Savor Santa Barbara | Eric W. Spivey

Santa Barbara Culinary Experience is almost here — more than 75 events begin May 12 — and founder Eric W. Spivey is eager to share what makes this region and SBCE so special.

As the founder of SBCE and someone who knew Julia Child personally, what does it mean to see this event continue to grow and evolve each year?

With an incredibly devoted and wise Advisory Committee, we created the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience (SBCE) to shine a light on the culinary and hospitality riches of Santa Barbara County. In 2025, we have reached a new and exciting scale where we can showcase many dynamic small business owners across this amazing county. We take great joy in bringing people together and inspiring them to pursue a lifetime of learning while also supporting local nonprofit organizations who are making a positive impact across our food system. 

Julia Child had such deep affection for Santa Barbara — how do you think she would feel about how this culinary community continues to flourish?

Julia had a lifelong love for Santa Barbara. She summered here in her youth to escape the heat of Pasadena summers. She wintered here as an adult to escape the cold of Cambridge, MA winters. She chose to spend the last four years of her life as a resident of Casa Dorinda. Julia loved everything about Santa Barbara and would be proud of the advances the culinary community has made since her passing in 2004 and would no doubt be cheering us on to not slow down!

What are you most excited to participate in or observe during this year’s SBCE? Is there a moment or event that feels especially meaningful to you?

That’s like asking which of your children is your favorite. The farm tours are exciting, as this is where it all begins in terms of our world-class food and wine.  A class to learn how to shuck oysters at Clark’s will be fun and reminds me of when Julia taught my children this useful skill. An event with Alice Waters at Godmothers, a wonderful new bookstore in Summerland, will be engaging and supports our educational focus. The multiple cooking classes with our partner A to Z offer choices for the entire family. And, finally, our Grand Wine Tasting at the El Presidio de Santa Bárbara on Saturday afternoon to meet and learn from more than 40 wineries while enjoying great food, music, and conversation!

How do you see the mission of the Julia Child Foundation reflected in the events and participants at SBCE?

The mission of The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and Culinary Arts is to educate and encourage everyone to appreciate the joys of cooking, eating, and drinking well. That doesn’t necessarily mean fancy.  Julia enjoyed the full range of what Santa Barbara County has to offer, from a Costco hot dog to a quick bite at La Super-Rica Taqueria or a visit to one of her favorite dinner spots, bouchon restaurant.  Each event of SBCE, even those with a focus on eating and drinking, has an educational component to the experience.

What do you hope attendees take away from the week as a whole?

We hope SBCE participants are energized about the bounty of what Santa Barbara area has to offer and will be eager to return each year as we continue to expand the range of educational events.  With that in mind, we have already announced May 11-17, as our 2026 dates for SBCE!

Lightning Round: Favorite Santa Barbara indulgence — whether it’s a bite, sip, or secret local spot, or all of the above?

Santa Barbara has something to offer for all ages and budgets.  My favorite indulgence is having a view of the ocean and mountains while I take a late afternoon walk from the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge to the pier. This also allows me to pop into the Funk Zone and have a glass of wine at the Margerum Tasting Room next to the Hotel Californian and then end my day with an early dinner at Loquita or The Lark.  Life doesn’t get better than that!

The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience takes place May 12-18. For more information, see sbce.events. And stay tuned for more of the stories behind SBCE 2025.