MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 4 71 healthy & Foodshed serves delicious, community-minded FARE The spirit of Foodshed is lighthearted. “We provide serious food without a serious attitude,” says Sean Pramuk, director and co-owner. It’s common to see staff joking around or thoughtfully engaging with customers. Everyone is pleasantly greeted by service manager and co-owner Michael Miguel, who presents as a younger and cuter version of John Travolta. It’s all about the food and service at Foodshed—the total package. As you approach Foodshed from the patio and ornately manicured foliage, you forget the surrounding corporate park. Your senses are imbued by the aromas of fresh locally sourced ingredients, made to order daily. As you relax at your beautiful table constructed of reclaimed wood, the space transforms into a little Italian village. While the ambiance is quaint and cozy, Foodshed has abundant seating: The community table seats up to 12, bar area seats 10, indoor dining seats 40, and the patio seats over 40 guests. Upon entering you’ll see an open view of chefs creating in the kitchen. James Ehrlich, chef/ co-owner, and Amy Radding, cook/internship coordinator, were both trained in eco-gastronomy through Alice Waters’ Rome Sustainable Food Project. It was at the American Academy in Rome that founding principal and head chef Giovanni Guerrera, a Napa native, instructed students on how to prepare meals with locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Alice Waters’ teaching methods continue to inspire Foodshed’s day-to-day operations as chefs cultivate and train new food enthusiasts about conscious consumption through their three-month paid internship program. Amy Radding works hand-in-hand with V.O.I.C.E.S. (an organization that serves youth who have aged out of the foster care system) in the selection of new interns. Eligible candidates must be Napa County residents under the age of 22, and qualify as either low income or having a disability. Interested candidates can apply at www.foodshedpizza.org. With this level of culinary expertise, one would expect to pay a pretty penny—but not at Foodshed. In addition to Foodshed’s handcrafted pizza, pasta, tasca (pocket) sandwiches, soups, and salads, they are also equipped with a full juice and espresso bar, beer and wine, a variety of housebaked pastries, and daily inspired creations! A new offering is the Food Group program of family dinners to-go in eco-friendly containers. Sign up for the three-month meal plan for additional savings. Whether you prefer sit-down dining, lunch on the run, a catered event, or the ease of the Food Group program, Foodshed is changing lives by serving affordable, healthy gourmet fare— while offering paid internships to Napa youth. 630 Airpark Rd. Napa, CA 94558 Open Monday–Friday 7:30 am to 5:30 pm, breakfast served until 11:00 am; Happy Hour 4:30-5:30 pm. Call for reservations for a group of six or more: 707-265-7760 www.foodshedpizza.org. by Kristin Michele Miler Foodshed, conveniently located off Highway 29 near the county airport, is the latest culinary experience and community treasure in the Napa Valley. The pasta and pizza restaurant is a community-minded, youthtraining eatery promoting people, products, and resources of the Valley. It’s where culinary skill and intuition meet sustainability and inclusivity. Gourmetet
NVLife_MayJune_2014
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