On a beautiful late summer afternoon, one might assume that the view from the Belmond El Encanto on the Riviera would be directed at the enchanting city and seascape below. Instead, on August 19, all eyes were turned back to the fabled hotel, where Slow Food legend Alice Waters was promoting the Edible Schoolyard Project.

Waters, the driving force behind Berkeley’s culinary gem Chez Panisse, helped found the farm-to-table movement in the 1970s. But providing delicious and nutritious meals to restaurant patrons was just the beginning of her life’s work. The former Montessori teacher remains an influential educator. And as she explained to the small but affluent crowd at the fundraiser, the Edible Schoolyard Project has grown from one school in Oakland to over 6,500 schools today.

“I have been talking about local, organic food for 53 years, and it is not just about health and climate protection, but also about taste and ripeness of the food,” Waters told the Independent after the event. “Now is really the time to do this in our public schools, and that’s because of the climate. But if every school in the world does this and buys food that is grown locally, organically, regeneratively, we can teach the value of the exceptional taste of locally grown food. And Santa Barbara is so well positioned to do this because of the work that’s been done there, like on Earth Day a long time ago. Santa Barbara has everything it takes to implement this in the schools.”

Belle Hahn, chair of the event, hoped the afternoon, billed as Cocktails & Canapés, would not only raise awareness but also funds for what the group called “the delicious revolution.” Belle and her sister Lily Hahn founded Twin Hearts under the umbrella of Creative Visions with the mission “by reconnecting soil and soul, we heal humanity’s connection to the earth.”

The timing of the event was crucial as Waters is bringing her Food Climate Hope campaign to Washington DC before Congress passes the next farm bill. In fact, Waters and University of California President Michael Drake will co-host an event at the Smithsonian in DC on October 19, making the case for the idea of ​​school-supported agriculture as an effective and universal climate solution. Belle Hahn says, “We want to support Ms. Waters in her efforts to bring policymakers together for positive change.”

El Encanto is also happy to support such efforts, and not only with a delicious selection of spreads to slather on homemade focaccia and pita, meticulously fire-roasted vegetables and more. “Fundraising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving,” asserts Claudia Schou, Marketing and Communications Manager at El Encanto. “El Encanto’s commitment to sustainability, which emphasizes food that comes from the land, sea and garden, aligns seamlessly with Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard Project. Supporting this initiative promotes environmental stewardship and cultivates a culture of giving among future generations.”

As proof of concept, Waters was joined by some of the hotel’s suppliers, introduced by Chef Alex Bollinger. Devin Spencer, GM at Cultured Abalone, Leslie Person Ryan, CEO of Sweet Wheel Farms, and Samantha Foxen, Tasting Room Manager at Donnachadh Family Wines (she also poured their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), spoke about how organic, healthy farming is possible here in Santa Barbara County. But Ryan also cited shocking statistics, claiming, “80 percent of the food we grow in the county is exported, and 90 percent of our food is imported.” That’s why she advocated for “a chain of farms in the county to ensure food security.”

Each participant took home a copy of Waters’ 2021 book We are what we eat: A Slow Food Manifesto to start this delicious revolution. And your generous support will help the Edible Schoolyard Project achieve its goals (as stated on its website) to provide all students in grades K-12 with a free, sustainable school lunch made with food purchased directly from farmers and ranchers who care for their workers and their land, thus instilling in students the values ​​of nutrition, stewardship, and community.