Study mission builds momentum for California’s Slow Food movement

To prepare for Terra Madre Americas’ return to California in 2027, Visit California hosted the first-of-its-kind, “Study Mission” to the 2026 festival in Turin, Italy. 

The program was designed to immerse destination marketing leaders in the Slow Food movement, highlighting opportunities to advance agritourism, culinary storytelling and regional partnerships while building alignment around a coordinated statewide presence at the 2027 event in Sacramento.

The delegation includes urban gateways, wine countries, coastal communities and rural destinations from across the state: 

• Fat Family Restaurant Group: Kevin Fat, Chief Executive Officer / Visit California Board of Directors Vice Chair of Operations
• Explore Elk Grove, Rebecca Scharmann, Executive Director
• Explore Elk Grove, Casey Fabbri, Director of Marketing & Events
• Visit Lodi, Wes Rhea, President & CEO
• Visit Fairfield, Anand Patel, President & CEO
• Visit Santa Cruz County, Flavia Olivera, Director of Sales and Travel Trade
• Visit Santa Barbara, Vanessa Bechtol, Chief Strategy Officer
• Visit San Jose, Laura Chmielewski, Vice President of Marketing & Communications
• Visit Berkeley, Jeffrey Church, President & CEO
• San Diego Tourism Authority, Kari Kapich, Chief Operating Officer
• Discover Siskiyou, Heather Chipollone, Program Director
• Visit Temecula Valley, Norma Marlowe, Director of Public Relations
• Visit SLO CAL, Cathy Cartier, President and CEO
• Visit SLO CAL, Molly Cano, Chief Marketing Officer
• Visit Sacramento, Caroline Morales, Content Marketing Manager
• See Monterey, Rob O’Keefe, President and CEO
• Los Angeles Tourism, Stacey Sun, Vice President of Marketing Programs

First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom also joined the delegation for key activities, including a roundtable discussion to share insights and determine what learnings could be brought back to communities across California as well as for the Terra Madre Americas events in the future.

The itinerary included presentations and tours with Slow Food International, conversations with other host and participating destinations, and gatherings at Slow Food restaurants where delegates heard directly from chefs and restaurateurs about their work within the movement.  

A Taste of California event held in honor of the First Partner and Alice Waters brought together a cross section of California’s destinations, chefs, farmers and food systems thought leaders across education, policy and advocacy – a rare confluence of minds who can all agree on the Slow Food ethos of Good, Clean and Fair food for all.

Throughout the three days, a few insights were clear: 

• Realistic and achievable Slow Food requirements that work for California are needed. The process can feel intimidating, so a gradual and practical approach for our industry will build capacity and participation over time.

• Finding ways to work with all segments of California’s agricultural industry - including large-scale operations - will also be important. 

• California’s strengths lie in the opportunity to tell the stories of the people, places, and passion that already exist in the Golden State. 

• Interest from media and support from elected leaders in the Administration and Legislature will help elevate and advance this program. 

The study mission made clear that California does not need to create a new story – it has an existing one worth bringing to the world. The opportunity now is to connect that story, build participation and translate the lessons from Turin into a compelling statewide presence not only at the festival in Sacramento but beyond.  

As a next step, Visit California will convene the delegation virtually to align on the approach and identify immediate opportunities to advance the work ahead of Terra Madre Americas 2027.