rolling the dough
LoRusso’s Cucina donated $2,600 to Operation Food Search at its annual Pasta Bowl fundraiser. Throughout the year, community members submitted their favorite recipes and staff chose three for the event menu. At the event, guests voted on their favorites. The winning dish, a farfalle pasta with portabella and porcini mushrooms in a garlic olive oil sauce, will be on LoRusso’s menu for the next year, and OFS will receive $2 for 
every order sold this year. To date, the fundraiser has brought in more than $60,000 for the nonprofit organization.
room at the table
Guerrilla Street Food has welcomed a local legend to its team. Mike Emerson, who co-founded the well-known and loved Pappy’s Smokehouse, is serving as a consultant for the growing Filipino-American brand owned by Brian Hardesty and Joel Crespo. In his new role, Emerson will offer advice on everything from employee retention to operations.
class act
Local chefs Carl Hazel of Gamlin Whiskey House and Rob Connoley of Squatters Café (and the much-anticipated Bullrush) will be taking their act on the road for California’s exclusive Yountville Live event March 15-18. Now in its fourth year, the three-day luxury getaway in the heart of Napa Valley features world-class cuisines, some of the area’s most celebrated wineries and intimate performances by top recording artists.
new sheriff in town
Brian Coltrain is the new executive chef at the members-only Blood & Sand restaurant. His focus is on fine dining, and he brings experience from Element, Niche, Guerrilla Street Food and, most recently, Grace Meat + Three. Coltrain has been reimagining the menu since he signed on in late November. Open-to-the-public industry nights are being held on Mondays and Tuesdays.
lean and green
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a soft spot for Urban Chestnut Brewing Company, which it recently named a Wastewise Award winner for its sustainability efforts. During 2017, the 7-year-old business diverted or repurposed up to 97 percent of its waste, or 1.1 million pounds of spent grain and 28,000 pounds of wooden pallets.
