Aug. 28, 2012 MORRO BAY, Calif. − It didn’t take long for word to spread that Ted Allen, Emmy® Award winner, author and host of Food Network’s Chopped, would emcee this year’s Battle of the Bay competition at Sunset SAVOR the Central Coast. Within hours of the announcement, the event nearly sold out. Allen is sure to add a dash of spice to the annual contest loosely based on his own show, but featuring the fresh seafood, produce and culinary flair found only in Morro Bay. This year’s clash is between the acclaimed, yet distinct, masters of a pair of Morro Bay’s best kitchens: the Inn at Morro Bay’s executive chef, Paul Arangorin, and Adam Pollard, chef/owner of Taco Temple. They will square off Sunday, Sept. 30, at 12:30 p.m., at the historic Santa Margarita Ranch. Battle of the Bay is always a highlight of the four-day celebration featuring Central Coast wine, food and the Western lifestyle presented by Sunset magazine and the San Luis Obispo County Visitors and Conference Bureau, particularly because of the outstanding chefs and cuisine for which Morro Bay is known. Kitty Morgan, Sunset’s editor-in-chief, will judge the contest. SAVOR the Central Coast runs Sept. 27-30. Find more event information and purchase tickets at savorcentralcoast.com. Arangorin specializes in dishes that are fresh, seasonal and locally sourced, and are influenced by his Filipino background and his travels throughout Asia. He was trained at the California Culinary Academy Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco and has been the Inn at Morro Bay’s executive chef since 2010. Pollard has lived in Morro Bay for 40 years and is the owner of Taco Temple with his wife, Dawnelle. Coincidentally, Pollard got his start at the Inn at Morro Bay, learning California cuisine under Bill Hoppe, the chef at the time. Taco Temple features fresh produce from local farmers markets and Morro Bay seafood. At Battle of the Bay, the competing chefs will receive a mystery basket of local food products to use to prepare a menu of their choosing. They are timed and must perform in front of a live audience. The competition and Morro Bay’s exhibit booth at Sunset Savor the Central Coast exemplify the best this friendly seaside community has to offer. About SAVOR the Central Coast: SAVOR, the premier wine and food event on the West Coast, features more than 30 local chefs, 100 wineries and a variety of opportunities to learn the latest California lifestyle trends from Sunset experts in all things food and wine, gardening and home décor. Home to the celebrated Paso Robles/San Luis Obispo wine country and one of the most abundant agricultural counties in California, no other wine and food event provides foodies with such a rich culinary immersion adventure. For more information, visit www.SavorCentralCoast.com. Contact: Shari Clark Barnett Cox & Associates (805) 788-4437 sclark@barnettcox.com