The Fancy Food Show in San Francisco always brings us some wonderful new guests as we discover new foods and ingredients. We were delighted to find Lawless Jerky and you'll enjoy their story. Slow Living Radio welcomes two guests to the show today who celebrate the land and it's resources. Matt Tolnick creator of Lawless Jerky brings us the story behind his creation of a wonderful grass fed beef jerky, and Laura and Brandon Fox, owner of Winery Chefs, talk embracing the land, the farmers and true seasonality.
Lawless Jerky was founded by attorney Matt Tolnick, who
realized that he could bring more smiles to more faces through his jerky than
through his lawyering. So Matt bravely left his practice to pursue his passion:
crafting small-batch jerky by hand and in powerful and unique Braver Flavors™.
Lawless Jerky offers seven world-inspired flavors, including Sweet Sriracha
(beef), Aloha Teriyaki (beef), BBQ Spare Rib (pork), Pho (beef), and Japanese
Curry (beef). All flavors are thoughtfully handmade with consciously raised
meats, including 100% grass-fed beef and hormone-free, antibiotic-free pork.Lawless Jerky is America's Craft Jerky™, proudly made in
Arizona, USA.
Over the past 2 years Lawless Jerky has grown from a small
apartment kitchen in Santa Monica, CA into a state-of-the-art beef jerky
facility in Arizona. Unlike almost all major beef jerky brands, Lawless Jerky’s
founder, Matt, still creates every flavor from scratch. And they still make
their jerky by hand in micro-batches.
Their secret marinades and proprietary processing methods
help give the jerky a flavor that will be well-balanced and last through the
chew. You won't find any shiny, sugary coating or strange chewiness; our meat
tastes like carefully flavored meat. No added nitrates/nitrites. No added MSG.
No corn syrup.
Laura was raised in
Italian family in Central Florida that spent every holiday gathered around a
big table which was sure to be filled with good food and wine. Following her
graduation from Florida State University, Laura returned to her Italian roots
traveling to Northern Italy to work with world renowned Chef Carlo Zarri. She
later pursued her education at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park
in the Hudson Valley where she developed a passion for Artisan products
including charcuterie, cheese, and seasonal biodynamic produce. Wanting to
continue to grow and surround herself with the best possible ingredients, Laura
and her husband Brandon moved West to Northern California. There she trained
and worked at such notable restaurants as Chez Panisse, The Restaurant at
Meadowood, Ciccio Napa Valley, and The Local Butcher Shop before purchasing
Winery Chefs and becoming the Chef and Owner in March 2015.
Brandon brings a wealth of
experience in operations to the team. Feeling a gentle pull from Laura’s CIA
training, the slow food movement growing throughout the Hudson Valley, and his
personal love for food and wine, he chose to switch his focus to front-of-the-house
restaurant experience. Brandon spent time building his skills at such
noteworthy establishments as The Local, expanding his horizons in fine dining
and fine wines. Upon arriving in Napa Valley, he continued his pursuit at
several area establishments before securing a position with the prestigious
Restaurant at Meadowood in 2013. Fascinated by the viniculture of the area, he
later pursued an opportunity to gain some first-hand knowledge in wine sales
and operations.
Slow Living Radio visits the historic Grand Dame of San Francisco, The San Francisco Fairmont, to catch up on all their latest news, their honeybee program and gardens, honey beer series and wine program, and the iconic Tonga Room 70th anniversary. We welcome Tom Klein, General Manager, Executive Chef Andrew Court and Food and Beverage Director, Eric Overstreet, to bring us their fabulous story!
World-renowned, Fairmont San Francisco presents an
awe-inspiring picture of historic San Francisco. The grandeur of the luxury
hotel atop Nob Hill coupled with its reputation for impeccable service
promises a truly memorable experience during a San Francisco vacation. Known
for turning moments into memories for leisure and business travelers alike this
luxury San Francisco hotel has been host to some of the most
influential meetings and events, breathtaking weddings and personalized special occasions of the
century.
With a panoramic view of the City and the Bay from high
atop Nob Hill, Fairmont San Francisco hotel presents an unmatched blend of
luxurious accommodations, elegant meeting spaces and superb services, which
make for an unforgettable stay.Centrally
located, this luxury San Francisco hotel is a short cable car trip from
the bustling Downtown, Financial District, Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf.
