Sample the Sierra winners announced
Zephyr Cove Resort, Great Basin Brewing Co. and Nancy’s Green Barn Farm won the Best Tasting Experience based on votes from attendees of Sample the Sierra. Zephyr Cove Resort prepared gourmet grilled cheese with a cold tomato basil soup served with brews from Reno-based Great Basin Brewing Co.
The fifth annual farm-to-fork festival was at Bijou Community Park on Aug. 31 — the first year at this location.
The Sierra Chefs Challenge had last year’s winner Peter Brinckerhoff, executive chef for the Tahoe Restaurant Collective, competing against past participant Jeremy “Boomer” Acuña of Zephyr Cove Resort, and newcomers Stephen Moise of Ridge Tahoe and Jimi Nakamatsu of Kalani’s. Brinckerhoff retained his title.
How did this event do in it’s new location?
I drove by, and the tents looked more spaced out, a good thing, but crossing the street looked dangerous, and disruptive to the flow of traffic.
The park is nice, but I wonder if it just wouldn’t be easier to hold it on LTCC grounds?
Care
I thought the venue was awful – having every attendee have to cross Al Tahoe was dangerous, especially with the kids they had directing traffic. There was insufficient shade, insufficient tables and way insufficient trash cans.
A better location would be the LTCC campus – lots of parking, more shady areas.
The food and drink were good, and the vendors and crafts made it more interesting. The tickets one was supposed to deposit to receive food were a hassle and I gave up after the second booth – one can only juggle so many things and with having to carry trash for several booths due to lack of trash cans something had to go!
I won’t attend next year if it’s at Bijou park.
I liked the location much better than Ski Run Blvd. Lots of space, a feeling of being in the pines. The band was central to the booths so we could hear the music while sampling. Lots of small tables near the booths, making it easy to stand and sample and set my wine. Shade is appreciated. We sometimes took our samples to the stumps under a tree if tables were full or in full sun. Would recommend more umbrellas. Loved that it is more spread out and less congested than at Ski Run. Yay to Trey Stone band–awesome & fun. Had a great time. I also liked that sometimes you can get food sample without having to wait through alcohol line (for those of us who can’t handle too much wine, just some)