TEMECULA, CA – Pechanga Resort Casino will host the 2nd annual Pechanga Sushi & Sake Festival on Saturday, July 9, 2022. The event includes an afternoon filled with premium Japanese sake, house-made sushi by master Pechanga chefs, a silent auction and live music. Tickets are on sale and may be purchased at the Pechanga Box Office or online. Proceeds from the event benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley.
With one ticket, guests can taste more than 40 premium sakes (daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling) including many award-winning brands and styles from all over Japan and around the world. Pechanga chefs will prepare thousands of fresh sushi pieces to pair with the sake selections. Chefs Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar; Kok Che, Executive Sous Chef of Pechanga’s Asian restaurants; and Andre Pinto, Pechanga Executive Chef, will be on hand to meet with guests, present them with fresh, made-on-site sushi, and share their expert suggestions for matching sushi with sake.
A traditional Japanese Taiko drummer, a Japanese guitarist and a “Koto” – Japanese harpist – will set the mood of the festival’s musical interludes for the festival. There will also be a silent auction featuring gifts such as art and vacation packages.
The festival originated from the popularity of beer and sake within Southern California, as well as the continued rise of sushi as a mainstay of sought-after fare across the country. The 2nd place win for Pechanga’s Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar in USA Today’s Best Casino Restaurant readers’ poll in 2018 also helped inspire the festival at Pechanga.
Proceeds support Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley’s programs that provide housing needs and home repairs to senior citizens and those no longer able to do such work themselves.