In fact, Fairmont San Francisco hotel is the only spot in San Francisco where
each of the City's cable car lines meet.
Fairmont San Francisco offers three fabulous dining
options. Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar offers
exotic Asian cuisine, along with the City's best Mai Tai, in the unforgettable
setting of a tropical rainforest. Laurel
Court Restaurant & Bar offers a true San Francisco
fine dining experience featuring local ingredients and fresh seafood from San
Francisco Bay, paired with one-of-a-kind wines from the area's
top boutique wineries and local craft beers in San Francisco.
Inspired by the cafes of Europe, Caffé Cento combines
the coffee of illy with the chocolate of Ghirardelli and the hospitality of
Fairmont.
In June 2010, Fairmont San Francisco, in partnership
with Marshall’s Farm, installed honey beehives in the hotel’s culinary garden.
This home-harvested honey is used in soups, salad dressings, pastries and as an
accompaniment to the hotel’s time-honored afternoon tea service. It is
also used in Fairmont San Francisco’s own Honey Saison Beer, which is offered on
draft in Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar.
Tom Klein, Andrew Court and Eric Overstreet
Tom Klein
Regional Vice President
- California & General Manager of The Fairmont San Francisco
“Select, lead, train and recognize,” is Klein’s mantra and
personal mission statement toward providing exceptional guest service. Klein
focuses on the customer and finds creative ways to satisfy guests’ needs while
prioritizing colleague training to ensure that staff continues to provide
uncompromising levels of service. Two years ago, Mayor Newsom presented a
“Certificate of Honor” for his tireless public service and philanthropic
contributions. During daily interaction with staffers at all levels, he
constantly inspires colleagues to provide exceptional guest service. Klein
brings the same intense level of engagement to his charitable endeavors. In
2012, Klein led an unprecedented city-wide crusade that united San Francisco
hoteliers in a “Million Dollar Mission” (MDM) benefiting the Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society. Enlisting colleagues’ specialized skills and corporate
support, this groundbreaking campaign raised funds for financial, education and
social services for those affected by blood cancer. Tom’s hard work on this
campaign positively affected not only the Hospitality Industry, but the
community as a whole. In 2012, Klein was honored with CH&LA’s GM of the
Year Award and in 2013 he received the Hotel Council of San Francisco’s
Lifetime Achievement Award.
Executive Chef
Andrew Court,
Executive Chef
Andrew Court brings three decades of experience and a lifetime of passion for
cuisine to his role at the iconic Fairmont San Francisco. Court has
worked with inspiring chefs from Europe to the Caribbean, gaining a strong
combination of technical knowledge and personal connection to food that now
enables him to present guests with the very best of Northern California’s
celebrated fare.
In his role,
Court leads The Fairmont San Francisco’s culinary operations, including
banquets and catering as well as the hotel’s signature Laurel Court Restaurant
& Bar and Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar. Prior to joining The
Fairmont San Francisco, Court served as Executive Sous Chef at another landmark
hotel, The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, Ontario.
“As a chef and
new resident of the Bay Area, I am excited to continue and grow the strong relationships
that The Fairmont San Francisco has forged with this wonderful region’s best
purveyors,” says Court. “These local ties are what enable our hotel to create
authentically local, seasonal menus and create vivid dining memories for our
guests.”
Court believes
in being a hands-on executive chef and enjoys working in the kitchen alongside
cooks to teach them and collaborate in developing new dishes and techniques.
Despite his expertise and varied roles throughout his career, Court very much
considers his own culinary education ‘a work still in progress’ and continues
to seek out ways to add to his gastromonic repertoire.
Court’s
progressive career in culinary leadership began in his native Birmingham,
England and kept him in the UK until 1990, when he took an opportunity to work
in Cologne, Germany then the island of Madeira. Next he headed to
Bermuda, where he was employed by the famed Fairmont Hamilton Princess for a
period of his time there. In 1997, he arrived in Canada, working as Sous
Chef at The Fairmont Algonquin Hotel in New Brunswick, before making his way to
Vancouver. Thereafter he held executive positions at several other hotel
brands and award-winning restaurants and attended the 2006 Torino Winter
Olympics, representing Canada and Jet Sports, for their VIP guest attendees.
He also oversaw a Vancouver casino’s $5 Million food & beverage
renovation in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
In addition to
culinary pursuits, Court counts motor sports, sailing and rugby amongst his favorite
pastimes.
