About
The Good Food Awards rely on the expertise of the pickles 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 pickles standard are and who will be judging this year.
Committee
Co-ChairsBrie Mazurek
Communications Director at CUESA
Brie oversees communications for the nonprofit CUESA. Previously, she has worked as a book editor and apprenticed on an organic farm. In addition to amplifying the inspiring stories of our local food community through her work at CUESA, she enjoys exploring the farmers market and dabbling in fermentation projects at her home in Oakland.
Katie Kalmikoff
Founder and CEO at Katie K Marketing + Events
Katie is a marketing and events consultant who helps companies ranging from early-stage startups and VCs, to large established brands, look at business, marketing, and events through the lens of community. Katie’s fiercely passionate about all things food, from cooking and baking to exploring farmers’ markets and trying new restaurants. She previously did a short study of pastry in France and is an assistant at The Civic Kitchen Cooking School in San Francisco. Katie has been a copious consumer of all types of pickles since she was a small child (there’s photo evidence) and dabbles in the art of making them as well.
April Kim
Chef & Potter
April is a chef, potter, and former arts programmer. She has worked in Bay Area restaurants since 2013, including Zuni Cafe and Mourad. She has a passion for sustainable food practices that are delicious, nutritious, and accessible. Currently, she can be found designing growing systems based in Permaculture for her small plot of land in West Oakland.
Standards
In order to be eligible for a Good Food Award, pickles entries must meeting the following standards:
- Made in the USA or US territories.
- Free of artificial ingredients, including colors, flavors and preservatives.
- Free of genetically modified ingredients.
- Made with domestic, non-petroleum based vinegar, where vinegar is used.
- Made with ingredients that are foraged or grown:
- Locally.*
- With respect for seasonality.*
- Without the use of synthetic inputs, including herbicides, pesticides, fungicides or fertilizers.
- Made by a crafter that is an upstanding member of the good food community, committed to equity and inclusion in all levels of their business,** as exemplified through integrating these practices:
- Offering a diversity, equity, and inclusion training to staff members and/or leadership annually.
- Thoughtfully acknowledging the heritage of culturally-specific food on websites, packaging and/or marketing materials.
- For the small percentage of Good Food community that operates on a significantly larger scale, meeting additional criteria related to board diversity, maternity leave and employment practices.**
*Ingredients that make up less than 2% of the product, such as spices, may be sourced from farther afield.
**Check if you are in the 2% of companies meeting the Good Food Foundation definition of large scale, and review the addition criteria on the Rules & Regulations page.
Subcategories
Additionally, pickles entries must fit within one of the following subcategories:
- Olives
- Vinegar-Fermented
- Lacto-Fermented
Kombucha can now be entered in the Elixirs category.
2022 Judges
Janelle Bitker
Food reporter, San Francisco Chronicle
Joyce Zhang
Produce Buyer, Good Eggs
Tiffani Patton
Co-Director, Real Food Media
Daniel McChesney-Young
Pie maker, Edith’s Pie
Christie Lee
Founder, Nourishing Food Marketing
Susan Simitz
Marketing and Social Media Manager, Earl's Organics
Grace Collery
Partnerships Manager, Zero Grocery
Deborah Kwan
Principal, DKPR, Inc.
Carrie Sullivan
World Central Kitchen, Coordinator