Thomas Keller watchers, get ready: next weekend, San Francisco will be the home to the International Association of Culinary Professional's (IACP) 35th annual conference that has a regional theme of "Dirt to Digital: Real Food in a Virtual World." Keller, Joyce Goldstein, Bruce Aidells and Andrew Knowlton of Bon Appétit are on the schedule, along with many other food world heavy hitters. IACP is a professional organization for folks of all stripes who work full time with food -- members include chefs, food stylists, TV personalities, cooking school teachers, caterers, scribes & editors, publicists and marketers, along with reps from food producers, suppliers, manufacturers and appliance makers (be on the lookout for swag!)
See also: Pop-Up Planner: The Best Temporary Restaurants, March 29-April 5
Where: SF Belle, Hornblower Yacht (remains docked), Pier 3 Embarcadero
When: Sat., April 6th, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.
Cost: $120, tickets available online
The Rundown: Perhaps it's a reaction to the Atkins Diet era, a slingshot effect that took our national focus from avoidance of grain products to a fetishistic lust for them. There is a new wave of craft beers, bakeries, and whiskies that wasn't there three or four years ago. While getting into new beers and baked goods doesn't require more of a guide than your taste buds, whisk(e)y with its the orbit of fanatical fans, high price tags, and challenging flavors, can seem a little daunting. But you can take yourself to whisk(e)y school next weekend at Whiskies of the World.
See Also:- Brush Up with Our Whisk(e)y Primer
Our weekly bite explores the city's food trucks, one at a time, highlighting our favorite mobile dishes and snacks.
The Truck: Hapa Ramen and Wise Sons Deli
The Cuisine: Food Truck Mash-up
Specialty Items: Seasonally influenced ramen (Hapa Ramen) and Jewish deli classics (Wise Sons Deli)
Worth the Wait in Line? At peak lunch time, a total 27 minutes from the end of the line to food in hand.
There is something oddly alluring about combining two different dishes into one. Before you roll your eyes too far back, hear me out. What about the turducken? The churpumple? Whether it's simply a mad dream to find a combination that multiplies the flavors into an outrageously delicious combo (without going too far into Flavortown), or because I simply spend too much time thinking about food, I had a plan.
One day while waiting my food at the Hapa Ramen stand, I looked over at their neighbor, Wise Sons and wondered, "Why aren't they doing a crossover dish that combines ramen noodles with fresh pastrami?" Intrigued by the idea, I set off to create my own dish that combined the power of both and I would call it the Wise Bowl.
See also: Making a Cherpumple at Home Proves One Long, Hot Mess
Food Truck Bite of the Week: WhipOut Whips Up Some Tasty Sides
Food Truck Bite of the Week: Hoofing Burgers at Fins on the Hoof
Where: The Grand Hall at the Ferry Building (2nd Floor)
When: Weds., Jan. 16th, 6 p.m.-8 p.m.
Cost: $50 online via Eventbrite; 21 and over
The Rundown: The Good Food Awards are coming to San Francisco this week and to kick off the excitement and sooth some nerves, CUESA is hosting a cocktail happy hour. Cocktails will be mixed up by the United States Bartenders Guild, with bartenders from local bars like Comstock (Seth Laufman), New Easy (Vita Simone), and Rye (Adrian McCarron) mixing up with the best with local winter citrus. Lenny Gumm and Fatima Wehidy from DOSA will be mixing up an intriguing sounding cocktail with grilled blood orange, and the Burritt Room shakes up a spiced apple and rum drink to warm your boots. In case you're strategizing how thick to bundle up for the event, keep in mind that this one is indoors and bigger than previous events.
See Also:
- Top Chefs and Restaurants Come Together for Two Charitable Events
We've heard that in the Navy, you can sail the seven seas. As it turns out, however, you don't need to be in uniform to enjoy unlimited samples of local beer on a WWII ship. If you prefer over 60 craft beers and a slew of food trucks to harsh seas and the threat of enemy attack, then Brews on the Bay is right up your galley (sorry, couldn't resist).
All 15 breweries from the SF Brewer's Guild will pour everything from staple brews and cask-conditioned favorites to sour brews and heavier barrel-aged creations. Since the Guild recently expanded to include local favorites such as Almanac Beer Co., Pacific Brewing Laboratory, and Shmaltz Brewing, the festival will offer a wider range of local brews than ever before. Add in views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, and you'll be enjoying the buzz of the high seas in no time. The event also comes mere days before International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so you can squeeze in some last-minute practice. Grab your first mate and peruse the details, below:
Brews on the Bay
Where: S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien, Pier 45
When: Saturday, Sept. 15, noon to 5 p.m.
Cost: $50; includes unlimited 8oz pours and access to the historic ship. Tickets here.
What: Over 60 local brews, food truck grub for purchase, and a chance to support the National Liberty Ship Memorial. Bring a camera, and be sure to convince your buddy that he's supposed to dress up like a skipper.
Yacht Rock: Summer Cocktails of the Farmers Market
Where: CUESA Kitchen at the Ferry Building (north end, near Gott's formerly Taylor's Refresher)
When: Weds., Aug. 29th, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Cost: $40 online via Eventbrite; 21 and over
The rundown: Summer may be winding down in the Bay Area in date only, but send off the sweetest produce season with some of the best farm-fresh cocktails made by San Francisco's finest bartenders. CUESA and the United States Bartenders' Guild are hosting another edition of their popular Farmer's Market Cocktail Happy Hour on Wednesday with a nautical theme, so expect to see some sailors, skippers, and Gilligans shaking up drinks. Wear your seafaring or maritime best to get a chance to take home the prize for best dressed.