Eric Overstreet
Director, Food and Beverage
Eric has many
years of progressive experience in the Food & Beverage division. His career
began when he was selected in 2004 as Banquet Manager for Hyatt Regency
Westlake, in Westlake Village, California. In April of 2006 he transferred to
the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Rosemont, Illinois as their Beverage Manager. He
was subsequently promoted to Director of Outlets at the same property, a role
he held from 2006 to 2008. In April 2008 Eric joined the Hyatt Regency Hill
Country Resort and Spa, San Antonio, Texas as Assistant Director of Food &
Beverage and held that position until 2010, when he transferred to Hyatt Regency
Denver, Denver, Colorado as Assistant Director, Food & Beverage. Eric
re-located to New Jersey in 2011 as Director of Food and Beverage, Hyatt
Regency New Brunswick.He is currently
the Director, Food and Beverage at Fairmont San Francisco.
Tonga Room
The Fairmont
San Francisco created an indoor 75-foot swimming pool on its Terrace Level in
1929. Known as the "Fairmont Terrace Plunge", the elaborate
tile pool attracted local crowds as well as celebrities such as actress Helen
Hayes, actor Ronald Reagan and members of the Water Follies.
In 1945,
Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s leading set director, Mel Melvin, was hired to transform
the Terrace Plunge into the Tonga Room. The pool became a lagoon, a
floating stage for the orchestra that entertained guests each evening.
Not surprisingly, Tonga Room was an instant success.
Tonga Room
has been recognized as one of the nation’s hottest bars by InStyle, Gourmet, Travel &
Leisure, Harper’s Bazaar and Wallpaper
magazines and has been recently featured on ABC,
Travel Channel & Food
Network.
Tonga Room
& Hurricane Bar has delighted guests with its tropical décor, decadent
libations and Asian cuisine since 1945. Having reigned as a swanky
outpost of South Seas high style for much of its storied history, Tonga Room
more recently gained a following as an icon of tiki’s pop culture heyday of the
1940s and 1950s. Following a $1 million restoration by Gensler San
Francisco, Tonga Room has rekindled the excitement of its unique and
time-honored décor to recapture the glory of one of the nation’s first tiki
palaces.
Beehives and
gardens
In June 2010, The Fairmont San Francisco, in
partnership with Marshall’s Farm, installed honey beehives in the hotel’s
culinary garden in order to help support the bee population, which has
decreased in number by 90 percent since the 1980s.
Beekeepers established four nascent beehives, each
containing approximately 20,000 bees, in the culinary garden that is located
outdoors on the hotel’s lobby level. Currently beehives each house up to
50,000 bees.
The United States Department of Agriculture believes a
virus is responsible for the collapse of honey bee colonies. This
situation is often called “CCD” or Colony Collapse Disorder. Without
honey bees, pollination is not possible. The decrease of the honey bee
population is extremely significant since one out of three mouthfuls in the
diet is affected by the honey bee population.
The installation was the first step in cultivating the
culinary garden, which now measures 1,000 square feet. The garden contains
rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, chives and cilantro along with lavender.
Guests can view the culinary garden through floor to ceiling windows in the
foyer leading to the hotel’s Pavilion Room.
“The cultivation of honey beehives marks the latest step
in The Fairmont’s history of environmental stewardship. Our hotel has
been part of the fabric of San Francisco for more than a century and its
success can be attributed to an enduring commitment to the local community and
environment,” explains Regional Vice President and General Manager of The
Fairmont San Francisco Tom Klein.
Wine Program:
Hotels and Resorts in Fairmont’s West
Coast Collection worked hand-in-hand with the award-winning winemakers at
Raymond Vineyards to develop the exclusive Gen F California Cabernet Sauvignon
and Chardonnay. Our Cabernet Sauvignon envelops the palate with red fruit
flavors of raspberry, cherry and red plum with subtle notes of white pepper and
vanilla. The elegant Chardonnay offers floral notes of honeysuckle and orange
blossom with hints of almond balanced with bright citrus flavors and a touch of
vanilla.
