An edible conversation between a farm, a chef, and the community.
We are delighted to welcome Community Table back for 2022. This beloved event brings a renowned chef to our farm to design an ecological meal around our four seasonal rotations (market garden, milpa, berries, cover crops). By bringing these culinary artists back to the source, we give them an opportunity to connect with new ingredients, find fresh inspiration in our bioregion's historic foodways, and discover the rewards of relationship with the land.
CHEF CATHY MCKNIGHT
“The community that TEC has nurtured and grown is filled with possibility for a changed food system in our local area and beyond.”
As a chef, small farm advocate, cooking instructor, menu consultant, and serial entrepreneur, Chef Cathy McKnight embodies The Ecology Center’s ethos to cultivate a regenerative food culture. Her commitment to cooking with abundant love and respect for the earth is matched by her unique ability to connect chefs and farmers in the effort to reach a larger community. A collaborator with The Ecology Center since its beginning, Chef Cathy is a champion of seasonal local food and the farmers who grow it. From her multiple catering businesses to her appearances on the Food Network, Chef Cathy is driven by a passion to change the food system “one plate at a time.”
Cathy's new project is "Kitchen415" - Menus and Mayhem designed to disrupt & change a broken food system.
CHIARA SHANNON OF MINDFUL WINEAs featured in The Wall Street Journal, Chiara Rose Shannon is a certified Advanced Sommelier with extensive experience in fine wine sales and a leading voice in the conversation around sustainability, mindfulness and wine. Based in California, Chiara has worked as a wine buyer, writer, educator and consultant for the retail, restaurant, travel and wellness industries. Chiara is also a RYT 500 certified yoga professional and MBSR-informed mindfulness practitioner with many years of study. This unique background in wine and wellness led to the creation of her business Mindful Wine™, offering wine education, consulting and experiences for her clients.
Chiara believes in wine as part of a healthy, balanced and meaningful lifestyle. An advocate for environmental sustainability in the wine business and beyond, Chiara has niche expertise in organic, Biodynamic and natural wines. She loves to collaborate and share with others through workshops, events, and retreats.
You can learn more about her on her website, www.mindfulwine.co and connect with her on social media @theyogisommelier.