SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Nearly 700 people assembled tonight to fete the 2014 Good Food Awards winners at the fourth annual Good Food Awards Ceremony at San Francisco’s historic Palace of Fine Arts. The evening honored this year’s 130 winning food and drink producers from 32 states with a shared a passion for delicious, mindfully produced food. Culinary luminaries Alice Waters, Ruth Reichl and Nell Newman honored the 2014 winners onstage. The Ceremony commenced with opening remarks from M.C. Dr. Zeke Emanuel, co-founder of the Farmers Market at the White House and advisor to President Obama on health care, who noted the integral link between health and the growth of sustainable food communities across the country.
Sarah Weiner, Director of Seedling Projects in her closing remarks, summed up the potential impact for small producers as she congratulated winners for their integrity and likened them to the cultural revolutionaries of the 60’s:
“We are living in a time of great shifts and uncertainty. People are tiring of the accumulation of things, faster, more information, more productivity, and seeking a different way to live. But they need someone to show them the way.
A way to cut through the surface and reach human generosity, a thoughtful way, a connected way, a joyful way to live. Food is the way, and you are the poet-revolutionaries to lead us there.”
The festivities continued with a gala reception where winning products were enjoyed in abundance. Alongside regional tasting plates of cheese, charcuterie, pickles, preserves, confections and chocolates, a handful of San Francisco chefs created unique dishes highlighting winning products, including Christopher Thompson of A16, Francis Hogan of Bluestem Brasserie, Parke Ulrich of Epic Roasthouse and Waterbar, Annie Somerville of Greens Restaurant, Robin Song of Hi Lo BBQ and Hog & Rocks, Liza Shaw of Merigan Sub Shop, Telmo Faria of Tacolicious, Evan Bloom & Leo Beckerman of Wise Sons, and Renee Diskowski and Jill Thomas of Whole Foods Market.
This year’s winners were selected from 1,450 entries from all 50 states in a Blind Tasting held in September. The 225 judges, experts in their various industries, flew to San Francisco for a full day of blind tasting. Those that rose to the top were subject to a rigorous vetting process to verify they met the sustainability and social responsibility criteria to win a Good Food Award. This year’s Good Food Award winners exemplify excellence in both taste and responsible production.
2014 Good Food Awards Winners Complete List
BEER
16 Mile Brewery, Tiller Brown Ale, Delaware
Almanac Beer Company, Farmer’s Reserve No. 3 & Dogpatch Sour, California
Bear Republic Brewing Company, Café Racer 15, California
Brooklyn Brewery, Greenmarket Wheat, New York
Deschutes Brewery, Black Butte Porter, Oregon
Founders Brewing Company, All Day IPA, Michigan
Grand Teton Brewing Company, Sweetgrass APA, Idaho
Independence Brewing Company, Independence Pale, Texas
Jester King Brewery, Atrial Rubicite & RU-55 Barrel-Aged Sour Red, Texas
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, iO, Michigan
Lakefront Brewery, Inc., Wisconsinite Summer Weiss, Wisconsin
Ninkasi Brewing Company, Believer Double Red, Oregon
Port City Brewing Company, Optimal Wit, Virginia
Victory Brewing Company, Helios Ale, Pennsylvania
CHARCUTERIE
Charlito’s Cocina, Cerveza Seca – Dry Cured Beer Salami, New York
Continental Sausage, Buffalo Pastrami, Colorado
Cypress, Culatello, South Carolina
Daniele, Inc., Mortadella with Pistachios & Del Duca Vlado’s Riserva Prosciutto, Rhode Island
El Salchichero, Coppa & Prosciutto de Santa Cruz, California
Formaggio Kitchen, Pickled Beef Tongue & Pate de Campagne, Massachusetts
Fra’ Mani Handcrafted Foods, Salame Calabrese, California
Gary West Artisan Smoked Meats, Silver Fork Natural – Traditional, Oregon
Guglhupf Bakery, Restaurant and Cafe, Smoked Hog Head Cheese, North Carolina
Olympic Provisions, Salami Cotto, Oregon
P. Balistreri Salumi, Salami Point Loma “Rosemary and Garlic”, California
Tails & Trotters, LLC, Applewood Smoked Ham, Oregon
The French Bulldog, Hungarian Salami, Nebraska
