Welcome to the first of a series of exclusive interviews with the incredible people shaping SBCE 2025. These interviews highlight the makers, storytellers, and flavor-chasers whose work defines our region’s vibrant food and wine scene.
This week, I sat down with one of Santa Barbara’s most prolific wine voices — Matt Kettmann, senior writer at The Santa Barbara Independent and a writer-at-large for Wine Enthusiast. With more than two decades of writing about Central Coast wine, Matt offers a unique perspective on the region’s evolution, and he’s more involved than ever in this year’s SBCE.
What inspired you to participate in the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience this year?
Back in 2019, Eric Spivey of the Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts invited me over to discuss the launch of SBCE. At the time, I’d already been writing about wine and food in the region for nearly 20 years, so it felt like a natural way to give back to a community I’ve covered for so long. Although the first official event didn’t happen due to the pandemic, I stayed on the Advisory Committee. I feel like we’re finally relaunching it with the right team and the right momentum. This year feels like a fresh start, and I’m excited to help shape it into something lasting and meaningful. SBCE is a great umbrella for so many standout events happening across the region.