Latest news with #culinaryevents
Forbes
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Inside Mendocino Grove's Celebration Of Local Bounty, Community & Connection
Mendocino Grove Friday Night Dinners Mendocino Grove, the award winning, upscale camping retreat on the picturesque Mendocino coast, has evolved into more than just a weekend escape—it's now a seasonal hub for food, music, and community gathering. Throughout the summer and into fall, the property hosts weekly Friday Night Dinners and a series of special culinary events that highlight regional farms, local talent, and the rugged luxury of outdoor life on the Mendocino coast. These experiences are open to both guests and the public, offering a laid back, yet lively, way to connect over a shared meal. At the heart of the weekly dinners is Chef Chantelle Sookram, whose résumé includes Nopa in San Francisco and Blue Hill in New York—two restaurants known for their strong focus on local sourcing and seasonality. Before landing in Mendocino, she co-founded the Miami-based pop-up series Love and Vegetables in partnership with Earth n' Us Farm. Now working closely with producers like Nye Ranch, Mist Farm, and Wavelength Farm, Sookram adapts each week's menu based on what's in seasona and growing locally. 'Friday Night Dinners were created to welcome our campers with a comforting, home-style meal after a long drive,' says co-owner Teresa Raffo. 'Each week is inspired by a global comfort dish, like chicken pot pie, lasagna, or ramen, built around high-quality ingredients and whatever's fresh from our local farms.' Each dinner includes an entrée, side, and dessert for $30 per adult and $15 per child. Guests bring their own drinks, settle into the communal meadow complete with fire pits and lounge seating, and enjoy live music from local musicians like 2Ton Bridge and Kendall Dean. The vibe is unfussy and relaxed, but rooted in intention and quality. From Indian butter chicken and carnitas bowls to cottage pie and chicken tagine, each weekly dinner offers a different cuisine. Mendocino Grove Friday Night Dinners To keep things fresh, Mendocino Grove also brings in guest chefs for one-off dinners. 'Chef Chantelle is the heartbeat of our food program, but we love bringing in guest chefs, especially during our Winemaker Dinners,' says Raffo. 'This season we've hosted Chef Garrick Tallman for paella and wood-fired pizza, Chef Mark Dym for gumbo, and Chef Kathy Fang, who's cooking for the PlumpJack dinner. It brings fresh energy to the table while keeping our core philosophy intact.' Menus often draw on global inspirations—like Indian curries or Creole classics—but are tailored to the off-grid setting. 'We focus on honoring the essential flavors. A dish like paella starts with great saffron, good stock, and fresh local produce,' says Raffo. 'Cooking outdoors adds its own magic—open flames, wood ovens, and that sense of being close to nature. It makes each dish feel a little more connected to the land.' The next event? BBQ Dinner & Music: Travis Howard, Danny Merrick & Friends on August 24th. The events also reflect Mendocino Grove's broader values, with seasonal themes and nonprofit collaborations woven throughout the calendar. 'Our seasonal event ideas come from two places: our community partnerships and what's in season,' Raffo explains. 'We collaborate with organizations like the Mendocino Film Festival, Mendocino Music Festival, and The Good Farm Fund… Every dish starts with what's fresh and local. It's what gives our events their soul.' Two standout fall events highlight this approach. The Good Farm Fund Anniversary Dinner supports local agriculture with a hyper-seasonal menu featuring ingredients from farms that have directly benefited from the nonprofit's grant program. Mendocino Grove event 'This event is rooted in gratitude,' explains Raffo. 'The Good Farm Fund provides critical grants to local farms and helps make their food more accessible… It's farm-to-table in its purest form, and a way for us all to give back.' Then there's the fourth annual Fall Festival coming up November 14th and 15th, which marks the close of camping season. This highly-anticipated event features two days of musical acts featuring Marshall House Project, The Gold Souls and Tracorum; crafts that include leather work, Shibori dying napkins and things, macrame and flower crowns; and a selection of food such as chile con carne and Thai green curry. 'It's a true community celebration and is intimate—under 200 guests—all-inclusive, and deeply intentional,' Raffo adds. 'We gather under one big tent to eat, make things, listen to music, and dance… a chance to celebrate the land, the farmers, and the shift into fall.' Whether it's a Friday night ramen bowl or a once-a-year festival dinner, Mendocino Grove's food programming remains rooted in its location, its people, and the seasons that shape them both.
News24
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
News24's guide to the hottest food events and culinary news in South Africa
From tantalizing chef collaborations to vibrant food festivals, we've got the lowdown on the latest restaurant news, exclusive specials, and upcoming food events in South Africa. News24 Food is here to help you find events to mark on your calendar and guide you on where to dine next. Do you have a food event you think our readers should know about? Mail us on food@ We also have a wine specific events page that you can view here. We update this page frequently, so tap on the bookmark ribbon at the top of your screen so you can easily come back to it to see the latest events and news. MAY EVENTS 30 May - 1 June - The Good Life Show (Cape Town) Dive into South Africa's premier food and lifestyle event featuring innovative, plant-based, organic, and sustainability-focused products to explore and purchase. Enjoy interactive experiences like chef and mixology demos, wellness activities, and culinary tastings, plus gain insights from top culinary experts. Open to trade and public, this event offers something for everyone passionate about food, health, and eco-conscious living. General Admission (Adult): R175 Weekend Pass (Adult): R265 View this post on Instagram A post shared by @goodlifeshowafrica 31 May - Feastival (Cape Town) Feastival is one of Cape Town's most vibrant winter events, blending food, music, art, and culture into a dynamic celebration. It's a multi-sensory experience designed to warm up the colder months with local flavor and creativity. The first event takes place at Cabo Beach, and you can purchase tickets here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Celebrating Local 🇿🇦 (@feastival) JUNE EVENTS 10-12 June - Africa Food Show (Cape Town) Designed for professionals within the industry, the Africa Food Show, provides a unique platform for regional buyers, suppliers, and industry leaders to engage, collaborate, and drive the future of the African food and beverage market. Register here 12-14 June - Asia x Europe x Japan : A Culinary Collaboration at FYN (Cape Town) This June, Cape Town will host two exceptional culinary experiences featuring Chef Peter Tempelhoff and world-renowned Michelin-starred chefs Shinichiro Takagi and Jef Schuur. Together, they will celebrate sustainability, fine cuisine, and global collaboration. Sushiya | Sushi Masterclass: A hands-on sushi-making masterclass led by Chef Tempelhoff, Chef Takagi, and Sushiya head chef Ryan Reyes. Includes a DIY sushi experience, 6-piece omakase platter, and paired sake. Thursday, 12 June 2025 Time: 18:30 Cost: R450 FYN | Connected by Currents : A Relais & Châteaux dinner in honor of World Oceans Day, featuring a 12-course tasting menu crafted by four top chefs, paired with coastal South African wines and ocean-inspired cocktails. Saturday, 14 June 2025 Cost: R5,750 (incl. beverage pairing & gratuity) Bookings are essential for both events.
