From Monday March 2nd through International Women’s Day (on Sunday March 8th), La Cocina is hosting the Week of Women in Food: seven nights of dinners featuring chefs of the upcoming La Cocina Municipal Marketplace. Unfortunately, most of the dinners are sold out, but you can still get tickets to the Sunday finale event with chef Guadalupe Moreno of Mi Morena at La Guerrera’s Kitchen (a La Cocina graduate business) and Mayra Velazquez of Xingones. It’s going to be an outdoor event on La Guerrera’s Kitchen patio, starting at 5pm in Fruitvale.
All ticket sales support the La Cocina incubator program and La Cocina Municipal Marketplace. Guests also have the opportunity to purchase La Cocina’s newly published cookbook, We Are La Cocina: Recipes in Pursuit of The American Dream (featuring five of the seven vendors) and make a direct donation to the Municipal Marketplace capital campaign goal (currently at $4.8MM of its $5.4MM goal). It will be the nation’s first women-led food hall, opening in the Tenderloin neighborhood this year. So excited.
It’s that time of the year again… Off the Grid is returning for its tenth season on Friday March 6th at Fort Mason Center! The Night Market will run until October 30th, from 5pm-10pm every Friday evening rain or shine, with more than 30 food creators. Get excited: new food partners include El Garage (the makers of a quesabirria taco which was pretty much the best thing I ate last year), OG Tacos! (also makers of quesabirria tacos), Taco Thai SF (love their flava!), The Golden Marrow, the return of Capelo’s Barbecue, along with Bini’s Kitchen, Bombzies BBQ, Curry Up Now, Jeepney Guy, Kolobok Russian Soul Food, Mestiza Taqueria, Senor Sisig, The Sarap Shop, and more. Rye on the Road will have your cocktail ready, and a dedicated Anarchist Wine Bar will feature a selection of premium wines.
Chocolate lovers, there’s a new event coming: the inaugural Craft Chocolate Experience, highlighting chocolate luminaries from around the world from March 6th-8th. Bean-to-bar makers, chocolatiers, pastry chefs, and cacao bean growers from over 25 countries will be at the Palace of Fine Arts, plus a marketplace with more than 85 artisans.
On stage will be some of the leading voices in craft chocolate, with some of the most renowned pastry chefs in the world, including Jordi Roca from El Celler de Can Roca, Spain; Chloe Doutre Roussel, expert in chocolate flavor and taste from Paris; Benjamin Figarede, the chocolate sourcer for Valrhona; and Greg D’Alesandre, “sourcerer” of Dandelion Chocolate. There will be panel discussions, pairing classes, and even some family activities.
The weekend kicks off on Friday night, with a celebration featuring chocolate desserts, specialty cocktails and beverages, and savory bites from La Cocina. ($95; 21+) Visit here for additional ticket info on the weekend marketplace, weekend pass, programming, and more. 3601 Lyon St.
The cheerful patio at La Guerrera’s Kitchen in Fruitvale. Instagram photo via @laguerreraskitchen.
