
– 3 rd Annual Pechanga Sushi & Sake Festival Back by Demand,
Benefits Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley –
Festival season stays on a roll this spring at Pechanga Resort Casino. The Annual Pechanga Sushi &
Sake Festival serves up the freshest catches and smooth sake inside the Summit Events Center
Saturday, April 8. The popular one-day event includes an afternoon filled with premium Japanese sake,
house-made sushi by master Pechanga chefs, a silent auction and live music. Tickets are on sale and
may be purchased at the Pechanga Box Office, by calling (877) 711-2946 or online at Pechanga.com.
Proceeds from the event benefit Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley.
Four ticket levels are available:
• VIP – $160 and includes early entry at 11 a.m., sampling delectable sushi and several dessert items,
more than 40 varieties of sake, eight types of beer and talk with sake makers, chefs and bid on silent
auction items before general admission attendees
• Designated Driver VIP – $75 and allows early entry at 11 a.m., sampling just-sliced sushi, dessert
items, bidding on silent auction items before general admission attendees, and enjoyment of live music
• General Admission – $120 and includes entry at 1 p.m., sampling delectable sushi and several dessert
items, more than 40 varieties of sake, eight types of beer, sampling the freshest sushi prepared by
master Pechanga chefs, live music and bidding on silent auction items
• Designated Driver – $75 and includes trying the freshest sushi prepared by master Pechanga chefs,
enjoying dessert items, plus live music and bidding on silent auction items
With one ticket, guests can taste more than 40 premium sakes (daiginjo, ginjo, junmai and sparkling)
including many award-winning brands and styles from all over Japan and around the world. Pechanga
chefs get rolled up in the festival as they prepare thousands of fresh sushi pieces to pair with the sake
selections. Chefs Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar, Kok Che, executive sous chef of
Pechanga’s Asian restaurants, and Andre Pinto, Pechanga Executive Chef, will be on hand to meet
with guests, present them with fresh, made-on-site sushi, and share their expert suggestions for
matching sushi with sake.
A traditional Japanese Taiko drummer, a Japanese guitarist and a "Koto" – Japanese harpist – will set
the mood of the festival’s musical interludes for the festival. A silent auction also features sought after
gifts such as art, vacation packages and more.
“There have been other sushi festivals around Southern California, but none that have had the saying
power that Pechanga’s Sushi & Sake Festival has,” said Kiyo Ikeda, head chef of Umi Sushi & Oyster
bar at Pechanga Resort Casino. “The fact our guests can enjoy amazing sushi, sake, have a great time
and help charity while they’re doing that, it makes everyone feel great about the whole event.”
The festival’s idea sprang from the popularity of beer and sake within Southern California, as well as
the continued rise of sushi as a mainstay of sought-after fare in America. The 2 nd place win for
Pechanga’s Umi Sushi & Oyster Bar in USA Today’s Best Casino Restaurant readers’ poll in 2018 also
helped cement the festival’s viability at the Temecula resort/casino.
Proceeds support Habitat For Humanity Inland Valley’s programs that provide housing to deserving
individuals and families, and home repairs to senior citizens and those no longer able to do such work
themselves.
The festival’s tasting menu and sake selections will be released soon.
About Pechanga Resort Casino
Pechanga Resort Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino
experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the best casino resort in the west by the readers of
USA Today and rated a Four Diamond property by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort Casino provides
an unparalleled getaway, whether for the day or for an extended luxury stay. Offering 5,400 of the
hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 1,100 hotel rooms, dining, spa and golf at
Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the
needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort Casino is owned and operated by the
Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free (877) 711-2946 or visit
www.Pechanga.com. Follow Pechanga Resort Casino on Facebook, Instagram and on Twitter
@PechangaCasino.