Underground Meats, Sopressata,Wisconsin
Wheat and Sons, Pickled Beef Tongue, California
CHEESE
Ancient Heritage Dairy, Hannah, Oregon
Bellwether Farms, Whole Milk Ricotta & Carmody, California
Blackberry Farm, Downer Brown, Tennessee
Canal Junction Farmstead Cheese, Charloe, Ohio
Caves of Faribault, St. Pete’s Select Blue Cheese & Jeff’s Select, Minnesota
Farms for City Kids Foundation, Tarentaise, Vermont
Glendale Shepherd, Island Brebis, Washington
Jacobs and Brichford Farmstead Cheese, Everton, Indiana
Nature’s Harmony Farm, Georgia Gold Clothbound Cheddar, Georgia
Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company, Toma, California
Sequatchie Cove Creamery, Dancing Fern, Tennessee
Sprout Creek Farm, Madeleine, New York
Uplands Cheese, Pleasant Ridge, Wisconsin
von Trapp Farmstead, Mt. Alice, Vermont
CHOCOLATE
Askinosie Chocolate, 62% Dark Milk Chocolate, Fleur de Sel & 70% Ecuador, Missouri
Blue Bandana Chocolate Maker, Madagascar Wild Pepper 70% Dark & Madagascar 70% Dark, Vermont
Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate, 72% Belize, Toledo, California
Fruition Chocolate, Dominican 70%, New York
Guittard Chocolate Company, Collection Etienne Eureka Works Meritage Blend #27 | 100%, California
Madre Chocolate, Triple Cacao, Hawaii
Patric Chocolate, Signature 70% Blend & Mocha OMG, Missouri
Rogue Chocolatier, Hispaniola, Silvestre & Balao, Massachusetts
Videri Chocolate Factory, 90% Dark Chocolate Ecuador Camino Verde, North Carolina
COFFEE
1000 Faces Coffee, Suke Quto, Georgia
De La Paz Coffee, Kenya Gichathaini & Peel Sessions, California
Flying Goat Coffee, Ethiopia Wote Konga, California
Intelligentsia Coffee, Organic Shegole Ethiopia, California
Kickapoo Coffee Roasters, Organic Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Idido, Wisconsin
Kuma Coffee, Kenya Kiamabara AA, Washington
Metropolis Coffee Company, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aylele, Illinois
Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., Ethiopia Konga, Washington
Panther Coffee, Ethiopia Chelba & Nicaragua Kailash
ReAnimator Coffee Roasters, Ethiopia Sota, Pennsylvania
Roast House, Batzchocola Guatemalan, Washington
Sightglass Coffee Roasters, Ethiopia Guji Yetatebe, California
Square One Coffee, Guatemala Acatenango, Pennsylvania
Tandem Coffee Roasters, Aylele Yirgacheffe Ethiopia, Maine
CONFECTIONS
Alma Chocolate, Sea Salt Hazelnut Crunch Bar, Oregon
Cacao Art Chocolates, Tupelo Honey and Cardamom, Florida
Chocolats Latour LLC, Rosemary Almond Brittle, Ohio
Coco Delice, Beer Bon Bon, California
Feve Artisan Chocolatier, Hazelnut Crunch Bar, California
French Broad Chocolates, Indian Kulfi Truffle, North Carolina
Fruition Chocolate, Brown Butter Bourbon Caramels, New York
Kakao Chocolate, Lavender Truffle, Missouri
Nosh This, Almond Toffee, California
Nutty Steph’s, Inc, Salted Caramel Bar, Vermont
Patric Chocolate, Mint CRUNCH Chocolate Bar, Missouri
Sapore della Vita, Caramel Sauce, Florida
Serendipity Confections, Chocolate Covered Butter Caramels with Fleur de Sel, Colorado
Trini Treats, LLC, Coconut Fudge, New York
WR Chocolatier, Mocha, North Carolina
Xocolatl de David, Raleigh Bar & Brown Butter Bar, Oregon
OILS
Berkeley Olive Grove, California Mission Blood Orange Olive Oil, California
Fattoria Muia, Fattoria Muia Extra Virgin Olive Oil, California
Frantoio Grove, Frantoio Grove Extra Virgin Olive Oil, California
Glashoff Farms, Roasted Walnut Oil, California
Hammons Black Walnuts, Black Walnut Oil, Missouri
Jovia Groves Olive Oil, Arbequina, California
MoonShadow Grove, Ascolano, California
Seka Hills, Seka Hills Arbequina, California
Stony Brook WholeHeartedFoods, Delicata Squash Seed Oil & Butternut Squash Seed Oil, New York
Tallgrass Ranch, Tallgrass Ranch Estate Blend, California
Tiber Canyon Ranch, Tiber Canyon Ranch California Extra Virgin Olive Oil, California
PICKLES
Baba’s Cooking School, Lala Sauce, Washington DC
Confituras, Pickled Blueberries, Texas
Firefly Kitchens, Firefly Kimchi, Washington
Gordy’s Pickle Jar, Sweet Pepper Relish, Washington DC
Happy Pantry, Power Krautage, California
Jarred SF Brine, Sweet Spiced Pickled Cherries, California
