Berry Good Food (BGF) welcomed guests to its annual “Seeds for the Future” fundraising party at Julep Venue in San Diego on August 18, 2024, raising $40,000 to put toward its school garden fund, with grants to be distributed after an application process in fall 2024.

New this year, BGF had various “mix and mingle” stations with delicious bites from 14 San Diego and Baja restaurants, five makers tables with local vendors donating a portion of proceeds to BGF, and an exclusive lounge area for VIPs with other special perks. Many thanks to the local artisans who joined us at the event: JAX Atelier, Koshna Spices, Ironsmith Coffee, Kitchens for Good Shop, and Holy Water Hot Sauce.

VIP tables (all photos courtesy of Jennifer Dery Photography)

Table décor was stunning and whimsical, designed by Rachel Magpayo of Toto + Tess, who utilized Specialty Produce ingredients to create creative edible centerpieces, and Rachel made sure patrons could take the product home with them at the end of the evening, providing them with reusable produce bags.

The silent auction may have been the best one yet, with trips to Maui, NYC, and Utah; Michelin-star restaurant experiences; exclusive Jason Mraz tour merch; wine-and-dine packages in the Valle de Guadalupe; staycations at Alila Marea Encinitas and InterContinental San Diego, and much more (thank you to our very generous donors!). Guests also had the chance to bid on event-only items like exclusive Valle de Guadalupe wines and an opportunity drawing that included gifts from Dr. Bronner’s, Momma Pots, Bodegas Henri Lurton, and a beautiful handmade broom by event emcee AB Nevarez of Duomo Gardens.

Attendees enjoyed dishes from 14 restaurants this year, and every chef team brought their A-game. Chef Ruffo Ibarra of Oryx in Tijuana prepared a Caesar salad with El Faro lobster, Chef James Montejano of L’Auberge Del Mar doled out gorgeous watermelon ginger gazpacho, Chef William Eick of Matsu in Oceanside warmed bellies with a rich Tori Paitan broth and Pasture Bird chicken, Chef Roy Elam of Donna Jean fired up an outdoor pizza oven for margherita pizza dolloped with Scratch House vegan cheese, and Chef Kari Cota of the Desmond in the Gaslamp served Chocolate Decadence with roasted cocoa nibs and olive oil caramel, just to name a few. The outstanding array of food was paired with red and white wine from legendary Bruma Vinícola in Baja, a signature drink from Snake Oil Cocktail, Pure Project’s “Sun Rays Like Stilts” Pale Ale and “Tropical Mist” Blonde Ale, Tēthos non-alcoholic wine, Solar Rain water, and Baja’s Lechuza Vineyard donated bottles of wine for the VIP goodie bags.

Berry Good Food Founder Michelle Ciccarelli Lerach presented BGF’s Local Food Leader awards to Ron McCord of Feed the Soil, Chef Reyna Venegas of Rancho La Puerta, and Darnall Charter Elementary School teacher Jessica Eves and garden champion parent Melissa Chavez. Ron McCord, from Feed the Soil, is a regenerative zero-waste farmer, chef, and Bokashi expert. Chef Reyna Venegas uses principles of integrative nutrition as the chef at famed wellness retreat Rancho La Puerta, and her Restaurante Amores in Tecate received Michelin recognition in 2024. Chef Reyna is also the co-manager of Team Mexico for the Bocuse d’Or, and the team received the Social Commitment Award in 2023 for their impactful initiatives addressing food insecurity among migrants in Baja California. Jessica Eves is the Garden and Cooking Educator and Melissa Chavez is a long-involved parent at the school’s garden, which has been awarded with BGF grants in the past.

Thank you to the incredible chefs who donated their time and energy to making the event a delicious success:

Pete Balistreri, P. Balistreri Salumi, San Diego
Kari Cota, The Desmond, Gaslamp District
Leah Delyte, E.A.T. Marketplace, Temecula
William Eick, Matsu, Oceanside
Roy Elam, Donna Jean, Bankers Hill
Phillip Esteban, White Rice, 3 locations, Wildflour, Liberty Station
Charlie Knowles and Manny Da Luz, Bica, Normal Heights
Ruffo Ibarra, Oryx Restaurante, Tijuana
Jarrod Moiles, Brickmans at the Lakehouse Resort, San Marcos
James Montejano, L’Auberge Del Mar, Del Mar
Aidan Owens, Herb and Sea, Encinitas
Amanda Palomino, Kitchens for Good, Linda Vista
Reyna Venegas, Rancho La Puerta, Tecate
Davin Waite, Wrench & Rodent Seabasstropub and The Plot, Oceanside

Our deepest gratitude goes out to all of the community members (guests, event sponsors, volunteers, chef teams, auction donors, BGF board members, and more) who came together once again to support this worthy cause, reaffirming the mission of Berry Good Food to build bridges between local stakeholders and working to create a stronger and healthier food system. The 2024 BGF garden grant application will be posted on our website in October with grant awards announced in December. Make sure you are signed up for our newsletter to receive the news when it goes live!

Brandon Ochoa created this lovely snapshot video of the evening: click here to watch.