This First Ever Event Helps Support the Integrity and Quality of Our Food

This First Ever Event, “CHEFS FOR LOCAL FARMERS”, DINNER & FUNDRAISER CELEBRATES LOCAL CHEFS, FARMERS, RANCHERS & ARTISAN FOOD MAKERS

Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance (FARFA) and the Council for Healthy Food Systems are thrilled to announce this first-ever event, Chefs for Local Farmers dinner, which will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022 at the historic, riverside grounds of the UTSA Southwest Campus (formerly the Southwest School of Art), located at 300 Augusta Street. 

This will be a special evening for anyone who cares about the integrity and quality of their food. The Chefs for Local Farmers dinner will support efforts to advocate for independent family farmers and ranchers and provide educational programs to farmers and the consumers who buy their products. 

Distinguished local chefs (see list below) who are passionate about local and mindfully-grown will be preparing dishes using ingredients grown by Texas’ independent ranchers and farmers and artisan food makers. For example Chef Zepeda will be making a scrumptious Gourmet Mac-N-Cheese with fresh Gulf Shrimp and River Whey Creamery’s Keystone and Indigo Ridge cheeses. 

“We want to bring guests on a journey with us to broaden our impact and really capture the imagination of people who love good food and want to celebrate our small local farms and food producers, as well as the chefs who work with them to really let them shine,” says Lindsay Gonzales, Director of Development for FARFA. “Independent farmers can’t do what they’re doing without the support of FARFA because the system is set to only support big agriculture. Our goal is to celebrate, protect, promote and educate about what it takes to have healthy and diverse food systems.” 

MORE EVENT DETAILS

This mix-and-mingle format will include cocktails, tapas-style dishes, a chance to get to know participating local chefs, farmers, ranchers and artisan makers, as well as guest speakers, a raffle and access to the San Antonio River Walk. 

• 6:30 to 7:30 pm – VIP Cocktail Reception (for Rainmakers & Cultivators) – The VIP reception is in good hands with San Antonio nonprofit, Chef Cooperatives’ Board Members and well known San Antonio chefs that include: Stephen Paprocki, President of Chef Cooperatives; Teddy Liang; Chris Cook of Special Leaf Tea; Joseph Thadeus Martinez of Tributary and Toby Soto of Humo of San Antonio. Chef Cooperatives has a shared mission and history of supporting local farmers and ranchers by hosting incredible culinary events.

• 7:30 to 10:30 pm – Main Event (with 10+ farm fresh dishes, local beer, wine, teas and more)

• Special guest, Eddie Rodriguez, the state representative for District 51 which covers parts of Austin, will be speaking at the event. Rep. Rodriguez ran for U.S. Congress earlier this year, but did not win his primary race, so his term as state representative ends this year. While in office, he founded the Farm-to-Table Caucus in the State House and sponsored a number of FARFA’s successful bills, including laws supporting cottage food producers and farmers’ market vendors.
• Guests will have the opportunity to participate in a raffle for a chance to win great prizes, such as a private catered dinner made with locally-sourced ingredients (grand prize), a lovely Airbnb vacation rental in the Texas Hill Country along a babbling creek and fun farm tours. Each benefit ticket includes one raffle ticket. 

FEATURED CHEFS (more to be added):

• James Canter of Guerrilla Gourmet
• Chris Cook of Special Leaf Tea and Chef Cooperatives 
• Jason Garcia of Il Forno
• Elizabeth Johnson of Pharm Table
  
• Teddy Liang of Chef Cooperatives
• Jesse “Kirk” Kuykendall of Ocho at Hotel Havana and Milpa Restaurant
• Anne Ng & Jeremy Mandrell of Bakery Lorraine
• Joseph Thadeus Martinez of Tributary and Chef Cooperatives
  
• Stephen Paprocki of Chef Cooperatives 
• Jenn Riessman of Rooster Crow Baking
• Joe Saenz of Swine House
• Mariah Scott a Personal Chef and Participant on Gordon Ramsey’s Next Level Chef
• Michael Sohocki of Kimura
• Toby Soto of Humo and Chef Cooperatives
  
• Ceasar Zepeda of Sangria on the Burg and Alamo Biscuit Company

For more information, visit farmandranchfreedom.org/sa-chefs-for-local-farmers.