Last year, Irvinite Jamie Gwen and her longtime friend Nicole Hirsty brought a dream of nearly three years to life in the form of RELISH, a three-day food, wine, and spirits festival in Newport Beach. The inaugural event drew 1,300 guests to 13 experiences throughout the weekend. Encouraged by the community’s response to RELISH, Gwen and Hirsty began planning an encore the day after RELISH wrapped. They’ve spent the past year refining their vision for the second year while building on the events and partnerships that resonated with guests.
The second annual RELISH festival will be held Oct. 2 through 4 at VEA Newport Beach, with additional events at The Park Club in Costa Mesa and AnQi at Bloomingdale’s South Coast Plaza. Gwen, a celebrity chef, certified sommelier, radio host, and cookbook author, created the festival with Hirsty, owner of Cobalt Events. The two met on their first day of seventh grade and are celebrating 40 years of friendship this year.
“We are very humbled and very proud that we have an opportunity to continue RELISH,” said Gwen, who explained that it is a true passion project for both founders of RELISH…