Winemakers with MAGnums of Wine, Chefs cooking a Large FORmat Feast a Silent Auction for Charity and a Conversation to Change the Future of AGriculture
SAN FRANCISCO (July 12, 2019) — Taste Network announces a multi-city tour called Mags for Ag, a social-impact dinner project with a tasty mission: to grow 50,000+ new farmers a year in America. Mags for Ag will kick-off the last week of July at host venues in Healdsburg and Los Angeles. Each dinner features notable winemakers and chefs, big bottles and large-format feast to benefit charity. At the center of the event is a silent auction and a keynote presentation on solving a problem: who is growing our future farmers?
Chef Dustin Valette of Valette’s in Healdsburg will play host to the first Mags for Ag on Sunday July 28th with an intimate, 46-person dinner. Chef Sean Dent of Drago Events will host the second stop on the rooftop of the iconic Petersen Auto Museum in Los Angeles on Thursday, August 1st. A full list of participating winemakers, wineries, chefs and restaurants are listed below. Following the dinner, trade and media are invited to the “Unicorn Party” an invite-only bring your own bottle celebration requiring a special 750ml for entry. More information and tickets, visit www.magsforag.com or follow along on Instagram at @MagsforAg @GrowAFarmer.
Each evening begins with a wine reception, Black River Caviar and passed canapés. The keynote speaker presents a Problem and Solution on how agriculture and technology can work together to support a better food future. A butcher team cooks select cuts of heritage pork, Yakitori style on hibachi grills as chefs prepare a five-course feast. Winemakers pour magnums tableside while guests bid on silent auction packages filled with cellared wines, gifts from wineries, restaurants and sponsors.
Mags for Ag is determined to raise funds for great causes in addition to starting a very important conversation in each community. Funds from the dinner will benefit national charity, Piggy Bank, and also restaurant relief following the floods in Sebastopol. Piggy Bank is a non-profit farm with the mission to preserve and protect endangered breeds of heritage pigs and support family farmers dedicated to the responsible stewardship of the earth, making our foodways more safe, honest, and delicious.
The Problem: As the farm to table movement expands, we need a resurgence of family farmers to meet the good food movement in the next 30 years. We are facing a huge loss of farmers called the “silver tsunami” aka the Baby Boomers rapidly aging out of the ability to operate their farms. This staggering amount equals 90% of farmers in the US, Mexico, and Canada. Family farmers are on life support. Without new farms, food scarcity is imminent. North America needs dynamic programs and ideas that encourage thousands of people to take up the art of growing food or we will lose the diversity, independence and variety along with safe food options.
Mags For Ag attendees love living life, drinking big wines and eating amazing food – but not just any food. They desire experiences and food from family farms, such as heirloom vegetables or responsibly raised heritage breed animals. Mags for Ag engages the community to actively support local agriculture and provide opportunities for the future farmers of America. The goal is simple: to create a foundation that will ensure we clear a path for young farmers to raise honest food for generations to come.
Participating wineries, winemakers, chefs and restaurants include:
- Small Vines Wines – Kathryn & Paul Sloan
- Lombardi Wines – Tony Lombardi
- Chenoweth Wines – Amy & Charlie Chenoweth
- Coursey Graves – Cabell Coursey
- Tongue Dancer Wines – James & Kerry MacPhail
- Arista Wines – Mark McWilliams
- Ramey Wine Cellars – Alan Ramey
- Lando Wines – Sam Lando
- Davis Family Vineyards – Guy Davis
- Silver Oak Cellars – Nate Weis
- Phifer Pavitt Wine – Suzanne Phifer Pavitt
- William Selyem – Mark Malpiede
- Sangiacomo Family Vineyards – Mike & Steve Sangiacomo
- Acorn Winery – Betsy & Bill Nachbaur
- The Donum Estate – Dan Fishman
- Kreck Wines – Mindy & Jeremy Kreck
- Booker Wines – Eric Jensen
- Arcadian Winery – Joe Davis
- Valette Restaurant – Dustin Valette (Healdsburg)
- Dry Creek Kitchen – Scott Romano (Healdsburg)
- Single Thread – Kyle Connaughton (Healdsburg)
- zazu kitchen + farm – Duskie Estes + John Stewart (Sebastopol)
- Avery – Rodney Wages (San Francisco)
- Drago Events + Petersen Auto Museum – Sean Dent (Los Angeles)
- Lapis / Chef Consultant – Joshua Whigham (Los Angeles)
- Chef Consultant – Anthony Sasso (Los Angeles)
Healdsburg Official Host: Valette’s Restaurant
When: Sunday, July 28th, 2019
Los Angeles Official Host: Petersen Auto Museum Rooftop
When: Thursday, August 1st, 2019
Time / Tickets: 5:30PM “Show & Tell” ($500) winemaker magnum opening reception
www.magsforag.com 7:00PM “Mags for Ag” ($249) reception, dinner & silent auction
THE CHARITY – PIGGY BANK
Launched in 2015, Piggy Bank is creating a farm for heritage breed pigs, many of which are endangered. Piggy Bank will provide genetics and access to shared business plans for raising heritage pigs to emerging family farms. Piggy Bank aims to change the future of food by creating a community in which small farmers can learn about safer, more responsible practices and share genetics, livestock, and the very information needed to thrive as small businesses. Piggy Bank is building a model of socially responsible agricultural transparency. Piggy Bank proudly operates as a project of Multiplier, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization which accelerates impact for initiatives focused on protecting and fostering a healthy, sustainable, resilient, and equitable world. For more information or to donate, visit www.piggy-bank.org or follow @PiggyBankOrg on Twitter. Watch the video http://j.mp/PIGGY_BANK.
