Foodies unite for the epicurean event of the year -- the second Pebble Beach Food & Wine

David Bernahl and Rob Weakley will not apologize on behalf of Luxury. Sure, she can be heavy-handed and unashamedly self-possessed -- often flaunting herself in mixed company. And in a certain context, one could call her pretentious.

But no one can deny her appeal. Luxury is the life of the party, the energy in the room. She is envied but rarely disliked. Truth be told, we all want to be close to her, to inhale her intoxicating perfume, to have a dalliance with the good life.

Bernahl and Weakley understand that attraction, and last year arranged a coming-out party at the inaugural Pebble Beach Food & Wine, a lavish four-day event that combines world-renowned chefs and acclaimed winemakers in a veritable raise-your-flute toast to luxury.

"We got to meet our dream, and there was a lot of getting to know you," said Bernahl, a former Carmel High School grad, entrepreneur, clothier, foodie and co-founder of the event that rolls out the red carpet again starting Thursday at multiple venues throughout Pebble Beach. Despite a few minor hiccups, last year's Pebble sent a huge ripple through the luxury lifestyle world.

Called "the premier culinary event on the West Coast" by Gentry magazine, PBFW also supports charitable causes. Last year it donated $100,000 to local charities, including culinary and enological scholarships, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Monterey County, CASA of Monterey County and the charitable Pebble Beach Co. Foundation.

It's also a welcome boost for the local economy, with an estimated 2,500 hotel room nights booked for the event, which has expanded this year to feature more than 60 chefs and 250 wineries, with prices ranging from $100 a la carte options to $12,400 VIP packages.

"We're throwing a party and inviting 4,000 of our closest friends," said Weakley, former restaurant general manager at Highland's Inn and former director of the now-defunct Masters of Food & Wine held at the resort until 2007.

The Masters provided a rough template and clear inspiration for PBFW.

Unlike most other celebrity chefs, Thomas Keller, whose iconic, Michelin-three-star-rated restaurant French Laundry in Yountville sets the standard for culinary excellence, does not lend his name to just any venture. But something in these 30-something go-getters Bernahl just turned 30, and Weakley is 33 appealed to him.

One strong pitch, and he said yes. "Suddenly we had Thomas Keller on our advisory board," said Bernahl. "How cool is that?"

Keller saw a philosophy and integrity that matched his own.

"Obviously they are two very dynamic gentlemen who have a strong vision," said Keller from his office in Yountville. "The first thing that appealed to me was the charitable aspect of it -- to be able to have an impact on youth, to strengthen their lives, help define their futures."

Keller had been a guest chef at the Masters twice before. "That kind of rebirth resonates with me," he said.

Finally, Keller relished the opportunity to cook alongside many of his colleagues. This year's chef lineup includes such names as Jacques Pepin, Michel Richard, Eric Ripert, Rick Tramonto, Cat Cora and Michael Mina, just to name a few.

Such chefs have reached celebrity status, fueled by The Food Network, reality television, culinary magazines and a growing revival of the gourmet lifestyle in this country. Despite the down economy, everything food and wine is huge, said Bernahl, and the time was ripe for such an event.

"It's not about being pretentious, or how much money you can spend," he said. "It's the pleasure we all get from sharing good food, wine and conversation. What a great hobby to have."

Pebble Beach was an obvious venue, given its natural beauty, the company's past experience in hosting huge events such as Concours d'Elegance and the U.S. Open and its proximity to the ocean, the agricultural wonders of the Salinas Valley and a world-class wine grape-growing region.

"We have the ocean and the world's salad bowl, and it's in between two metro areas, San Francisco and Los Angeles, two huge culinary markets," said Bernahl, who noted that 72 percent of last year's attendees hailed from California.

Bernahl and Weakley, along with vice president of operations Gary Obligacion "who does all the work and makes us look good," Weakley said, have designed the event to create opportunities for all tastes and pocketbooks. But luxury still rules.

Marketing surveys from last year reveal that 82 percent of 2008 attendees earned between $150,000 and $1 million.

PBFW offers many high-end, exclusive options, such as the unpublicized Founders' Dinner, where 22 lucky souls pay $2,000 to dine at an undisclosed location -- the hitch being they must show up with two extraordinary bottles of wine to share pending approval by the staff -- meaning that while a 1959 Latour may get a nod, a 1983 Margaux may not. An exclusive Louis Roederer Cristal Champagne dinner prepared by Chef Eric Ripert will feature rare vintages from the Rouzaud family, which donated 120 magnums starting with the 1979 vintage it's estimated that more Cristal will be poured at this sitting than the entire West Coast allocation for the year.

But the event also features seven lunches, multiple wine tastings and cooking demonstrations. And the two Lexus Grand Tasting Tent events on Saturday and Sunday afternoons under the protection of a 60,000-square-foot tent provide access to 24 of the chefs and 400 different wines, along with photo opportunities and book-signings. Cost is $165, the same as last year in fact, no prices were raised this year.

"We've provided so many opportunities for people to enjoy their passion," Bernahl said. "And we've upgraded everyone's sensibilities of how enjoyable food and wine can be."

He calls it one of life's biggest "aha!" moments. No apologies necessary.