Pop-Ups by Former Ad Hoc Chef, Love Apple Farms Celeb Cooking Demo, and More

Chef Dave Cruz will be cooking in Oakland. (Photo courtesy of the chef)

Chef Dave Cruz will be cooking in Oakland. (Photo courtesy of the chef)

Chef Dave Cruz To Do Pop-Ups in Oakland

You know him as the original chef for Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc restaurant in Yountville. Now, after leaving the Keller fold, Chef Dave Cruz is embarking on a series of pop-up events in Oakland — a prelude to opening his own restaurant some day.

The first dinner, May 18, will feature Chefs Simone Fung and Sebastian Mendieta of S+S Gastropub, cooking with Cruz at their downtown loft on Jackson Street in Oakland. The five-course dinner that night will be reminiscent of the hearty, seasonal meals he did at Ad Hoc. Dishes will include salad of Asian baby greens with slow cooked egg; crisp pork belly and clams; and strawberry shortcake with strawberry sorbet, Tokaiji-macerated strawberries and arlette cookies. Price is $85 per person.

Two seatings are available for the BYOB dinner: 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The exact location of the dinner will be emailed to guests after a reservation is made.

The second dinner, June 8, will be hosted by The Trappist, a specialty beer bar. Cruz will be roasting a whole spring lamb in the courtyard. Sides include herb and mustard potato salad, and chili lime corn on the cob.

Price is $25 per person. Seating is first come, first served, starting at 4 p.m. A mobile draft bar will also be set up with three beer selections on tap to go with the lamb.

The third dinner, June 9, also will be at The Trappist. The four-course Sunday-supper repast will include dishes such as grilled beef short ribs with spiced molasses glaze; sweet corn succotash; and stone fruit tart with malted ice cream. The Trappist’s specialty beers will accompany the dinner.

Price for the dinner with beer pairings is $67 per person.

For reservations for either of The Trappist dinners, click here.

Meet A “Next Iron Chef” Judge at Love Apple Farms

If you’re an ardent fan of the “The Next Iron Chef,” you’ll probably recognize the face of one of its judges, food writer Simon Majumdar.

Now, you can meet him at a special event at Love Apple Farms, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 19.

Simon Majumdar on the set of "The Next Iron Chef.'' (Photo courtesy of the Food Network)

Simon Majumdar on the set of “The Next Iron Chef.” (Photo courtesy of the Food Network)

Majumdar will give a book reading and do a cooking demo of several Indian dishes at the 20-acre Love Apple Farms, which grows exclusively for Manresa restaurant in Los Gatos.

Majumdar will be doing an apprenticeship at the farm as part of his research for his new book, “Fed, White & Blue.” The United Kingdom native newly emigrated to the United States bent on a mission to volunteer at farms, and artisanal food and drink establishments. His experiences will form the basis for his book, which is his take on what it means to be an American foodie seeking U.S. citizenship.

Tickets to the event are $89 each.

Tomato Plant Sale at Kendall-Jackson

Still searching for seedlings to add to your tomato garden?

Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates invites you to its 17th annual tomato plant sale, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 12.

More than 125 heirloom varieties will be for sale at its Wine Center at 5007 Fulton Road in Fulton. Just remember to bring your own boxes or bags to take them home in.

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