Cheese
Good Food Awards will be given to the tastiest artisan and farmstead cheeses in the categories of Fresh, Semi-Soft, Semi-Hard and Hard. Cheeses that meet the criteria for entry are made using good animal husbandry, without the use of hormones, and without the use of herbicides and pesticides on the pastures. View the full criteria for entry.
Committee Chairs
Jen Dalton is a co-editor of Civil Eats, co-founder of Kitchen Table Talks and director of Kitchen Table Consulting. Based in San Francisco, she works to empower sustainable businesses, develop local economies and promote good food. She was recently the Programs Director for Slow Food Nation.
Laura Martinez is the owner of The Artisan Palate and a founding board member of the California Artisan Cheese Guild. She produces and teaches workshops on how to taste, pair, and enjoy handmade specialty foods and beverages such as cheese, olive oil, wine and beer.
Committee
Sue Conley & Peggy Smith are the co-founders of the renowned Cowgirl Creamery and Tomales Bay Foods. Cowgirl crafts their own cheeses using organic milk from the neighboring Straus Family Creamery. Sue Conley was a cook at Chez Panisse for 17 years, and founded Bette’s Oceanview Diner, still a favorite neighborhood spot in Berkeley.
Tracey Sylvester is the Co-owner of EHS Pilates and a Co- Founder of United Pilates Collective who also works in the service industry and has a passion for food and wine. She currently volunteers for 18 Reasons and Slow Food Nation which keeps her current in farm to table education and trends in the movement.
Judges
Dino Borri, Buyer for Eataly
Sarah Dvorak, Founder and Cheesemonger of Mission Cheese
Gordon Edgar, Cheesemonger for Rainbow Grocery
Janet Fletcher, Author and Columnist for San Francisco Chronicle
Aaron French, Eco-Chef for The Sunny Side Cafe and Author of The Bay Area Homegrown Cookbook
Jody Lagorio, Owner of C’est Le Cheese
Sam Mogannam, Owner of Bi-Rite Market and Author of Eat Good Food
Jennifer Pelka, Managing Editor of Gilt Taste
David Prior, Communications Director of the Chez Panisse Foundation
Anthea Stoltz, Head Cheesemonger for Bi-Rite Market
Gibson Thomas, Publisher for Edible Marin and Wine Country Magazine
Margo True, Food Editor of Sunset Magazine
Laura Werlin, Author of The New American Cheese and The All American Cheese and Wine Book
Penni Wisner, Author and Kitchen Coach
Clark Wolf, Author of American Cheeses
Daphne Zepos, Author and Cheese Advocate at Essex Cheese
