Journalist and professor Michael Pollan will be keynote speaker at this year’s Good Food Awards and will join an all-star lineup, including honorary host Alice Waters, on Friday, Jan. 17 at the Herbst Theater in the historic San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center.
 
The evening will honor 207 winners hailing from 37 states, Washington D.C. and Guam, across 17 different categories (beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, cider, coffee, confections, elixirs, fish, grains, honey, oils, pantry, pickles, preserves, snacks, spirits).

All winners demonstrate not only gastronomic excellence, but also a deep commitment to sustainable social and environmental practices. The winners will be joined by Blind Tasting judges, food luminaries such as Alice Medrich and Patrick Martins, retailers, media and good food enthusiasts at the Oscars-style gala to celebrate the hard-working crafters building a better American food culture.
 
For more than 30 years Pollan has been writing books and articles about the places where nature and culture intersect: on our plates, in our farms and gardens and in our minds. He is the author of five New York Times best sellers and in 2010 was named to TIME’s annual list of the world’s 100 most influential people.
 
An After Party co-hosted by the Bi-Rite Family of Businesses at Airbnb headquarters will follow the Ceremony, where guests will celebrate and taste the winning food and drink. To mark the 10 years occasion, prominent Bay Area pastry chefs including Annie Callan of Zuni Café, Meg Ray of Miette and Liz Prueitt of Tartine will create 10 one-of-a-kind cakes featuring Good Food Award ingredients for guests to enjoy. These limited edition cakes are also available for purchase in an online auction.
 
On Sunday, Jan. 19, the 2020 Good Food Award winners will showcase their winning products at the Good Food Awards Marketplace held in conjunction with the Fort Mason Farmers’ Market. A limited-edition 10 Years of Good Food goodies tote is on sale for pickup at the Marketplace, filled with cheese from Pennyroyal Farm, pate de fruit from The Modern Candy Company and crackers from Rustic Bakery.