Local chefs for local farms
by Kristin Vogel, Communications & Education Associate
This article was originally published in September 2010
Calling all foodies! On Sunday, September 26, PCC Farmland Trust will hold its third “Local Chefs for Local Farms” event at Café Juanita in Kirkland. This event will be a chance for supporters and friends on the Eastside to enjoy an evening of incredible food while learning about the trust’s work.
The Local Chefs for Local Farms series celebrates local foods at the peak of freshness, prepared by some of the most skilled chefs in the country and paired with local wines. Past events have been held at James Beard Award-winning Maria Hines’ Tilth, and emmer&rye — the new Queen Anne restaurant headed by chef Seth Caswell.
These events not only raise money and awareness for the Farmland Trust; they also offer a way of connecting food, farmers, chefs, trust supporters, and the wider community. Each quarterly event has its own flavor and atmosphere and features a Q&A panel with the featured chef, our executive director Rebecca Sadinsky, and a local, organic farmer.
This September we’re thrilled to partner with Café Juanita chef Holly Smith and Powers Winery. Holly is our second James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef (the “Oscar” of the food world) and is known for championing seasonal, sustainable ingredients.
Holly took over Café Juanita in April 2000, working with local growers and suppliers to share her passion for Northern Italian food and wine with the Pacific Northwest. Since then, Café Juanita and Holly have been showered with awards, including national recognition for service, as well as a stint on Food Network’s “Next Iron Chef” last year.
Please visit our website for details, including a menu with wine pairings, as information becomes available. This Local Chefs for Local Farms event is an especially good opportunity if you are a PCC member who always wanted to learn more about the work of the Farmland Trust.
We do hope you’ll join us for a magical autumn evening of toasting to our abundance of spectacular food and wine, and the hard-working local farmers who make it possible!