About
The Good Food Awards rely on the expertise of the grains community to create the tasting, determine judges and set standards for the category. Read on to learn who has been integral to building the category, as well as what the grains standards are and who will be judging this year.
Committee
Co-ChairsViola Buitoni
Independent Chef Instructor – San Francisco, CA
A native Umbrian, US based professional with 30 years of multifaceted experience in the field of Italian food, Viola transitioned to teaching 10 years ago, with the goal of getting home cooks to gather daily around the stove and table. She believes that from our kitchens, we can make the world a better place. By cooking good food at the intersection of Italian table culture and local agriculture, she teaches people to enjoy and value good food, and understand its critical role to the overall well being of our communities. She is currently the Italian resident instructor for 18 Reasons Community Cooking School and The Civic Kitchen. She serves as the food advisor for San Francisco’s Italian Consulate General and Cultural Institute, where she regularly lectures on various aspects of food traditions and trends. Her understanding of good ingredients and respect for those who produce them started in the kitchens of her childhood and never ended. She is grateful for her new role as the chair of this category and the chance to support responsible growers and producers. You can find more on her adventures and work on violabuitoni.com.
Jen Nurse
Co-Founder of The Civic Kitchen – San Francisco, CA
Jen is the co-founder of The Civic Kitchen cooking school in San Francisco, where she enthusiastically fosters self-sufficiency and joy in the kitchen, and civil discourse and connection around the table. She is a lifelong avid home cook, a pastry chef and former bakery owner, and an evangelist for the life-changing power of education. Jen is honored to serve as co-chair for the Grains category.
Carrie Sullivan, Former Culinary Programs Manager, CUESA
Michael Washburn, Garden Manager, Blackberry Farm
Frances Wilson, Culinary Instructor, Silverado Cooking School
Standards
In order to be eligible for a Good Food Award, grains entries must meet the following standards:
- Grown in the USA or US territories.
- Grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers.*
- Grown from seeds that are:
- Free of genetic modification
- Open Source/Non-Patented Seed
- Grown and milled using fair labor practices.
- Grown with soil health in mind, including:**
- Conservation tillage.
- Cover crops.
- Crop rotations.
- Promotes biodiversity.
- Rotational grazing.
Additional criteria for pasta and tortillas:
- If made with inclusions and flavorings that are grown domestically, they are locally sourced wherever possible; traceable; and grown without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers.***
- If made with inclusions and flavorings that are not grown domestically on a commercial scale, they are farm-direct, certified organic or Fair Trade certified.***
- Made by a crafter that is an upstanding member of the good food community, oriented toward growing their business in harmony with a better food system.
*Grains made grown with minimal synthetic inputs using IPM will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the type of crop and region of growth.
** The Good Food Foundation will refer to Regenerative Agriculture guidelines to define “Soil Health” should there be any questions as to eligibility based on this criterion.
***If less than 2% of ingredients in the product do not meet this stipulation, the entry will not be disqualified.
Subcategories
Additionally, grains entries must fit within one of the following subcategories:
- Cereal Grains- Uncooked and dry (e.g., rice, barley, oats, wild rice, grits, cracked wheat, quinoa)
- Legumes– Uncooked and dry (e.g., beans, lentils)
- Pasta– Uncooked and dry
- Tortillas
Cooking and Preparation Specs
Entrants will be able to specify cooking instructions including sorting, rinsing, soaking, water content and cooking time.
- Grains, Legumes, and Pasta will be cooked in water with 1 ounce of sea salt per quart.
- Legumes will be introduced in salted boiling water (105 to 110˚C) then the flame will be reduced to medium low to achieve a bubbly simmer for the time indicated by producer/packager (75 and 85˚C)
- Pasta will be introduced in salted boiling water and stirred. Subsequently the pot will be covered until the water comes back to boiling then the temperature will be reduced to medium high to just below boil (90 to 95˚C)
- Grains will be cooked based on the instructions indicated by the entrant.
- Grains, Legumes, and Pasta will be cooked with San Francisco tap water in All-Clad cookware, on a gas stovetop.
- Grains and Legumes will be cooked the day before selection and served to judges at room temperature.
- Pasta will be cooked right before the tasting.
- Tortillas will be heated on a dry, high heat cast iron skillet.
Judges
Dario Barbone
Co-Founder, Baia Pasta
Hollie Greene Rottman
National Program Director, Wellness in the Schools
Christina Skonberg
Senior Sustainability Analyst, Annie's
Sarah Weiner
Executive Director, Good Food Foundation
Brandon Buza
Skyler Warren
Assistant Grocery Buyer, Bi-Rite Market
Sean Timberlake
Founder, Punk Domestics
Jim Dodge
Director, Specialty Culinary Programs, Bon Appetit Management Company
Nichole Accettola
Chef/Owner, Kantine
Susan Patton Fox
Sales and Marketing Consultant
Michael Kalanty
Master Bread Baker & Author
Deirdre Davis
Chef/Owner, Pinoli Farmhouse Kitchen