Farmer Forward Wine Dinner
May 16 @ 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Public Event On-Site
Location
Tickets
Sponsor: $1,500
Members: $1,000
Non-Members: $1,250
FarmER Foward Dinner curated by MaTT KettmanN
Join us for Farmer Forward: A Benefit for Lotusland, an unforgettable evening celebrating Santa Barbara’s vibrant food culture in one of the region’s most stunning settings. Curated by Matt Kettmann—Santa Barbara Independent’s Senior Editor and longtime food and wine writer—this exclusive event will feature a four-course, farm-to-table dinner showcasing locally sourced, seasonal ingredients from some of the area’s most thoughtful growers, ranchers, and fishers, including Jonata, Roots Farm, and Get Hooked Seafood. Held in conjunction with the Santa Barbara Culinary Experience, the evening will include engaging stories behind each dish, with wine pairings from Matt Dees of The Hilt and Jonata. Proceeds support Lotusland, a nonprofit garden and pioneer in sustainable horticulture, proud to celebrate and partner with others who share a commitment to sustainability.
Special thanks to Duo Catering and Events.
Matt Kettmann
Matt Kettmann is the senior editor of The Santa Barbara Independent, a contributing editor for Wine Enthusiast, and an advisory committee member at SBCE.
The Hilt
Founded in 2008 by Matt Dees, The Hilt was launched as a sister label for JONATA, which produces an array of Santa Barbara wines. The Hilt is dedicated to crafting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the southwest corner of the Santa Rita Hills, known for its coastal influence and challenging conditions.
Jonata
Jonata is dedicated to sustainability from the inside out; a principled approach to farming. With its use of polyface farming, Jonata integrates and revolves livestock (chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs and sheep) in their farming model, which naturally enhances the soil and health of their land not to mention that of the critters themselves and the Jonata community!
Roots Farm
Small batch farming in the Santa Ynez Valley. Roots Farm was founded by California Native Jacob Grant in 2002 and gained favor for its sweet carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, and melons. Roots sells at six Farmers Markets a week, and seasonally supplies a number of restaurants and grocers, all within 50 miles of the farm.
Get Hooked Seafood
Committed to sourcing locally and responsibly, this women-owned seafood company was founded in 2018 by a marine biologist (Kim Selkoe) and a fisherman’s daughter (Victoria Voss). Get Hooked connects with 40 small-boat fishing families to deliver premium fresh catch to households, schools and restaurants from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. Get Hooked also feeds the gardens of Lotusland with a nutrient rich soil food made from their fish scraps!
Santa Barbara Culinary Experience – May 12–18, 2025
The Santa Barbara Culinary Experience is an week-long annual celebration of all things food & drink in Santa Barbara County with the mission to shine a light on our local culinary, hospitality, tourism, artisan, and small business communities.
Santa Barbara Culinary Experience is held in partnership with The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy and the Culinary Arts. Learn more at www.sbce.events.
