TerraVita Food & Drink Festival is my
FAVORITE FALL FOODIE EVENT. TerraVita is North Carolina’s premier gathering of culinary talent, makers, artisans, food purveyors, food lovers and sustainable eaters and thinkers.
The star-studded event returns to Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Pittsboro on Oct. 17 - 20. Tickets for unique conversations, book signings, demonstrations, tastings and much more are still available but going fast at
terravitafest.com.
“2018 is shaping up to be a great year,” says event founder and director Colleen Minton. “Striking the balance between honoring traditions and exploring industry trends, we’re thankful to pay homage to the memory and impact of a legendary icon, Miss Edna Lewis, while having the opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions that move us forward. It’s an exciting time to come together, learn from each other, and give back.”
Here's a quick rundown of each day's exciting events!
WEDNESDAY
East Meets West Dinner kicks off the festival on Wednesday, Oct. 17th at 6 pm at The Carolina Inn. Brandon Sharp of Crossroads Chapel Hill at The Carolina Inn will host seven additional chefs for a collaborative dinner: Matthew Krenz of The Asbury in Charlotte; Amanda Orser of Littler in Durham; Sam McGann of The Blue Point in Duck, Ashley Boyd of 300 East in Charlotte; Jesse Roque of Never Blue in Hendersonville; and Justise Robbins of Chef & The Farmer in Kinston. One additional chef will be announced in the coming week. Tickets are $100.
Get tickets here.
THURSDAY
During TerraVita week, volunteers will gather at
TABLE, a local non-profit providing hunger relief and nutrition education to children in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, to fill bags of non-perishable foods and fresh produce to be delivered directly to local children for that weekend. Hungry Harvest, a farm-to-doorstep rescued produce delivery service that expanded to the Triangle from Baltimore in January 2018, will help fill TABLE’s bags with fresh produce. TerraVita also will be asking guests and the local community to donate non-perishable food items in the weeks leading up to the festival. Information on the items, sizes and donation process will be on the
terravitafest.com site.
“One of the things I’m most excited about this year is our charitable partnership with Hungry Harvest and TABLE,” says Minton. “In Chapel Hill and Carrboro, 30 percent of our children are food insecure—and the need continues to grow. Hunger is an area where discussions on sustainability must also translate into action. TABLE’s goal this school year is to serve 750 children each week through their Weekend Meal Backpack Program while also expanding nutrition education programs that teach children about how to select, prepare and cook with healthy, fresh food. We’re honored to partner with Hungry Harvest and TABLE to offer help to children and families in our community and drive awareness.”
TABLE is located at 209 East Main Street in Carrboro, and they accept donations Monday through Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm and Friday from 10am-1pm. Here are a few items they need. Thank you, in advance, to those willing to help!
- 15-ounce cans of tomato sauce
- Canned tuna
- Fruit cups
- Individual cups of applesauce (preferably with no-sugar added)
Food fans may know the effervescent Carla Hall from the Emmy Award-winning ABC show "The Chew" or from Bravo’s "Top Chef" – or own one of her cookbooks, Cooking With Love and Carla’s Comfort Foods. On
Thursday afternoon, TerraVita and McIntyre’s Books at Fearrington Village will host Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Book Launch and Signing BEFORE her new book is officially released on Oct. 23. The event offers a tasting and a Q&A between Hall and the nationally acclaimed, award-winning Raleigh cookbook author Sandra Gutierrez. Tickets cost $45 and include one copy of her new book.
Get tickets here.
For the fourth consecutive year, TerraVita celebrates those who love to play with fire. Instead of barbecue over spits and grills, Hill Fire will honor the bounty of local farms. James Beard Award nominees and high-profile chefs from North Carolina and the Southeast will create and serve “Veg-Forward” dishes. Hint: Not all dishes will be vegetarian, but there will be many vegetarian options. Meat will play a part; the veggies will own the starring role. Chefs, brewers, distillers, farmers and bakers will join forces to prepare this dinner under the stars. The culinary lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.
Hill Fire will be held at Town Commons in Carrboro; tickets cost $80.
Get tickets here.
FRIDAY
The Sustainable Classroom, a hallmark of TerraVita, stirs the mind, body and soul. This year, attendees will choose from two tracks. The “traditional” track includes the food and beverage tastings, classroom discussions and demonstrations that set the festival apart nationally. Four classes will include a panel on “Beverages That Heal” (a look at beverages that boost health, improve digestion, and offer healing benefits); a demonstration with Instant Pot multi cooker expert and media personality/cookbook author Sheri Castle (her new Instantly Southern cookbook debuts this fall); a session on The Chef & the Farmer.
All of the Sustainable Classroom’s traditional track classes and workshops will be held at Southern Season on October 19, beginning at 9 am. One $85 ticket offers access to all four classes.
Get tickets here.
NEW THIS YEAR: The Walking Sustainable Classroom debuts with an exploration of downtown Carrboro and West Franklin St. in Chapel Hill, as an alternative and equally engaging experience. Separate tickets must be purchased for the walking tour, which takes place Oct. 19, as well. The tour will begin at 8:30 am at Open Eye Cafe, home of Carrboro Coffee Roasters. Tickets cost $100 and include a barbeque lunch. Tour details:
- Demystifying the Latte at Carrboro Coffee Roasters in Open Eye Cafe
- Fermentation Workshop at Fifth Season Gardening
- A look at the relationship between chefs and farmers and how consumers benefit at Acme Food & Beverage Co.