Marcia’s Munchies, Bread & Butter, Michigan
Oly Kraut, Sea Vegetable, Curry Kraut & Cumin Jalapeño Kraut, Washington
Pogue Mahone Pickles, Dill & Garlic Pickles, Texas
Rick’s Picks, Smokra, New York
SouthPort Grocery, Onion Marmalade, Illinois
The Brinery, Sea Stag & Oh Gee Kimchi, Michigan
Two Chicks Farm, Dill Kraut, North Carolina
Wine Forest, Pickled Sea Beans, California
PRESERVES
Bathtub Gin, Limoncello Strawberry, Tennessee
Black Radish Creamery, Mr. Atwood’s Jelly, Ohio
Blake Hill Preserves, Plum & Fennel Chutney, Vermont
Central Bottle Wine + Provisions, Juliet Tomato Jam with Hand Harvested Fennel Pollen, Massachusetts
Crosstown Sweets, Plum & Star Anise Jam, New York
Garden Dreams Houston, Peaches and Dream, Texas
Kelly’s Jelly, Kelly’s Habañero Pepper Jelly & Kelly’s Strawbañero Pepper Jelly, Oregon
Kuaiwi Farm, Papaya, Apple Banana, Rangpur Lime Fruit Leather, Hawaii
Lilli-Pilli Patisserie, Mirabelle Plum, Washington
Mimi’s Confitures, Onion Jam, California
Plumline, Santa Rosa Plum Jam, California
Quince & Apple, Tart Cherry Grenadine, Wisconsin
Republic of Jam, Marionberry Espresso, Oregon
Swallowtail Farm, Rhubarb Syrup, Michigan
The Jelly Queens, Blood Orange Marmalade, Texas
SPIRITS
Clear Creek Distillery, Pear Eau de Vie, Mirabelle Plum Eau de Vie & Cranberry Liqueur, Oregon
Delaware Phoenix Distillery, Delaware Phoenix Rye & Delaware Phoenix Bourbon, New York
Essential Spirits, Sgt. Classick Gold Hawaiian Rum, California
Falcon Spirits LLC, Botanica Spiritvs, California
Organic Nation, Organic Nation Gin, Old Field Rye Whiskey & Organic Nation Vodka, Oregon
Osocalis, Inc., Apple Brandy & Rare Alambic Brandy, California
Rogue Ales & Spirits, Oregon Single Malt Vodka & Spruce Gin, Oregon
Good Food Awards Weekend Continues
This year’s winners shifted the conversation from financial return to community growth, acknowledging a positive impact on human and environmental health as a corollary. This discussion will continue on Friday, January 17 as Good Food Award Winners and Good Food Merchants Guild members assemble for a panel discussion on the intersection of food and technology co-hosted by the Impact Hub Bay Area, Social Capital Markets (SOCAP) and Whole Foods Market.
On Saturday, January 18, an estimated 15,000 locals and visitors alike will support the growth of this community at the Good Food Awards Winners Marketplace, as winners sample and sell their products (many not available in the Bay Area) alongside the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. Tickets are $5 at the door. The first hour is reserved for Early Access tickets ($15) and offers press a chance to meet the producers before the crowds. All early birds will take home an exclusive Good Food Awards goody bag filled with tasty, authentic and responsibly made products from our Good Food Merchants Guild members.
The annual Beer & Spirits Garden also returns Saturday, with the 2014 Good Food Awards-winning brewers and distillers in town from all over the country at 18 Reasons. From 1-4pm to sample their brews and spirits – many not normally available in California – in their pure states and in reinvented classic cocktails from Rye on the Road. Tickets ($15) allow guests to taste everything and are available in limited quantity. ###
SPONSORS
The Good Food Awards would not be possible without the generous support of its many partners. We would like to specially thank Premiere Sponsor Williams Sonoma, Founding Partner Whole Foods Market, as well as Good Food Awards Lead Sponsors Bi-Rite Market, the San Francisco Ferry Building and CUESA. The generous support of Dominic Phillips Event Marketing, Veritable Vegetable, Wente Vineyards, Market Hall Foods, New Resource Bank and the Impact Hub Bay Area are also critical to the success of the Good Food Awards.
ABOUT SEEDLING PROJECTS
Seedling Projects, a California public benefit corporation, is led by Sarah Weiner and Dominic Phillips, who have united their diverse skills to support the sustainable food movement. Through focused events and strategic models it
engages the public in finding better ways to feed our communities. Find more information at: www.seedlingprojects.org
Source: Seedling Projects
