The Good Food Awards program has announced 263 finalists for 2016 from 1,937 entries. Representing 13 categories, from cider to confections to pantry, finalists such as Tennessee Reserve Pecan Sorghum Butter, California Country Miso, Georgia Green Peanut Oil and New York Pitorro Shine– a Puerto Rican-style moonshine – exemplify the country’s diverse and deep-rooted food traditions. Beyond distinguishing themselves by receiving top scores from the 215 judges, all finalists passed a rigorous vetting to confirm they met specific Good Food Awards standards around environmentally sound agriculture practices, good animal husbandry, transparency, and responsible relationships throughout the supply chain.
The winners will be announced Friday, January 15, 2016, at a gala Awards Ceremony at Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, followed by two more days of celebration. Medals will be bestowed by renowned chef and activist Alice Waters and organics pioneer Nell Newman, tipping their hats to these exceptional food producers. A reception with the winning food and drink will follow the ceremony, offering both regional ‘tasting plates’ and small bites created by local chefs. A limited number of tickets are available for the ceremony and reception ($120 here). The father of the food movement, Slow Food Founder Carlo Petrini, will travel from Italy to deliver the opening remarks. On playing this special role he notes: “I am thrilled to be invited to set the tone for this extraordinary evening, which gathers together the best of America’s agricultural bounty. In every corner of the world, Slow Food is fighting to defend small scale, quality food production, and initiatives like this deeply reinforce the movement in the United States. Agriculture that is good, fair and in harmony with our environment is the only hope we have for the future of our food, and by extension, for ourselves. I am overjoyed to return to San Francisco, a city I love which has played a vital role in shaping the Slow Food movement in the USA. The opportunity to see how far America has come in producing food in harmony with this amazing land makes me all the more excited.”
On Saturday, January 16, the 30,000 square foot Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason Center will transform into the Good Food Mercantile, one-of-a-kind, intimate ‘un-trade show’ where both winners and members of the Good Food Merchants Guild – exemplary food crafters meeting the same sustainability criteria – exhibit their full line of wares to 400 industry buyers and media. The Good Food Awards Marketplace rounds out the weekend on Sunday, January 17. The general public is invited to come meet the winners, taste and buy their winning food and drink (including bottles of beer, cider and spirits not licensed for sale in California, but permitted this year within the federally-owned historic landmark of Fort Mason Center). Proudly welcoming the winners, and also selling to the public, will be the local farmers and food trucks of the Fort Mason Center Farmers Market. Tickets to the Good Food Awards Marketplace are $5, with a $20 Early Access pass (with welcome gift).
The Good Food Awards are supported by the Good Food Retailers Collaborative, the presenting sponsor for two years running. Composed of 13 of the country’s top independently owned retailers from Chicago to Oakland to Ann Arbor, they are committed to supporting America’s great food producers in their own communities and across the country. Joining them is a vibrant group of key supporters, including six-time premier sponsors Williams-Sonoma and Bi-Rite Market; and lead sponsors Dominic Phillips Event Marketing, Impact HUB Bay Area, Veritable Vegetable, BCV Architects and Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture.
Details of all events and tickets can be found here, and the full list of finalists here.
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