About Us
Christine Gardner
& Simon Webster
Since 2015, Christine & Simon have led small group culinary tours to the Amalfi Coast where they share the flavors and beauty of one of their favorite places in the world.
This is their opportunity to offer a taste of Italian culture and food through exclusive tours, personal service and a unique vacation experience.
Due to their busy schedule at home, they only offer two tours per year. The rest of the time they’re back home in Texas running a relaxing culinary getaway named Sabor a Pasion Estate & Vineyard. Click here for photos of Sabor a Pasion and all their activities throughout the year. Also, read below to learn more Christine & Simon.
For questions, please send an email. They can't wait for you to join them in Italy or come to visit in Texas.
Click here to visit the Sabor a Pasion website.
Christine Gardner
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.
Her love for Italy and the Amalfi Coast area began after living there while completing her culinary school internship in Sorrento. As a student with Le Cordon Bleu, she apprenticed there with a chef and learned to utilize the simple techniques and fresh ingredients the Italian culture uses to create delicious, handmade food and classic Neapolitan recipes.
It was a life changing journey and the picturesque Amalfi Coast left a permanent longing for delicious Italian meals enjoyed with the most beautiful backdrop in the world. After returning to the U.S., she found ways to share the experience and flavors through food writing, cooking classes and special events catering.
A previous degree in journalism from Texas A&M and a career in creative services and television production with Fox Sports provided her with professional expertise in media and marketing. She used these skills to launch a culinary platform that combines a variety of cultural influences, the best ingredients and simple techniques to create a myriad of flavor.
For nearly four years Christine was the Food Editor for The Tyler Morning Telegraph and was responsible for the weekly FLAVOR section. She has written two cookbooks. "Favorite FLAVOR", a compilation of the best and most-talked about recipes created by Christine for the Tyler newspaper. Also, "Celebrations from a Cowgirl's Kitchen", a gift book that represents Texas-style entertaining and contains party themes, entertaining tips, menus and classic recipes to become the perfect Texas hostess. She has started work on a third cookbook that will feature favorite recipes from travels to Southern Italy.
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 specialty food store in Tyler. She also does blog entries, promotional writing and food styling for FRESH by Brookshire’s. You can also find recipes written and developed by Christine in the Brookshire’s in-store magazine, Celebrate Cooking.
Simon Webster
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 Houston County 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, demonstrating recipes, and other television shows as a culinary brand ambassador.
