Don B. Huntley College of Agriculture

Tickets on Sale for 2018 Spring Harvest Dinner

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La Verne, Pasadena, Pomona Chefs to Headline Local Farm to Table Dinner

2018 Farm to Table Dinner Logo

Chefs from La Verne, Pasadena, and Pomona will use produce grown locally by college students to prepare a farm to table dinner.

Travis Flood of Alexander’s Steakhouse in Pasadena, Christopher Gendreau of Chase’s La Verne, and the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation’s Arnold Zavalza are creating and preparing the menu for Cal Poly Pomona’s 4th Annual Farm to Table Dinner on Saturday, April 14, at the AGRIscapes Center.

“We are pleased that these three outstanding chefs have agreed to come back and prepare our meal for us,” said Lisa Kessler, interim dean of the Huntley College of Agriculture which puts on the dinner. “They have taken the fruits and vegetables grown by our students and created some imaginative and wonderful dishes.”

Many of the fruits and vegetables were grown on Cal Poly Pomona’s Spadra Farm or other on-campus growing areas.

The Menu

Here is the preliminary menu planned for this year’s Farm to Table dinner:

Cocktail hour

Cal Poly Pomona Signature Farm to Table Cocktail

Farmhouse Ale from Cal Poly Pomona’s Innovation Brew Works

Horsehill Vineyards Rosé

Hors d’oeuvres

Tataki New York Strip with Spices

California Deviled Eggs with Avocado and Cilantro, topped with Serrano Chili and Bacon

Spadra Sushini Roll: Zucchini, Goat Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes with Balsamic Reduction

Aperitif

Mandarin Berliner Weisse Beer

First course

Spadra Farm Spring Salad Mix with Farro and Cal Poly Pomona Citrus Vinaigrette

Second course

Lamb Meatballs with Harissa-Infused Mint Pesto and Za'atar-flavored Yogurt

Ten-Herb Chorizo over Black Bean Mole with Cumin Crème Fraiche 

Whey-Poached Chicken Breast with Succotash and Tarragon Hollandaise Sauce

Paired with pinot noir 

Vegetarian Option

Creamy Herb Polenta with Cal Poly Pomona Vegetarian Meatballs with Harissa-Infused Mint Pesto and Za'atar-flavored Yogurt

Paired Wine

2014 Sangiovese South Coast Winery and Horsehill Vineyards Rosé

Third course

Avocado Cake topped with Cal Poly Pomona Strawberry Snow and Macadamia Nut Crumble

Paired with a Frangelico coffee

The Chefs

Gendreau is the executive chef of Chase’s in Old Town La Verne, a restaurant that he opened with Susan Wickman in 2012. The restaurant is known for its outdoor, wood-fired grill, a concept that was refined and perfected over 20 years in Gendreau’s backyard.

Flood is the executive chef at Alexander’s Steakhouse in Pasadena and chef/owner of Pappas Artisanal in La Verne and Grizzby’s Biscuit and Donuts in Claremont. He is a native Southern California who trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, where he graduated with honors. He has spent more than 20 years in the industry and is an ardent proponent of organic and sustainable ingredients and believes that the seasons should determine a restaurant’s menu.

Zavalza has served as the executive chef for the Cal Poly Pomona Foundation Inc. since 2000. He is responsible for planning nearly 10,000 meals a week for students in university residence halls, creating menus, developing and implementing recipes, and purchasing food and equipment. He also plans organizes food service for on-campus events, including the annual Hot Dog Caper and Bronco Fusion. Prior to coming to Cal Poly Pomona, he was the executive sous chef at the Industry Hills Sheraton Hotel & Resort for nearly six years. He also served as executive chef for the Holly Street Bar & Grill in Pasadena.

The Award

The Huntley College of Agriculture annually presents the Jim Hicks Agricultural Achievement Award dinner. The award is named after Jim Hicks, a businessman and longtime supporter of agricultural education who was its first recipient in 2015.

This year’s recipient is Orange County businesswoman Rose Epperson, a principal in West Coast Arborists and a leader in the arborist industry. For more information on the award and Epperson, please visit http://www.cpp.edu/~agri/news/2018-farm-to-table-epperson.shtml.

For more information on the Farm to Table dinner or to purchase tickets, visit http://springharvest.cpp.edu.

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