David Kurtz, Homage, featuring Knoll Farms
Saturday, April 7, 2018, 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm
Stop by the CUESA Classroom for a cooking demo featuring the seasonal bounty of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. This demo will highlight a producer-chef relationship forged and sustained at the farmers market, featuring Knoll Farms.
Chef David Kurtz’s career began in country clubs throughout the Midwest, starting when he was fourteen. His trajectory continued as he attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. From there he traveled heavily though out the country, cooking in various kitchens and in many different capacities.
While he was working at Todd English’s Olives in Boston, David took a pause from daily kitchen duties and set off in professional direction towards broadening his knowledge of wine and beverages. He moved to Napa Valley and went back to work at the Culinary Institute of America, where he eventually received his level two Sommelier accreditation. During these studies, David was simultaneously heavily involved in wine production and vineyard work at a small, family operated winery in St. Helena.
San Francisco eventually claimed David’s attention, where he began work not only at top tier restaurants but also began formulating his close working relationships with local farms and purveyors. For ten plus years, David was involved with several establishments including Restaurant Gary Danko, Aziza, Frances and Michael Mina. He continued to push forward, opening a local catering company, offering private events and bespoke experiences for the greater Bay Area. Eventually, David moved back into smaller outfits with a role at Coi Restaurant and eventually into Saison Restaurant as their General Manager. It was during David’s tenure that Saison received their first and second Michelin Stars.
Eventually Chef David moved on to open Homage, located within the Financial District of San Francisco. This is David’s first solo project, allowing him complete freedom in everything from menu development, overall aesthetics and, most importantly, culture. Homage continues to spotlight, every single month, one of his long-standing relationships with a local farmer and or craftsman.
Rick and Kristie of Knoll Farms were avid backyard gardeners in Santa Ana until 1979, when they purchased a weedy, 10-acre alfalfa field in Brentwood. Over time, their land evolved to become an extremely productive agro-ecosystem that produces over 150 different products. The Knolls, known for their innovative practices, strive to continually increase the biodiversity and ecological stability of their farm. Their primary focus is “growing” more topsoil. They believe that if soil is well tended, it will provide healthy, nutritious food in perpetuity. Composting, cover cropping, low- and no-till, and crop rotation are just a few of the methods they employ to increase soil health. The Knolls describe their farm as “an organism unto itself, with its own rhythm and personality.”
All demos take place in the CUESA Classroom (under the white tents in front of the Ferry Building) and are free to the public, with recipes and samples for all.