Here’s something to consider if you’re looking for a fun (and tasty!) holiday escape. The Ahwahnee hotel today announced the lineup for the 28th annual Chefs’ Holidays event series in January , welcoming 24 of America’s renowned chefs (see below for complete lineup).

Celebrating the creativity and excellence of these culinary leaders in the breathtaking natural setting of Yosemite National Park, Chefs’ Holidays will be held over a series of eight sessions from January 6-31, 2013.

For each session of Chefs’ Holidays, guests are invited to take part in a “Meet the Chefs” reception, educational cooking demonstrations and tastings, a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour and a five-course Chefs’ Holidays Gala Dinner prepared by the guest chefs and paired with complementary wines, served by candlelight in The Ahwahnee dining room.

“Our guests love meeting their favorite chefs in person and learning about food trends and techniques in the kitchen,” said Chefs’ Holidays program director Kathy Langley. “Chefs’ Holidays is truly a delicious and interactive event and we work hard to bring the best of the best each year. Many of our participating chefs are nationally-known for their talent and have been recognized with James Beard Awards. Others you may recognize by their participation in such shows as ‘Iron Chef’ or ‘Top Chef’.”

[Also: Christmas Tradition: Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite]

Since its inception as a small gathering of chefs and hotel guests in the winter of 1985, Chefs’ Holidays allows the chefs to relax after their busy holiday season and unwind with their culinary colleagues and Yosemite visitors. While several chefs have participated multiple years, the 2013 season welcomes several exciting newcomers including Nyesha Arrington of Wilshire in Los Angeles, Kim Alter of Haven in Oakland, CA, Laurence Jossel of Nopa & Nopalito in San Francisco, CA, and Joey Campanaro of The Little Owl in New York.

Ahwahnee Chef’s Holiday Lineup

The 2013 lineup welcomes:

Session 1: January 6-8 (Sunday-Tuesday) – Three Friends Cooking
Moderator:  Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel journalist
Headliner: Douglas Keane, Cyrus, Healdsburg, CA
Victor Scargle, Lucy, Yountville, CA
Peter Armellino, Plumed Horse, Saratoga, CA*

Session 2: January 9-10 (Wednesday-Thursday) 
Moderator:  Janice Wald Henderson, food & travel journalist
Headliner: Mark Sullivan, Spruce, San Francisco, CA
Annie Somerville, Greens, San Francisco, CA
Ben “Wyatt” Dufresne, Plumpjack, Squaw Valley, CA*

Session 3: January 13-15 (Sunday-Tuesday)
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary tour guide
Headliner: Joey Elenterio, Chez TJ, Mountain View, CA
Jesse Cool, Flea Street Café, Menlo Park, CA
Brian Streeter, Cakebread Cellars, Napa Valley, CA

Session 4: January 16-17 (Wednesday-Thursday)
Moderator: Connie Barney, culinary tour guide
Headliner: Mark Estee, Campo, Reno, NV
Peg Smith & Sue Conley, Cowgirl Creamery, Point Reyes and San Francisco, CA
Adam Mali, Brasserie S&P, San Francisco, CA

Session 5: January  (Sunday-Tuesday)
Moderator: Carolyn Jung, food & wine journalist
Headliner: Matt McNamara, Sons & Daughters, San Francisco, CA*
Daniel Holtzman, The Meatball Shop, New York, NY
David Lentz, The Hungry Cat, Santa Barbara, CA

Session 6: January 23-24 (Wednesday-Thursday) – L.A. Women

Moderator: Carolyn Jung, food & wine journalist
Headliner: Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles, CA
Waylynn Lucas, Fonuts, Los Angeles, CA*
Nyesha Arrington, Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA*

Session 7: January 27-29 (Sunday-Tuesday)
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, author
Headliner: David Bazirgan, Fifth Floor, San Francisco, CA
Kim Alter, Haven, Oakland, CA*
Laurence Jossel, Nopa & Nopalito, San Francisco, CA*

Session 8: January 30-31 (Wednesday-Thursday) – Chefs of the Big Apple
Moderator: Andrew Friedman, author
Headliner: Jonathan Waxman, Barbuto, New York, NY
Jimmy Bradley, The Red Cat & The Harrison, New York, NY
Joey Campanaro, The Little Owl, New York, NY*

*Indicates new to Chefs’ Holidays this year.