Last year, due to hotter than usual weather, they suffered
a drop in attendance, down to about 80,000 people (their
high is 109,000). “We lost four hundred thousand dollars last
year,” Keck said. “Our margins are razor thin as costs escalate
every year from filling in gaps where we used to have donated
goods and services, rising city services, and transportation
costs.”
They are hoping to get the numbers up this year.
One way they’ll make that easier for locals is through sales
of bundled ticket packages that will be available at Costco
throughout the South Bay and Peninsula. The ticket bundles
will include admission, combo plates and parking at a
significant savings, he said. These will be in lieu of local ticket
pricing they’ve done in the past on Friday. These bundled
tickets go on sale the first week of June.
“Everyone in this organization is out there to throw a
party for tens of thousands of people. It feels like everyone
is there for the same reason: to give back to the community,”
Keck said.
Who's Cooking This Year:
Special Guest Chef Tom Colicchio
Colicchio is a James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurant
owner, Head Judge and Executive Producer of Top Chef (Bravo
TV series), and cookbook author. Well known food activist,
advocating for a food system that values access, affordability,
and nutrition over corporate interests. Executve Producer of A
Place at the Table, a documentary about the underlying causes
of hunger in the US, and he worked with former First Lady
Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.
Teresa Giudice, Cookbook Author
Reality TV star and bestselling cookbook author Teresa
Giudice will bring her love for healthy Italian cooking to
the festival on Saturday, July 27th. She will appear live and
prepare some of her favorite garlicky recipes on the Garlic
Cook-Off Stage.
In addition to being a cast member of the Real Housewives
of New Jersey reality show, she is a seasoned Italian chef,
author of three bestselling cookbooks, a competive body
builder and appeared on Season 5 of The Celebrity Apprentice.
Teresa is partnering with Christopher Ranch to bring
healthy garlicky recipes to more households worldwide. Don
Christopher was a founder of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, and
the family-owned company has been a long-time supporter of
the Festival since 1979.
Executive Chef, Alexander La Motte
Congratulations Chloe Crossman of Gardena,
California, 2019 Festival Poster winner.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Alexander La Motte, Executive Chef at the Rosewood Corde-
Valle Resort in San Martin will bring his culinary expertise
to the Festival on Sunday, July 28 th . La Motte will emcee the
Garlic Festival Showdown competition for professional chefs
on the Garlic Cook-Off Stage.
La Motte has over 15 years of culinary experience, having
previously served as Executive Chef at a number of estab-
lishments that include Hotel Californian, the Four Seasons
Hotel in Westlake Village and the Four Seasons Hotel in San
Francisco. He was Sous Chef at the renowned DB Brasserie
in Las Vegas, where he helped the team achieve Michelin star
rating and is currently bringing his signature contemporary
American style to the Rosewood CordeValle resort's three
culinary destinations.
june/july 2019
gmhtoday.com
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