with the ranch’s mixology team and s’mores and cocktails underneath

7:30 p.m. The American Theatre Guild will present “Anastasia” at The Granada, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. The new Broadway musical follows a brave young woman on a journey to discover the mystery of the past. This production transports the audiences from the twilight of the Russian empire to Paris in the 1920s. Tickets cost $54 to $129. To purchase, go to granadasb.org.

APRIL 27

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo.

7:30 p.m. Pico Iyer will talk with movie star Isabella Rossellini at The New Vic, 33 W. Victoria St., Santa Barbara. Tickets cost $35 for general admission and $10 for UCSB students. To purchase, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at 805-8933535 or go to artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

APRIL 28

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo.

APRIL 29

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Carpinteria Valley Historical Society and History Museum will host its outdoor fundraiser called “The Marketplace” from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday on the museum grounds, 956 Maple Ave., downtown Carpinteria.

APRIL 30

The Santa Barbara Fair and Expo will take place through April 30 at Earl Warren Showgrounds, 3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. For more information, go to earlwarren.com/fair-and-expo.

3:30 p.m. The Santa Barbara Museum of Art presents a unique conversation between renowned poet and art critic John Yau and artist Joan Tanner.

The event will take place at 3:30 p.m. April 30 at SBMA’s Mary Craig Auditorium, 1130 State St., Santa Barbara. Tickets are free for SBMA members and students and cost $5, otherwise. They are available at tickets. sbma.net.

MAY 3

7:30 p.m. Movie stars Laura Dern and Diane Ladd will be speaking May 3 during a UCSB Arts and Lectures program to discuss their new book “Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life and Love.” The event will take place at UCSB Campbell Hall, where the actresses will talk with KLITE’s Catherine Remak. For more information, go to artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.

— Dave Mason