"This year's judging was a delight of gatronomical proportions, and each of our winners was truly exceptional in their respective categories," said Stephanie Gallo, third generation director of marketing for Gallo Family Vineyards. "We were immediately impressed by the outstanding quality of their foods, but even more so by the commitment to their craft and their dedication to using only the finest ingredients. My family welcomes these six highly accomplished producers into our extended family."
The most prestigious prize, the signature "All Artisanal Award," was also presented to a family-owned business that best exemplifies exceptional artisanal food production and stands as an inspiration to other food industry professionals. After carefully reviewing each winner's background, cousins Stephanie and Matt Gallo selected Thunder Heart Bison, whose inspirational story most resembled the family values and history of the Gallo family itself.
"Each producer has a great family story to share, but Hugh Fitzsimons from Thunder Heart Bison stood out as the most inspirational and impressive," said Matt Gallo, third generation winegrower, Gallo Family Vineyards. "It's clear how important family is to the daily operation of his business, with each member playing a vital role. As someone who spends most of his time on the land, I felt an immediate connection to Thunder Heart's passionate commitment to the agriculture and the animals they raise. We're thrilled to bestow them with this much-deserved honor."
Each winner received a $5,000 business development grant to help nurture their commitment to artisanal production, an annual membership to the Chefs Collaborative (a not-for-profit organization fostering sustainable agriculture), and the Gallo Family Vineyards Gold Medal Awards "seal of excellence" for use throughout advertising, promotional materials and display on their products as a symbol of quality. In addition, each winner received a trip to New York City where Matt and Stephanie Gallo honored them during a celebratory luncheon at one of New York's top restaurants, Eleven Madison Park. James Beard award nominee Chef Daniel Humm expertly prepared a four-course meal featuring the winning products.
The esteemed judging panel behind this year's winners included: Ed Doyle, President RealFood Consulting, Chefs Collaborative Executive Board Member; Malachy Duffy, Wine and Food Writer; Max McCalman, Maitre Fromager artisanal and Picholine, and Dean of Curriculum for artisanalcheese.com; Ferdinand Metz, President Emeritus, Culinary Institute of America and President of the World Association of Chefs; Sara Moulton, Food Editor, Good Morning America, and Clark Wolf, Food and Restaurant Consultant.
For more detailed information on this year's winners, judges and the annual program, please visit www.gallofamily.com.
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