Join us in welcoming Smart & Final, the smaller faster warehouse store, as the main sponsor of our 2005 Cal-Italia Wine & Food Festival Cooking Stage. We are excited to have Celebrity Chef Mario Martinoli both as a featured chef and our Cooking Stage Emcee for the event.

		Mario, a professional chef with twenty-five years of experience in busy and successful restaurant kitchens, is the Spokesperson and Culinary Consultant for Smart & Final Stores. In January 2005, Smart & Final launched an intensive, ongoing multi-million dollar media campaign in California, Arizona and Nevada prominently showcasing Mario in television, radio, internet, newspaper and direct mail advertising. In August, Martinoli debuted the entertaining and informative “Mario Martinoli on Food & Dining” featurettes heard each day on Los Angeles’ KFWB News 980. Mario’s extensive food knowledge has been shared with his loyal audience of listeners on the airways in Southern California for over nine years. Mario was previously the chef/proprietor of the high profile, and fondly remembered, Mario’s Cooking for Friends, the popular Beverly Blvd. Italian restaurant, café, deli, and gathering spot in Hollywood, and was the official caterer for television shows like Seinfeld, Cheers, Wings, and the Arsenio Hall Show. www.smartandfinal.com

		Joe Romano, author of The Extraordinary Cuisine of Josephine, comes to the Cal-Italia Wine & Food festival to share some of his mother’s Italian cooking. When you have the opportunity to taste Josephine’s cooking, you will no doubt agree that it is truly an incredible culinary experience. Whether it is her Bruscialone, her stuffed peppers, or her famous Ravioli, it will only take one taste to realize that this is some of the most delicious food you have ever eaten. Joe teaches cooking at Draeger’s Cooking School, but, ladies, don’t miss out on one of Joe’s specialities...Girls Night In...(For women only) – Gather the Ya-Ya sisters and have the red carpet rolled out with this in-home program featuring a mini cooking class followed by a comedy show starring Joe Romano with “the man’s point of view” and featuring “Battle of the Bay” winner Maggie Newcomb. A special wine tasting tops off this fantastic event! www.josephinecuisine.com

		Stephen Morvay from Mozzarella Fresca will join Mario at the Cooking Stage with a hand pulled fresh mozzarella demonstration not to be missed. Steven has worked over 25 years in the restaurant business and is a graduate from The California Culinary Acadamy. He’s worked in San Francisco, Hawaii, Italy and on a private yacht. Steven’s Italian cuisine background made his move to mozzarella a natural progression. Fresh mozzarella is the corner stone product of Mozzarella Fresca. Mozzarella originated in Southern Italy, where it is made exclusively from buffalo milk. Most fresh Mozzarella made in the United States is produced from cow’s milk. The moist, sweet, tender, milky, nutty and buttery flavors and springy, yielding texture is unlike that of any other dairy product. www.mozzarellafresca.com