SLOW FOOD COLUMBIA SUSTAINABLE CHEF SHOWCASE RETURNS: CHEFS SERVE DISHES INSPIRED BY LOCAL INGREDIENTS

12 April 2017—Slow Food Columbia’s Sustainable Chef Showcase puts ingredients from local farms in the hands of the city’s chefs and invites guests to sample the results. The event on April 23, 4:00-7:00pm, is designed for food-lovers—giving them a chance to chat with chefs and farmers, learn about locally grown foods, and try an array of creative dishes produced by the teams behind some of Columbia’s favorite restaurants.

 

“

"It’s a good vibe, because people can talk with chefs who are usually stuck in the kitchen,” says Slow Food Columbia Co-Chair Erin Eisele. The event is also a favorite for chefs. "It gets everybody together, locally, which is what’s fun about it for us," says Terra’s Mike Davis, who has participated in every Slow Food chef showcase. 

 

Held at City Roots, the event also offers the chance to visit a working three-acre organic in-town farm.

 

Chefs who are participating include:

Chef Frank Bradley of Bourbon Columbia

Chef Mike Davis of Terra

Chef Wes Fulmer of Motor Supply Co. Bistro

Chef Travis Rayle of Hunter Gatherer

Chef Josh Rogerson of Saluda's

Chef Bryan Tayara of Rosewood Market and Deli

Chef Todd Woods of The Oak Table

Chef Blake Faries and Charlie Scruggs of Tallulah

Chefs Ola Helsing and Drew Thompson from Farm to Table Event and Catering Company

Chef Taylor Baxter from River Rat Brewery 

 

They’ll be joined by farmers and food producers from the Midlands whose ingredients are being featured in showcase dishes. A cash bar will feature craft beers and wine. Music will provided by The Greater Columbia Society for the Preservation of Soul. Proceeds support Slow Food initiatives in the Midlands. 

 

WHEN: Sunday, April 23 from 4pm-7pm

 

WHERE: City Roots Farm, 1005 Airport Bld., Columbia, SC

 

TICKETS: $25 Slow Food member, $35 Non-member. Available through Brown Paper tickets: 

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2905000 (A limited number of tickets will be for sale at the event.) 

 

###

 

Slow Food Columbia is one of 200+ Slow Food USA chapters. Its mission is to support good, clean and fair foodways. The chapter hosts workshops, potlucks, and other events to showcase seasonal flavors and the culinary talents of Midlands chefs, farmers, and artisan producers; to strengthen connections between members of the local food community; and to educate the public.

 

 

Join us for our monthly mixer: Dec. 6 at Terra

Slow Food Columbia is back to hosting a board meeting, followed by a public, Happy Hour-style mixer, each month!

Join us on Tuesday, December 6, 6:00 p.m. at Terra [100 State St., West Columbia, SC] to learn more about joining Slow Food, mingle with fun folks and sip some delicious cocktails. 



If you're a member of Slow Food – or if you choose to join at the mixer! – you can enter to win a gift certificate for food + drink at Terra. 

RSVP on Facebook here.

We'll see you Tuesday at Terra!

Meeting: November 21 at Bourbon

WHAT // Slow Food Columbia's November meeting [with a specialty cocktail on-tap!]

WHEN // Monday, Nov. 21 at 6:00 pm

WHERE // Bourbon [1214 Main St, Columbia, SC] 

WHO // Open to all who are interested in slow food, local eats + drinks and meeting new people!

Join us! 

Click here to RSVP on Facebook. 

New Board Announcement!

Slow Food Columbia has new Board members! Help us in welcoming Vanessa Bialobreski, Chloe Rogers, Bryan Tayara and Katie Welborn.

Vanessa grew up in Columbia, SC and although she left for a time to spread her wings, always felt the pull of home. After living in Brevard, NC, Boone, NC and out west she returned home to finish her degree at USC. Post graduation she moved in 2005 to take a job in Asheville, NC, at a national green events company, but dreamt of coming home to Columbia to promote the burgeoning local food community and sustainability efforts there. Her vision finally became a reality in 2011 with the creation of the Farm to Table Event Company, a partnership with City Roots, Columbia's only in-town, sustainable and organic farm, and Owner/Chef Kristian Niemi of Bourbon Columbia. From the very first farm dinner at City Roots, Vanessa has worked with her partners to tirelessly connect local farmers and chefs in her community through sustainable event production, highlighting the natural hospitality her hometown exudes. Vanessa has always been proud of Columbia, and she loves orchestrating events to support the inextricable links between farm and table. Vanessa joins Erin Eisele as Co-Chair.

