CUESA Programs

Market to Table Programs

CUESA's goal is to support small farms and connect farmers with urban dwellers. Our programs give urban consumers a resource for knowledge and skills, and farmers and chefs a way to grow their base of dedicated customers and advocates.

All programs take place in CUESA's Dacor teaching kitchen - in front of the Ferry Building under the arcade north of the clock tower.

Meet the Farmer (or Meet the Artisan)
On Saturdays at 10:30 am, a half-hour interview with one of the farmers, food artisans, or other purveyors in the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market gives the audience in-depth information about how and where their food is produced. What is life like for farmers? How do they select their crops? What are the challenges and pleasures of managing a farm? Novices and sustainable agriculture aficionados alike can ask questions and hear wonderful stories from the people who produce their food.

Seasonal Cooking Demonstrations
At 11:00 am, Bay Area chefs demonstrate recipes using seasonal and sustainable ingredients purchased that morning from the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market! Taste their creations, ask questions, and leave with a recipe in hand. From simple salads to complex entrees, the Bay Area's top chefs use the market’s finest produce to create invariably delicious dishes. Generous donations from chefs Sondra Bernstein (The Girl and the Fig) and Ken Frank (La Toque), along with numerous smaller donations from Market to Table enthusiasts, have enabled us to purchase two demonstration mirrors for better viewing.
Get seasonal recipes from chefs who have participated in our program>

Additional Programs
Occasionally, we hold an 11:45 am demonstration, lecture, panel discussion, or book signing.

Monthly Celebrations
One Saturday a month, CUESA holds a special celebration in lieu of the regular Market to Table programs. Past programs have included a Peach Celebration, Asparagus Fest, and Biodiversity Celebration. These special events usually include a tasting as well as other components such as cooking demonstrations, panel discussions, farmer talks, and an Iron Chef-style culinary challenge.

Upcoming Celebrations:

March 22 ~ Egg-stravaganza

April 26 ~ Waste Wise Market Celebration

May 10 ~ Festival of Flowers

May 31 ~ Cherry Jubilee

June 28 ~ Grill Fest

August 2 ~ Tomato Festival

September 13 ~ Three Sisters Day

October 25 ~ Harvest Festival

November 22 ~ Holiday Pie Party

Other Education and Outreach Projects

Sustainable Agriculture A to Z Exhibit
Our A to Z exhibit is a series of vibrant eight-by-eight foot photomurals that form the doors and exterior walls of the Education Center in the arcades in front of the Ferry Building. Each letter introduces a concept in sustainable agriculture.
See Sustainable Agriculture A to Z online >

Weekly E-letter
Every Friday, CUESA sends and educational/informational email to over 5,000 people interested in food, agriculture, and the farmers market.
Sign up for our Weekly E-letter>

Lectures
CUESA hosts occasional weekend or evening lectures inside the Ferry Building. Past speakers have included Michael Pollan, Marion Nestle, and Vandana Shiva.

Farm Tours
What better way to learn about where your food comes from than to visit the land on which it is produced? Through CUESA’s farm tour program, market shoppers can get an inside look at the source of their food on tours led by the farmers themselves. The tours also sometimes visit the facilities of food artisans who sell in the market.

Photos: Barry Jan