Both
varietals will be our signature offering for catering and group events
Slow Living Radio brings in the New Year by going back to the ultimate basics. Your hands in the ground, giving life to the food that will eventually grace your plates and the plates of others. What more perfect way to get the year off to a more mindful, healthy, tasty, active and sustainable start! May it inspire you to build your own. We have the honor of three esteemed guests: Graham Kerr, Celebrity Chef, Author, Teacher and now gardener; Aaron Keefer, Culinary Gardener for the coveted French Laundry in Yountville; and Matt Gunn, Farm Manager for the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone.
Graham Kerr
(aka "Galloping Gourmet")
AT THE AGE
of 76, Graham Kerr decided to rip out his front lawn and plant a kitchen
garden. And with that seemingly simply act, he set out to change the world.
Again.
“For so many years I lived in the
tyranny of the urgent, with deadline after deadline,” he says. “But planting
the garden allowed me to slow down and watch the miracle of life and nature
unfolding.”
Knowing how fruits and vegetables
grow, “I understand food properly for the first time, so I cook with greater
understanding and simplicity,” he says. “Now you can’t hold me down. I finally
discovered what enthusiasm for food really
means.”
Flash of Silver, the leap that changed my
world” is more than a celebrity memoir. It contains a powerful remedy for
indifference in just one word…resilience!
Resilience has begun to outstrip
“sustainability” as the action to be taken to preserve many species, including
our own.
Kerr uses his whole life, so far, to show
how consumption habits are often formed and how these can, if taken to excess,
become harmful to both individuals and to our planet.
Kerr, as the “Galloping Gourmet” was referred
to, during his international TV series, as the “High Priest of Hedonism”. He
had learned how to eat, cook and profit from some of the finest and richest
foods in the World and he used those gifts with enormous enthusiasm and good
humor.
Suddenly everything changed as an accident
severed his success with one blow.
Searching for a return to resilience for
himself and his family he began an ocean sailing adventure that
took them 24,000 miles in 2 years. He learned a whole new
way to eat and how to “get to his food fast before someone got there first”.
Then follows one of the most observed
U-turns ever made by one man. The Kerr’s went from a conspicuous gourmet
lifestyle to that of a small family living their lives beyond immediate
self-interest and they did this in plain sight!
Following this radical change, the Kerr’s
begin to experience another motive and another voice. Their time at sea
had introduced them to a life with less distraction from the media and the
resulting value of silence when being “set apart”.
Graham uses the literary practice of the
“extended metaphor” to enquire how habits are both formed and
relinquished. He does this by comparing his life with that of a wild
pacific Chinook salmon. Using poetic license, imagination and good science
he asks his readers to hear from the salmon…direct and to see how both
man and fish have somewhat similar rites of passage.
They are swept “downstream” where they face
continuous discovery, some of which are difficult, some joyful…even hilarious.
At no time is the life of either “narrator”
without the twists and turns of the unforeseen when life itself is both
threatened and then filled to overflowing with love and being loved.
It’s a wild ride as a faith beyond their
immediate self-interest emerges as the scent of their natal river begins to
provide direction for their way back home, where it all began.
As Culinary Gardener for The French Laundry, Aaron Keefer
grows and harvests specialty vegetables for Chef Thomas Keller’s The French
Laundry, Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and Bouchon Bakery in Yountville, CA. The desire for
excellence goes beyond Chef Keller’s kitchens—Aaron collaborates on a daily
basis with each culinary team to ensure that they receive only the very best
produce possible.
Aaron’s path toward working for one of the most respected
chefs in the world included a series of serendipitous moments, beginning with
his first memory of picking sun-warmed strawberries from his grandfather’s farm
in upstate New York at age 5. Growing up in a farming culture, he was
exposed to the rhythms of the land from a very early age and understood that
cultivating with care translated to delicious and healthful food at the table.
In his late teens, Aaron was drawn to the chaos of the
kitchen. He liked the idea that a chef could conduct so many moving parts
and distill them onto a plate, and ultimately, into a refined experience for
the guest. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he moved to
California and honed his kitchen skills under Bay Area Chefs Michael Chiarello
from Tra Vigne in St. Helena and Julian Serrano at Masa’s in San Francisco. He
subsequently became the Executive Chef at Marin Country Club and was later
promoted as its Food and Beverage Director.
His desire to continue learning from the best restaurant
in the industry led him to do a kitchen trail at The French Laundry. Part of
his training involved spending time in the culinary garden, as Chef Keller
believes that everyone needs to gain an understanding and respect for where
food comes from.
