Caviar is the ultimate luxury item on menus worldwide, but did you know premium American caviar is just 40 minutes from UC Davis? Aquaculture research at UC Davis helped jumpstart farmed caviar in the Sacramento Valley. Since 1984, Tsar Nicoulai Caviar has produced high-quality caviar, focusing on sustainability and transparency, becoming the largest producer in the United States. Attendees will enjoy samples of caviar and learn how to pair them with méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines from Domaine Carneros, established in 1987 in Napa Valley.

Speakers include Dr. Jackson Gross, Cooperative Extension Aquaculture Specialist at UC Davis, Ali Bolourchi, President at Tsar Nicoulai Caviar, and Remi Cohen, CEO of Domaine Carneros.

You can also read the recent Bon Appétit article, How Sacramento, California, Became the Center of American Caviar Production.

Event Schedule:

5:45 pm: Doors open
6:00 pm: Lecture and tasting
7:15 pm: Reception

Registration:

Update 2/15/25: Event is SOLD OUT

The lecture will be in the Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater on the UC Davis Campus. Seating is limited. Tickets are $50 per person, $40 for faculty/staff. Free student tickets have sold out.

Speakers:

Dr. Jackson Gross is a leading aquaculture scientist and a Professor of Cooperative Extension in Aquaculture at UC Davis, in the Department of Animal Science. He specializes in sustainable fish production, aquatic animal welfare, and innovative solutions for modern aquaculture. With over two decades of experience in applied research, Dr. Gross’s work has been instrumental in advancing sustainable sturgeon aquaculture and caviar production in California and beyond.

Dr. Gross will share his insights into the US and California’s sturgeon farming industry, highlighting advancements in sustainable aquaculture practices, the use of artificial intelligence, and resource-efficient production systems. Besides sharing how he chooses to enjoy caviar, he will discuss the focus of his research on enhancing fish welfare, developing sustainable sturgeon diets, and improving caviar and protein quality to ensure a resilient and responsible caviar industry.

Through his cutting-edge work with industry partners such as Tsar Nicoulai and Sterling Caviar, conservation groups, and government agencies, he is helping to shape the future of California’s aquaculture sector where science, sustainability, and our love of seafood converge.

Ali Bolourchi is the president of Tsar Nicoulai. He grew up in Northern California in a very food-focused Persian family. He spent 10 years at UC Davis completing his undergraduate and graduate studies, and while there he built a great appreciation for the Sacramento area. When Ali graduated from UC Davis, he didn’t initially plan to join his family’s food business. He joined a program in Los Angeles working for the ratings company Nielsen, doing title tests for movies and food shows, but every break he had was spent watching Iron Chef Japan on his laptop. His boss knew he was a foodie and came to him one day and said, “I know you don’t want to work for your parents, but you have such a passion for food; if you start working for them now that's the key to long-term success.” Although Ali’s parents had been telling him the same thing, hearing this from someone he greatly respected resonated. So he left Nielsen, and joined the family specialty food business as employee number four. Together they grew that business for about 20 years, and along the way they regularly purchased products from Tsar Nicoulai’s farm. They were very impressed by what the Engstroms were doing, and loved their story, so when they had the opportunity to become stewards of the farm themselves, they took it. In 2014 the acquisition was finalized, and Ali went from running a very small family business to having almost 60 employees between the farm facility and the cafe. Today he oversees every aspect of the business, but focuses mainly on the business side of sustainable agriculture and the state of the art technology that keeps Tsar Nicoulai at the forefront of sustainable caviar. Even though Tsar Nicoulai has been working with UC Davis since it launched in 1984 to ensure that the farm is at the forefront of environmental sustainability in sturgeon farming, once Ali took over operations, the farm’s connection to UC Davis has only grown stronger. Today the world-famous sturgeon experts at UC Davis work hand in hand with Ali on most aspects of the farm, including genetics, aquaponics, and water and energy conservation. Ali’s passion for food follows him outside of work. He enjoys cooking for his family, sourcing ingredients from local farmers markets and to this day still watches Iron Chef in his free time.

Remi Cohen is the CEO of Domaine Carneros. She joined in 2020, taking over from illustrious founding winemaker and former CEO Eileen Crane and continuing the winery’s tradition of visionary female leadership. Remi has 20 years of wine industry experience and began her career on the winemaking and viticulture side before pursuing her MBA in finance to complement her master’s in viticulture from UC Davis. Remi spent the first 10 years of her career working in the Carneros AVA, with stints at Saintsbury, Bouchaine, Merryvale and Starmont, culminating with her role as Vice President of Merryvale. Remi was most recently at Cliff Lede Vineyards, where she was promoted from Director of Winemaking and Vineyards to VP of Operations to COO. After ten years with Cliff Lede, Remi’s passion for Carneros has brought her full circle to Domaine Carneros, where she is especially focused on furthering the winery’s fastidious commitment to sustainability. 

Venue & Parking:

This event will be in-person at Silverado Vineyards Sensory Theater at the Robert Mondavi Institute, Sensory Building. Parking is available at the Gateway Parking Structure. Parking payment is enforced on weekdays. There are three options for parking payment:

1. UC Davis uses AggiePark via the AMP app – please be sure to download the app ahead of time and set up your profile. Select the zone which you parked using the map or icon in the top right corner of the app. This is the preferred and easiest method.
2. If you do not have a smartphone to download the app, you can also sign up for an account online and follow the steps on the website: https://aimsmobilepay.com/
3. Alternatively, permit machines in the Gateway Parking Structure accept credit cards for hourly parking. The cost is $3 per hour and you will need to enter your license plate number into the machine to purchase a permit. Machines are located on the east side of the [arking structure, at street level between the Manetti Shrem Museum and the Mondavi Arts Center.

About:

This event is part of the Sips and Bites series, which explores the stories behind foods and drinks with winemakers, brewers, and culinary innovators with tastings and conversations about what inspires them to make their wines, beers, and foods.

Questions?

If you have questions about this event, please email rmievents@ucdavis.edu.