Chloe Rodgers is an Integrated Communications Manager at Flock and Rally: Integrated Communications for a Brave New South in Columbia, S.C.; a full-service, women-owned public relations, marketing and event planning agency. At Flock and Rally, Chloe specializes in public relations, branding and inbound marketing for multiple client accounts. She holds a degree in public relations from the University of South Carolina. In her downtime, you can find Chloe volunteering for causes she is passionate about, exploring new restaurants, creating things, booking her next travel adventure and enjoying the vibrant music & arts scene in Columbia.

Bryan Tayara is the owner of Rosewood Market and Deli, Columbia's original health food market. Bryan is a founding member of Slow Food in SC's Pee Dee region, where he helped forge the connection between local farms and the table by hosting regular potlucks at restaurants throughout the region. Now living in Columbia, he takes the helm at Rosewood, carrying on the legacy created in 1973, that people can take an active, hands-on approach to their own wellness through delicious food. Bryan recently met one of his idols, Alice Waters!

Katie Welborn is South Carolina Policy Coordinator at  the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. Katie is a South Carolina native and graduate of Clemson University with a background in political and nonprofit organizing. Working with the Square Foot Gardening Foundation and WWOOfing in North Carolina, California, and China originally exposed her to the many layers of our food system. She has worked in the political, nonprofit, and agricultural realms ever since. Farmers are the nicest, most giving individuals she’s ever met (the original entrepreneurs!), and she’s stoked to advocate for local and organic agriculture in South Carolina.

Slow Food Columbia at the Food and Farm Event of the Year

THE 30th ANNIVERSARY SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE CONFERENCE

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

Slow Food Columbia at the Food and Farm Event of the Year

Grateful and Humble 'Farmers of the Year' Flo & Portia from Chapel Hill Creamery gave great thanks for being present with "A room full of people who want to change the world" at our opening dinner reception. This kicking off a weekend's workshop conference with passions shared and benevolence all around.  Myself privileged to attend the food and farm event of the year on behalf of our Slow Food Columbia Chapter, I was joined by fellow advisory members Katie Welborn and Anna Redwine~

Anna, Ariel, Katie Slow Foodies 

This is my third year attending CFSA's Sustainable Agriculture Conference. First year as a recent horticulture graduate on the precipice of farming for Midland area farmers markets, second year as a 'New and Beginning Farmer' Dow Scholar recipient, and present this year representing Columbia's fair food ways and Midlands grassroots farm and food policy groups, Slow Food Columbia. 

We were greeted with a cornucopia of local, organic foods and a warm and insightful reception, while the hotel was a buzz with trade booths, seed exchange, food and farm literature and networking abound.  


The opening evening receptions dinner boasted the Goat. A heart warming Shepard's Pie with braised goat paired with quintessentially seasonal roasted roots, crucifer vegetables, and creamy goats cheese riddled throughout. The dinner heralded the likes of outstanding farmers, activists, and long time association members. Impassioned food council activists Grace and Carey of NC's Davidson's County Local Food Network, inspired the room with their community driven strategy to reach out and make the change we want to see in our neighborhoods and counties, "It's not about fighting the power. It's about being the power."

Carey & Grace Selfie with 800 CFSA Friends

Emotionally charged keynote speaker, Micheal Twitty, is a food writer, culinary historian and justice activist. He gave an equally charged sermon and captivated a room of foodies and farmers with the reminder that "Culinary justice is about giving recognition to those who started before us, from the 1600's to the freed men". His inherent love for the land and sentiments were shared by all there as he espoused eloquently, "The land is our health. The land is our wealth...Change the composition of our brains by changing the compositions of our soil."

The next few days followed suit with delicious organic local foods, fellowship and networking, along with workshop intensives and a healthy crop of how to's.  I adjourn home with a wealth of new knowledge and insight to marinate in, on how to farm better, feed more and an arsenal of seeds for next years garden. The inspiration to continue to strive to make healthy local foods and farms for our Midlands future is ever positively charged after such a worthwhile weekend at this year's Sustainable Agriculture Conference.    


Grateful for the opportunity to attend on behalf of Slow Food Columbia,

Ariel McClain
  Slow Food Columbia
  Midlands Food Alliance
  Humble Farm