About Simon
Born in England and raised in New Zealand, Chef Webster was classically trained at the New Zealand Culinary Institute through the City & Guilds of London and apprenticed with some of the finest chefs in the area.
His experience in the kitchen spans 40 years and includes chef & developer for five star restaurants in New Zealand, chef and food & beverage manager for prestigious wine bars and pubs in London & Manchester, catering consultant for Nestle corporation, first class chef for BMI Airlines and owner of his own restaurant and catering company in Derbyshire, England and now the United States.
He opened Sabor a Pasion in 2004, and single-handedly transformed it into a restaurant, bed & breakfast, event center, wedding venue, catering headquarters and vineyard.
Well-respected throughout the area, Chef Webster has made a name for himself through his attention to personal service and detail to food & flavor -- proving dreams, passion and hard work are the foundation for visionary success.
Simon & his recipes have been featured in Texas Highways, Conde Nast Traveler, AAA Texas Journey, Fort Worth Magazine, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Houstonia Magazine, Great Day HoustonCounty Line Magazine, Tyler Today, BScene Magazine, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Palestine Herald Press. Sabor a Pasion has also been featured on the Outdoor Channel and food networks in Canada and Japan. He frequently appears on KLTV7-ABC, demostrating recipes, and KETK56-NBC as a culinary brand ambassador.
About Christine
Christine Gardner finds joy in sharing food and creating, in many different ways, a delicious diversion from everyday life. As a cookbook author, recipe writer, food stylist/photographer and chef instructor she presents food and recipes in a relatable way and encourages everyone to have fun in the kitchen and around the table.
For nearly four years Christine was the Food Editor for The Tyler Morning Telegraph and was responsible for the weekly FLAVOR section.Previously, she graduated with honors from Le Cordon Bleu, and apprenticed with a chef in Sorrento, Italy on the picturesque Amalfi Coast. There she learned to utilize the simple techniques and fresh ingredients the Italian culture uses to create delicious, handmade food.
A degree in journalism from Texas A&M and a career in creative services and television production with Fox Sports led her professional journey across the country and into the kitchen where she combines a variety of cultural influences, the best ingredients and simple technique to create a myriad of flavor.
Her first cookbook "Favorite FLAVOR" contains over 125 recipes and 100 color photos. It compiles the best and most-talked about recipes created by Christine for the Tyler newspaper.
In 2016, Savory House Press published Christine's 2nd cookbook, "Celebrations from a Cowgirl's Kitchen." Designed to be a gift book that represents Texas-style entertaining, it contains party themes, entertaining tips, menus and classic recipes to help you be the perfect Texas hostess.
For five years, Christine hosted FRESH Ideas & Everyday Gourmet every week on KYTX-CBS19. Currently, Christine teaches cooking classes at Sabor a Pasion and Sweet Gourmet, a gourmet cook shop in Tyler. She also does blog entries, promotional writing and food styling for FRESH by Brookshire's.You can also find recipes written and tested by Christine in the Brookshire’s in-store magazine, Celebrate Cooking.
Twice a year, Christine & Simon lead an exclusive small group culinary tour to the Amalfi Coast. It's a week filled with delicious excursions and beautiful scenery as the group travels the Sorrento and Amalfi Coast and enjoys a taste of the amazing Italian lifestyle.
Christine's cookbook, “Favorite FLAVOR” is available in East Texas at FRESH by Brookshire’s & the Tyler Morning Telegraph. "Celebrations from a Cowgirl's Kitchen" is available at Sweet Gourmet in Tyler, Sabor a Pasion, Buc-ee’s throughout Texas and Amazon. You can find more recipes from Christine on her website, Delicious Diversion.