Food, food and more food. Don't forget the wine! That's what you get when you bring together the top chefs from around the world, including Spago's Wolfgang Puck. It's the 12th annual Masters of Food and Wine, sponsored by Carmel's Highlands Inn, Lufthansa and United Airlines. The weeklong event offers the public gourmet meals, cooking demonstrations, rare wine tastings and culinary and winery tours. California Heartland's Pat McConahay went behind the scenes of the opening night reception to see how some 60 four-star chefs prepare a food extravaganza in the Highlands Inn kitchen. The trademark of Highlands Inn Executive Chef Cal Stamenov is using "California homegrown" in his cooking. "Each year the fresh produce we get from local farmers gets better and better, " Stamenov said. "California is where the use of good, fresh produce by chefs began. We're copying what California was doing five years ago," said Hawaiian chef Alan Wong. Each of the events is individually priced from $95. For information about next year's event call (408) 624-3801. Or you can write to the address listed below. Highlands Inn PO Box 1700 Carmel, California 93921 If you can't attend the Masters of Food and Wine Event, check out these other food and wine related events throughout California. Gourmet Food and Wine Festival Torrance, California August 1, 1998 (310) 540-5858 Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction September 5-7, 1998 (707) 935-0803 Napa Valley Wine Auction June 1999 (707) 942-9783, ext. 25 If you have questions or comments about this story, E-mail Producer/Reporter Pat McConahay at pmcconah@kvie.org.