Food Fest
City becomes edible capital with Terra Madre
By Gabrielle Myers
December 2025
Sacramento’s glide path to all-star status in the food world gained momentum when the Terra Madre Americas conference took over SAFE Credit Union Convention Center and surrounding Downtown streets for three days in September.
Food was the focus for thousands of ranchers, farmers, vintners, distillers, chefs and community members, all sharing ideas for more environmentally responsible, productive and sustainable ways to grow and consume food.
Booths featured all things food, including olive oil, cheese, wine and spirits, ranching, fruit production, restaurants and policy experts. Renowned chefs Alice Waters, Ann Cooper and Jeremiah Tower, along with local grocery stars Darrell Corti and Danny Taylor, spoke at free public seminars.
The big names highlighted the discourse, but for me the most exciting moment was seeing how our region has gained global attention in the food world. We grow or raise basic ingredients for almost all food products—a cornucopia within 45 miles of the convention center.
Melissa Haworth, senior director of corporate and foundation engagement at UC Davis College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, brought her mother to the conference. Mom and daughter enjoyed tastings and speaker sessions.
Haworth called the convention “a service to the community of Sacramento.”
Another impressed attendee was Marisa Alcorta, program director at Woodland’s Center for Land-Based Learning. The organization runs one of four Slow Food Farms in the U.S.
“The Terra Madre event benefits the local community in that it brings national and international attention to the work we have been doing around agriculture and urban food spaces, as well as food access and our economic systems,” Alcorta told me. “It is a gift that they decided to do it here as it shows our strength.”
Jennifer and Ryan Morgan agreed. They came to the conference eager to learn more about the local farm-to-fork movement and hear from Alice Waters. They were checking out the coffee-tasting exhibit when I pulled them aside.
They love Sacramento, Jennifer explained, because “anything we want is here, and our kids are exposed to global cultures and cuisines without needing to travel far.”
Sampling the coffee booths, I talked with Evia Villani Catalan who was promoting the fine coffee produced by indigenous peoples in Mexico. She shared a rich and earthy coffee from Catuai Amarillo cooperative in Cordoba, Veracruz.
Terese Hollander, catering supervisor at UC Davis Health, described her nourishing soup for people recovering from cancer. The soup—white bean with a celery, onion, carrot base and chard, finished with olive oil—lets people with life-threatening illnesses return to basics with healthy diets.
“Because of convenience, so many people don’t cook anymore,” Hollander said. “People choose convenience over time.”
Noting her soup takes just 15 to 20 minutes prep time, Hollander said, “This dish is comforting with plant-based protein and fiber and packed with antioxidants from beans, greens and olive oil. It is a great choice because it’s comfort food in that it nourishes the body and mind.”
Hollander was part of the original Slow Food Sacramento board. She appreciates how the local chapter and Slow Food International emphasize seasonal produce. The movement embodies simple approaches to food, along with making cooking a part of our daily lives.
“The impact of the conference is that it showcases the importance of knowing where our food comes from,” Hollander said. “Sacramento is the heart of where so much of our food is grown.”
The Terra Madre Americas conference encapsulates the region’s drive toward sustainable and rejuvenating foods. The convention showed how people thrive through networking and collaboration. The convention returns in September 2027.
Gabrielle Myers can be reached at gabriellemyers11@gmail.com. Her latest book of poetry, “Points in the Network,” is available at finishinglinepress.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram: @insidesacramento.