- An intense look at the difference between pasture-raised and conventional pork—over a barbecue sandwich at Midway Community Kitchen
- Heirloom Apples at Lantern
- Distilling—a lively discussion and tasting at Crook’s Corner
On Friday evening, Carla Hall will join a sparkling cast of chefs for a singular night honoring the memory of Edna Lewis.
The Legacy of Ms. Lewis: A Tribute to Edna takes place Oct. 19, 6 pm - 9:30 pm at Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, where Edna cooked in the mid 1980s. Lewis (1916-2006) was an African-American chef, activist and author known for traditional Southern cooking of fresh and locally grown foods.
Get tickets here.
At this familial dinner, chefs who consider Miss Lewis a mentor and a hero will honor her by preparing tribute dishes. A moving panel discussion, led by James Beard award-winning author Toni Tipton-Martin, will accompany the food, unearthing more stories about this trailblazing chef’s remarkable impact. Guests will have the unique opportunity to view historic photographs of Miss Lewis by John T. Hill, presented by Ann Stewart Fine Art, and order select images available for purchase. Tickets will cost $135. Colin Bedford of The Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro will be the host chef. In addition to Hall, guest chefs will include Walter Royal of Angus Barn in Raleigh; and Sean Fowler of Mandolin in Raleigh, NC. Additional chefs will be added to the line up in the coming weeks.
SATURDAY
Saturday’s ultimate toast to the talent and innovation of North Carolina— chefs and artisans served up with a global mix of sustainable beverages—has a new name!
Fall Fête on The Green at Southern Village in Chapel Hill takes place from 1:30 pm - 4 pm on Oct. 20. The event features tastings from more than 45 chefs and artisans. Guests may taste as many as 60 sustainably-produced beverages, including organic coffee; biodynamic, organically-grown and natural wines; and sustainably-produced microbrews and spirits. New this year, the Fall Fête will have a limited number of VIP tickets available for early entry and access to passed hors d’oeurves and signature cocktails for $100. The all-inclusive ticket for the afternoon tasting event is $80; designated driver tickets are available for $65.
Get tickets here.
Attendees may choose from a variety of experiences at varying price points throughout the event. TerraVita is once again offering a limited number of four-day passes—
THE WHOLE SHEBANG—for $500. The pass includes admittance to all TerraVita events, including three dinners, an after party on Thursday evening, Carla Hall’s book signing, VIP access to the the Fall Fête on the Green, and either the Sustainable Classroom or the Walking Tour.
Get tickets here.
About TerraVita Food & Drink Festival
Launched in 2010 by food activist Colleen Minton, TerraVita has been named one of the “10 Southern Food Festivals You Need to Taste” by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and “4 Can’t Miss Southern Food Festivals” by PeterGreenberg.com. It earned a reputation as an iconic culinary event in the Southeast because of its commitment to sustainable food and drink. The event brings together award-winning chefs, authors, producers and farmers in unique settings and combinations to talk about issues – and celebrate the land. The event brings together award-winning chefs, authors, producers and farmers in unique settings and combinations to talk about issues – and celebrate the land. The Chapel Hill, NC-based festival, now in its ninth year, may be best known for its “Sustainable Classroom” educational experiences featuring renowned chefs, authors and national media.
TerraVita strives to produce a zero waste event. In 2017, all events combined produced nearly 3,000 pounds of waste with all composted or recycled except for 40 pounds of trash, resulting in 98.6% waste diversion. The event shares a strategic partnership with Orange County Solid Waste Management and Brooks Contractors, a commercial composting company located in Chatham County.
TerraVita is grateful to the Chapel Hill Orange County Visitors Bureau, a proud sponsor of TerraVita.
About Table
Since 2008, TABLE has provided hunger relief and nutrition education for children living in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. TABLE’s goal for 2018-19 is to feed 750 children every week. Through TABLE’s Weekend Meal Backpack Program, every Thursday, TABLE volunteers help fill and deliver bags with enough food to feed a child for an entire weekend. A typical bag will consist of 30% fresh food such as blueberries, apples, pears and carrots and 15% of bags receive carefully selected food items to meet kids’ allergy or special diet needs. www.tablenc.org
About Hungry Harvest
Hungry Harvest is a farm to doorstep rescued produce delivery service that expanded to the Triangle from Baltimore in January 2018. They work with farmers and wholesalers to recover their surplus and “aesthetically challenged” produce, assemble it into variety boxes, and deliver to doorsteps every week. Each delivery saves at least 10 lbs from produce from going to waste and supports donations to the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Since their launch to North Carolina in January, they have rescued 150,000 lbs of produce and donated 10,000 pounds. www.hungryharvest.net
MORE INFO
Visit
www.terravitafest.com and @TerraVitaFest on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
For a video on the mission/focus/experience of TerraVita go to
https://vimeo.com/267873199
