As autumn graced Sacramento, giving a welcome relief from summer’s heat, the 2023 Farm-to-Fork Festival emerged as a beacon of culinary and musical magnificence.
Geographically speaking, Sacramento is uniquely positioned for culinary excellence. Close to California’s wine country, Napa and Sonoma, as well as UC Davis, the country’s leading institution for agricultural and viticulture education, Sacramento knows how to eat well.
The Grand Tasting, a Farm-to-Fork Festival highlight, brought together a harmonious blend of traditional and contemporary cuisine from a wide range of local restaurants. A standout was local gastropub Hawks Provisions and Public House, serving magical little tuna tartare cornet canape in a butter cone topped with locally produced Sterling caviar.
Believe it or not, Sacramento has become the epicenter of the sustainable caviar industry. With producers like Sterling and Tsar Nicoulai nearby, the greater Sacramento area has proven to be a lustrous pearl in the cultivation of world-class caviar.
The powerhouse behind Kru Restaurant Billy Ngo featured his new endeavor Chu Mai, a contemporary Asian restaurant set to open later this year on the ground floor of the new Ary Place. Billy is a stud with Bò Tái Chanh, a beef tartare with Nước chấm, a texture from crunchy shrimp, peanuts, and thai chilies that might burn your mouth off. Allergies beware…
Yet, it was the culinary wizardry of the iconic Tyler Florence that marked the zenith of this epicurean escapade at Farm-to-Fork. 45-day aged tomahawk rib-eyes, grilled to perfection on a behemoth of a cowboy cauldron, alongside succulent half chickens, each bite, perfect and for lack of a better word masculine. The pièce de résistance – a divine melding of caviar (Sterling again!) and pork belly. Muah! Chef’s kiss. It was amazing to see the level at which these professional chefs executed consistency, plate after plate. Hundreds came and no one left hungry.
The air was electric, charged with sounds from bands like blues prodigy Eric Gales, also known as Raw Dawg (he’s amazing and opens for Clapton but, no joke, Raw Dawg). LA natives and pop darlings, Canons, fronted by the eternal cool that is Michelle Joy, and the eclectic soul of Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Cautious Clay, and Danielle Ponder each added their unique touch. Every performance breathed energy into the packed crowd on Capitol Mall, serenading attendees.
Amidst this kaleidoscope of flavors, the craftsmanship of chefs from the most predominant Sacramento eateries shone brilliantly, each dish a testament to the city’s renaissance and the strength of its culinary talent and Farm-to-Fork accessibility. In a city known for its inclusivity and LGBTQ+ community, this event unfurled a tapestry of flavors and sounds that exemplified the unity in diversity.
Photos provided by Visit Sacramento
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