Dec 5, 2024: We often ascribe the concept of “healthy” to food, but what do healthy foodways look like? Three visionary chefs are leading change in the food service industry through transparency, labor justice, and storytelling through food. Using food as a tool for both community and political engagement, these chefs are building new models of food service that prioritize the integrity of fresh ingredients in hospitals, and workers’ rights in restaurants. Through a spirit of ethical, cooperative leadership, this panel discusses how to activate simple yet radical approaches in the food industry and create menus inspired by place, migration, and community.

Jun 18, 2024: Does a solution to climate change lay in the dirt under our feet? A holistic approach to farming and the environment is ancient, while informing decisions based on science and data is relatively new. Regenerative agriculture is the paradox of old practices and new methods with promising solutions to climate change while fostering agricultural sustainability and resilience. We will explore what regenerative agriculture means, how it works, the challenges, and what you can do to support it.

Nov 8, 2023: Sake has long been the traditional drink when dining out at a Japanese restaurant, but sake brewers in the United States are hoping for and brewing something different. With three simple ingredients—rice, water, and koji mold—they build on traditional methods while experimenting with variations in rice varieties, milling, flavor profiles, and more. The rise of sake consumption in the U.S. and innovative startup breweries have grown the industry into a creative community exploring sustainability and new ways to enjoy an ancient beverage.  

Mar 17, 2023: They say, “great wine is made in the vineyard," but who nurtures the perfect environment that provides the foundation for great wine? We will hear from viticulture experts who have helped build the reputation of Napa Valley wine and discuss how Mexican and Chicanx communities have contributed their in-depth knowledge and highly-skilled grape cultivation techniques. Understanding their contributions and stories will help all wine drinkers better appreciate the origins of their favorite vintage.

Jun 29, 2022: If you shop at your local farmer's market, your weekly fresh fruit and vegetable haul is increasingly at risk. Small farms face a barrage of threats, including climate change, complex water laws, and stricter regulations. Often, the only voices of farmers heard at the regulatory table are those of larger agribusiness groups with resources to influence policies. How do we sustain small farms and protect agricultural diversity?

Mar 27, 2022: Wine has traditionally been associated closely with the region in which it is produced — but what about beer? Join us for a conversation between UC Davis’ brewmaster and the founders of a Native American-owned brewery and a Bay Area craft malthouse who are breaking new ground by sourcing local, sustainable ingredients and integrating their communities’ values into innovative business models that bring a whole new meaning to the “sense of place” we call terroir.

Oct 27, 2021: Breast milk, the original “superfood,” not only nourishes babies directly; it also feeds friendly gut microbes that support digestion, immune system development, and long-term health. Learn how this amazing biological system works and how an interdisciplinary research team at UC Davis is using a probiotic to improve infant health.

Feb 10, 2021: A conversation with author Harold McGee, who has written about the power of smell to expose unseen details of our world and life, and UC Davis Professor Susan Ebeler, who studies how aroma compounds interact and contribute to complex food and beverage flavors.

Nov 10, 2020: Esther Mobley, wine writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, Dan Petroski, winemaker for Larkmead Vineyards, and UC Davis Assistant Professor Elisabeth Forrestel on the future of grapes and wine in California, and the need to diversify in the face of climate change.

May 27, 2020: A conversation with Jennifer Falbe, who evaluated the effectiveness of the nation’s first “soda tax” in Berkeley, and California Assembly Member Richard Bloom, who has sponsored similar statewide legislation, to discuss California’s fight against Big Soda.

May 12, 2020: An expert panel of UC Davis researchers, policymakers, and food purveyors discussed how our food supply chain works, why the COVID-19 pandemic has been so disruptive, and what changes can be made to make food systems more resilient.

June 3, 2019: A conversation with former Governor Jerry Brown, who emphasizes the need for California agriculture to adapt to climate change, and Anita Oberholster, from the UC Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology, who studies the effect of smoke exposure on wine grapes.

February 4, 2019: Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME), a national leader on food policy, and Edward Spang, an assistant professor in the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology, discussed innovations to ensure that more food makes it from the farm to the home.