Amy DiBiase, executive chef at Roseville in Point Loma is set to compete again in the 4th Annual Chef’s Showdown that benefits the Center for Community Solutions. Tickets for the October 2nd event on the Promenade at Liberty Station are $125 and can be purchased online.

While we’re on the subject of Rosevile, with its French-Mediterranean menu, is now open seven days a week and September 7, begins Sunday brunch with an inspiring menu of à la carte dishes that will go far beyond the mundane eggs and bacon. The menu will soon be set, and with the innovative Amy DiBiase at the helm, I’d bet it will be sumptuous. For information and reservations: 619-450-6800, (www.rosevillesd.com still under construction),

Over in Hillcrest, Charles Kaufman of Bread & Cie at Fourth and University Avenue went round and round with the city over the height of the enclosure for his expanded wine/pizza service on the patio. He’s happy to report that devotees will soon be able to sip a glass of wine and enjoy the avenue’s scene in the next few weeks.

The Loews Coronado Bay Resort has named Timothy Ralphs their new executive chef for their signature dining room Mistral, as well as the entire property.  Ralphs local experience includes three years as executive chef at Top of the Cove, banquet director at the Omni where his menus went way beyond the boring banquet fare, with his additions such things as amuse-bouche, organic ingredients, and more.  He European travels and work (he’s also trained in wine and is an advanced sommelier).  Along with good local ingredients, Ralphs can pick fresh herbs from the hotel’s 3800 square foot herb garden.  Tours of the garden are given every Friday at 3pm and include a tasting and recipes.  Cost is $20 and for information and reservations call the hotel’s concierge at 619-424-4000 x 6300.

Recently, Buzz returned from three days in Napa attending Taste3, a conference at Copia that melds food, wine and art in deliciously unusual ways. Imagine a tour of three local artists studios, including glass designer Gordon Huether, painter Gail Chase-Bien and ceramic sculptor Renata Allen led by the legendary Margrit Mondavi that included lunch at Yountville’s Redd. Everything–and everyone, including the 12 lucky participants– from the art to the food made a terrific segue to the next two days.

This gathering was the third year of Taste3. Started by the bright and ingenious minds behind TED including the creative comedian Tom Rielly, this conference brings together cutting edge thinking presented by experts in their respective fields. Taste 3 tempts, teases and teaches…and is worth every minute of the experience.

In two jam-packed days, 32 speakers, four to a session, each talking about 18 minutes, covered such topics as “Seeds”, “Urban” and “Source”. In”Action/Reaction” I learned about climate change and its impact on viticulture and wine production from Greg Jones, who teaches geography Southern Oregon University. Earlier in “Source” Ben Roche, Moto‘s pastry chef, thrilled the audience as he showed how he designs “technically innovative” desserts that use nitrogen gas, helium and more to create “explosive” and delicious confections. Darra Goldstein in “Worldview” spoke of her trip to Israel and the West Bank and how food, including falafel, can be used as a bridge to quell Arab and Israeli conflict. Also in that session, Bruce Gutlove explained how he directs a Japanese winery (worked by developmentally disabled to produce wine served at the recent G-8 Summit).

Breaks featured chocolates from Tcho and Scharffen Berger, Equator Estate Coffees & Teas and even shoes from Tom’s. Winery dinners and a lovely party and concert at Mondavi winery finished out the symposium’s evenings.

If you’ve got cash, have we got a deal for you: Invest in a Beltran restaurant. According to information sent to their mailing list, owners Philippe Beltran and Jacqueline Delaney are offering investment opportunities for their neighborhood restaurant concepts. He owns Blue Boheme in Kensington and Papa Nanou in Mission Hills, due to open late this year. For information: 619-823-6510.

We hear that Maria Hunt, ex food critic for the UT is freelancing for north county magazines including Riviera where she’s authoring a piece on Roseville in Point Loma.

Maureen Clancy who spent many years writing about food at the UT, now has her own blog,

Chef Jason Seibert has landed in Los Angeles. His time in San Diego included Cafe Cerise (chef/owner) and when it closed he consulted for the opening of downtown’s Jade Theater. He recently spent eight months catering with Wolfgang Puck for LA’s mayor, Billy Crystal and others.