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 Mission
Who
we are
 About
Events
About
Committees
About
SIGS
Member Profiles
Community
Services
Join
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Indulge yourself with an extensive menu of
activities, ideas and professional contacts in the San Francisco
Professional Food Society (SFPFS).
Through a variety of activities, the SFPFS offers members a year-round
forum for professional growth, networking and the spirited exchange of
ideas. There are many ways to benefit from membership in the SFPFS -
such as attending an event, joining a committee or participating in a
special interest group (SIG).
NING is the SFPFS’s social networking site, available to members only.
It is a great way to follow the activities of fellow society members,
help each other out with sources, brag about one’s accomplishments,
network, welcome new members and keep informed of developments in the
food industry. With this site, we can get to know each other online, and
when we meet in person at SFPFS events and programs, we’ll have plenty
of great conversation starters.
All the information on NING is user-generated by our members, so it’s a
conversation rather than a website. On NING, members can sign up for
SFPFS special interest group (SIG) meetings and post photos and videos
to share with fellow members. Members have posted job descriptions,
information about their favorite restaurants and book releases,
questions about where to source ingredients and sources for media leads.
You’ll receive an invitation to join the SFPFS NING group when you
become a member of the Society.
The website provides information about the organization, a calendar of
upcoming events, access to event registration, articles about recent
events, member profiles and a members-only section where you can
download Directory supplements, renew your membership, post and review
job openings and more.
Our online directory section (for members only) is a database of members
which allows members to search for other members by name, profession,
company name or location. This is updated quarterly. If you find you are
not listed, please let us know you would like to be published and we’ll
gladly add your name to the online directory.
Our thirty-one years of success is directly related to the dedication
and commitment shown by our board and committee members. Please get
involved and volunteer with one or more of the committees listed below.
Don’t hesitate to call committee chairs and board members (listed on
page 8 of this Directory) if you have a comment or question. And please
call if you wish to join a particular committee. Should you wish to
serve on the SFPFS Board of Directors, begin by taking an active part in
a committee that interests you. This is the best way to get to know
other members and learn how functions and services come to life. Through
committee involvement, coupled with dedication and willingness, you will
build the background that prepares you for a board position.
The annual SFPFS Directory is an indispensable tool for anyone in the
food industry. It provides detailed contact information for all members,
as well as an exhaustive compilation of local and national culinary
groups. A supplement is produced mid-way through the year to keep
members current with the comings and goings of their peers.
Directory Use: Each member receives one copy
of the directory for his or her personal use. Members may also purchase
the SFPFS mailing list for a one-time use for the food, wine, or
hospitality industries upon the approval of the Board of Directors. To
purchase, contact the Administration for an application.
By joining one of many committees,
members help to shape the direction of the SFPFS while making close
connections with other food professionals. Committee members plan both
large and small events, connect with luminaries in the food community,
direct outreach efforts, gain experience writing for the web and
newsletter and more.
These small, informal,
member-driven events offer hands-on education & networking opportunities
for food and wine professionals. Programs have ranged from a Masters’
Class on coffee roasting and cupping to the informal regional networking
meetings all over the Bay Area; as well as on-going special interest
groups designed to enhance the knowledge and experience of our members
in various areas – currently Wine tasting, Food Tasting, Cooking
Teachers, and a Book Club.
is a series of exclusive conversations with renowned food and wine
authorities, moderated by distinguished culinary personalities such as
Clark Wolf, Janet Fletcher and Flo Braker. These evening events give
members a unique opportunity to interact with well-known food
professionals whose contributions have changed the way we eat and drink.
Topics in 2008 included: “The Future of Chinese Cuisine in the U.S.;
““Wine and Food Pairing Myths;” and the “Ups and Downs of Celebrity
Chefs.” Former guests have included: Martin Yan, Jacques Pepin, Marion
Nestle; Michael Bauer; Marian Burros & Marion Cunningham; Thomas Keller;
Hubert Keller, Michael Minna & Bradley Ogden; Gerald Asher; Dean Ornish;
and Harold McGee.
brings members together with new friends and familiar faces to dine in
some of the Bay Area’s most intriguing restaurants. From undiscovered
neighborhood gems to world-class dining rooms, the SFPFS Traveling Table
explores cuisines and trends ranging from vegetarian-yoga to underground
chefs gone above grounds, and new-age Indian.
Explore new areas of the food industry by attending private and intimate
tours, and by participating in exciting educational seminars. Past
excursions and sessions have involved touring the Sacramento farmer’s
market, Charles Chocolates, and Cowgirl Creamery.
Each year, the SFPFS hosts a major event which brings visibility to
issues, people and trends of interest to the Bay Area food community.
Past events have included Reel Food—Cooking in the Movies, held at the
Castro Theatre in San Francisco, and Food Fight!—a half-day educational
forum held at the Commonwealth Club to debate current thinking on food
claims and choices. In addition to these public events, the SFPFS throws
a popular annual barbecue for members and their guests featuring local
chefs and food products.
The SFPFS raises funds to support a
variety of Bay Area non-profit programs and organizations. While many
events include a fundraising component, members are also encouraged to
contribute through in-kind donations of goods, services and time. In
2008, our beneficiaries included:
• San Francisco Village Northside, an innovative, non-profit membership
organization that provides the benefits of a retirement community to
older adults to enable them to age in their own homes. Urban Tilth in
West Contra Costa County.
• Urban Tilth, who works to cultivate urban agriculture to help West
Contra Costa County create a more sustainable, healthy, and just local
food system. They work with schools, non-profits, government agencies,
businesses, and individuals to develop the capacity to produce 5% of our
own food supply.
• The Bread Project provides marketable skills and employment assistance
to low income and at-risk individuals through the world of baking and
cooking.
• SF Food Bank and Food Runners
• An annual $1000 scholarship in honor of Lucie Bookbinder, co-founder
of the Bread Project was awarded to Stephen Moran, a culinary student at
the Institute of Technology Culinary Academy, Roseville, CA
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Get Involved
The more you
participate in the SFPFS the more benefits you'll reap.
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