Spring Harvest Farm to Table Dinner a Huge Success

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The Huntley College of Agriculture honored two leaders of the California agriculture industry on April 22 at its Third Annual Spring Harvest Dinner.

Former California State Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura and attorney George Soares received the Jim Hicks Agricultural Achievement Award from the college.

They are the first co-recipients of the award, which is given to individuals for their accomplishments on behalf of agriculture. It is named after businessman Jim Hicks, a longtime supporter of agriculture education who was the inaugural recipient.

The dinner was held at the AGRIscapes Center at Cal Poly Pomona and drew nearly 200 people in a celebration of California food and agriculture.

Three local chefs – Christopher Gendreau of Chase’s in Old Town La Verne, Travis Flood of Pappas Artisanal in La Verne, and Arnold Zavalza of the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation – prepared a meal that included California wines and student-grown produce.

The menu included appetizers; salad, pasta, and main courses; and dessert. The main course consisted of cauliflower risotto with a reduction of blood orange and rosemary blooms; stuffed zucchini with oxtail and wild rice; flat-iron pork “French fries” and grilled asparagus with herb remoulade; a cage-free chicken leg “lollypop” with farmhouse gremolata and roasted tomatoes.

Guests also were served with wine from Michael David Winery and beer from Cal Poly Pomona’s own Innovation Brew Works.

Five students – each representing a different department within the college – spoke at the dinner, sharing about what they’ve learned at Cal Poly Pomona and their plans for the future. They were Cesar Diaz, animal science; Branden Garner, agribusiness and food industry management; Jennifer Hernandez, apparel merchandising and management; Cassandra Maya, food science and technology; and Alexis Rocha Valezuela, plant science.

For more photos from the Spring Harvest Dinner, visit our photo gallery

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