Citi Taste of Tennis Unites Chefs, Players and Fans

Recently at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells from March 6 – 19, 2023, the kick-off of the Masters 1000 Tennis Tournament was at Citi Taste of Tennis. Tennis legend Tracy Austin attended a cooking demonstration and chat with Michelin Star Chef Minh Phan while this esteem chef was making mochi.

The party site was located at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Indian Wells on a lawn filled with some of the best chefs in the Coachella Valley. The appealing aroma lured everyone to tables where dishes were being prepared out in the open desert air.

Hyatt Regency Indian Wells

Ticket holders and invited guests enjoyed small Servin’ It Up Citi Style plates. The handsome Chef Daniel Rodriguez from Sol Y Sombra inside The Paloma Resort in Cathedral City. He was making a large pan of delicious Paella Tierra y Mar (Surf & Turf).

Winner of the best aromatic dish goes to Chef Daniel Rodriguez from Sol Y Sombra

Another winning presentation at the event was from Chef Eric Leclair at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa Grill. Whole pineapples and fruit dripped down on Ancho rubbed Tomahawks served with red pepper chimichurri with Jack Cheese arepa. The chef also made roasted garlic pork belly with sweet corn puree.

Chef Eric Leclair win best outdoor kitchen

Andie Hubka from Cork & Fork served blue cheese stuffed dates and Mexican Street Corn salad, nearby Juan Leon from VUE was serving a hearty vegan bowl and meaty brochettes.

Wines were served at Cork & Fork

Other favorite chefs included Hervé Glin from PGA West Golf and Resorts making a delicious French inspired cheese ravioli and watercress and pear salad with cream of gorgonzola dressing.

Delightful French Chef Hervé Glin

Jon Butler from The Penney & Parlour made Japanese sweet potato and embered seaweed and cured sea bream. Local boy Brandon Weimer’s was serving sweet treats and Brandini Toffee ice cream sundaes from a classic retro trailer.

Best dessert at Brandini Toffee

Brandon started Brandini Toffee while he was in high school student at La Quinta High School. He made this crunchy and sweet toffee as a fundraiser for a school trip. Now he has a factory in Rancho Mirage making 100 pound batches of his delicious almond toffee, almond toffee popcorn and other sweet delights. Multiple stores in the Greater Palm Springs area sell his delightful pieces of toffee in bags, shakes and ice cream.

Sipsmith London Gin

Beverages includes A selection of fine wine provided by Zonin and signature Gin & Tonic cocktails by Citi Sponsor Sipsmith. In 2009, SipSmith was created by three friends, Sam, Fairfax and Jared who brought back the uncompromising quality and character of Gin back to London, the city where it all began. Made in a traditional copper distillery, which no one had done in nearly 200 years, their exciting gin distilling renaissance makes a London Dry Gin, a Lemon Drizzle Gin and Strawberry Smash.

Other sponsors besides Citi and Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa were VOSS Water, Lucky in Love, Vokl, Chef Works, Cliff Drysdale Management, TopCourt and KDGL-FM.

Upcoming Citi Taste of Tennis events will take place in Miami on March 20, 2023 at JW Marriott Miami. Citi Taste of Tennis in Washington DC is on July 30, 2023, and Citi Taste of Tennis New York is on August 24, 2023 at Gotham Hall.