This immersion rekindled Aaron’s childhood connection and
led to his transition from cooking to farming in 2009. Accepting the position
of Culinary Gardener last January, Aaron continues to strive on a daily basis
to make improvements upon the quality of the produce, the soil, and the
grounds, in order to supply the chefs with only the very best.
Matt Gunn
is the farm manager at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) at Greystone.
Gunn is responsible for all functions of the college’s four-acre farm,
including propagation, cultivation, crop planning, soil health, harvest, and
student coordination and education. The farm is located at the Charles Krug
Winery adjacent to the campus in St. Helena, CA in St. Helena. Gunn also
oversees the herb terrace on the Greystone campus.
Students
pursuing a concentration in American Food Studies: Farm-to-Table Cooking in the
CIA’s bachelor’s degree program work closely with Gunn during their semester at
the Greystone campus. The students plan, prepare, and serve five-course public
dinners on Friday and Saturday nights at The Conservatory restaurant on campus,
based upon ingredients harvested from the farm.
Before
joining the CIA in 2014, Gunn was an assistant grower at Oakhill Farm in
Sonoma, CA. He worked for Bob Cannard at Cannard Farm in Sonoma, which provides
produce to Chez Panisse, and he studied under well-respected agronomist Bob
Shaffer at Kona Keei Farm in Honaunau, HI.
During his
career he also worked at Muleheart Farm and Green String Farm in Petaluma, CA
and was a volunteer with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms in Argentina
and Washington State.
Mr. Gunn
holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in literature/writing from the University of
California, San Diego. He has served as an Americorps Volunteer with the
Conservations Corps North Bay, where he also was a crew leader for the Sonoma
County Youth Ecology Corps.
Slow Living Radio welcomes Megan Broberg, creator of Appleman Cider and Paul Martin of Napa Valley Distillery to bring in the New Year and say farewell to 2015. We hear of Megan's inspirational path from advertising to winemaker to creator of the fabulous designer line of Ciders. Paul Martin brings his mixology prowess to the show with new ideas, trends, tipples for parties and more adventures. Sit back, pour yourself your favorite beverage and enjoy!
Megan Broberg started
her career in the advertising industry, spending over 15 years working for some
of the biggest agencies in the world. Then, through a chance temp job at
Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley, she began the transition to winemaker.
Thanks to the
wonderfully symbiotic relationship between advertising and alcohol the
transition was a relatively easy one. Trading high heels and city glamour for
work boots and a ute, Megan enrolled in Wine Science at Charles Sturt, and
continued to expand her winemaking knowledge with vintage roles at Rosemount
Estate, Domaine Chandon, then working as a production winemaker in the Southern
Highlands in NSW.
In 2013, seeing the
explosion of popularity of cider, and not finding any cider that she liked,
Megan launched Appleman with at desire to bring the sensibility of winemaking
to cider production. But also, to have the experimental freedom in flavor
development that traditional winemaking does not allow.
The first cider,
Primo, launched in January 2013 was an apple cider with a touch of fresh pear. This
was followed in August, by the launch of Apple with Green Tea, and Apple with
Rosewater. All the ciders are made with 100% fresh fruit (not concentrate) from
the Snowy Mountains of NSW, and are flavoured with the purest natural
ingredients; using the finest hand milled Matcha green tea from Japan, and
organic distilled Roses.
The ciders are sold in
Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore, and all going to plan she will be expanding
into the US by summer 2016.
Tonight, Paul brings us ideas for celebration, trends and tipples for
the new year, and some great recipes.
Paul had been enjoying “mixed” beverages since 2001, but it wasn’t
until 2008 that he learned the difference between good and bad “booze” and
became “intoxicated” with the industry.Working his way through all aspects, from tour guide, to production,
bottling, tasting room management, and of course, mixing, Paul has an acute
sense of the defining levels of many
spirits including vodka, gin, brandy, tequila, rum, whiskey, absinthe, liquor,
and the accompanying world of bitters.
Leading the tasting room of Napa Valley Distillery, Paul
is often seen guiding large groups through a more extensive selection of
beverages than one would ever see in a wine tasting room.One could wonder whether his goal was to
educate or inebriate?
Family owned and operated by Arthur and
Lusine Hartunian, Napa Valley Distillery was founded on one basic principal -
Make it different!
