Heritage Fire Napa is Sunday at St. Helena's Charles Krug Winery
By Anne Ward Ernst
ST. HELENA, Calif. — Prehistoric humans cooked over an open flame, but that was for sustenance, not bragging rights. Dozens of chefs will vie for the title of “Heritage Hero” as they compete using their own open-flame style and method to cook up original recipes at Heritage Fire Napa on Sunday, Aug. 20.
Some chefs build campfires, some bring vessels such as an Argentine parrilla and others opt for smokers.
“There are all kinds of open flames,” spokesperson Sarah Thaler said.
Heritage Fire Napa, which will be held at Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, brings together community and regional chefs who cook locally sourced heritage products – livestock and vegetables – that attendees nibble on before voting on whose bite was the best.
Last year’s winner, MAC BBQ – a competition barbecue team that includes Chefs John Valenton and Chris Cave – will return this year to defend their title.
The team previously nabbed the title with smoked and seasoned Wagyu picanha and St. Louis pork ribs. Their protein was sourced from two California meat purveyors Papa Wagyu in Long Beach and Trex Corp Inc. in Burlingame.
Expect such complex bites as steamed pork shumai dumpling topped with a pickled pepper caviar over black sesame miso sauce and Thai basil leaves, which was made by the Salsa Collaborative team at the Minneapolis event earlier this year.
At that same event, Chef Michael Shaughnessy with Advellum Vegetable Eatery prepared smoked and braised lamb shanks over bone-marrow-infused white bean hummus, zhoug (a Yemenite-style salsa verde), grilled pita, shaved Brussels sprouts and sliced kumquats.
Held in 14 cities across the country, Heritage Fire aims to bring more awareness to the benefits of heritage breeds – livestock and vegetables that are selectively bred over time for specific traits. Heritage breeds raised and consumed locally are ecologically friendly because the number of miles the products travel is cut.
The reception-style event includes beer, wine, cocktails and live entertainment. Doors open at 4 p.m. for VIP tickets ($175), 4:45 p.m. for general admission tickets ($125) and the event ends at 7 p.m.
Anne Ward Ernst is a journalist who loves covering the Napa Valley.