Michael's Meet-Ups: Make the Most of Morning Marketing

Going to the Santa Monica Farmers' Market with local chefs is something near and dear to us, since that's the core of our From Market to Menu series. Our last trek was in the company of Chef Mikey Stern, the executive chef at Michael McCarty's Michael's restaurant in Santa Monica.

It seems doing the shopping and the talking is something the two Micheals enjoy doing, because they have created a monthly event called Michael's Market Meet-Ups for people to take part in and learn about cooking with the seasons.

The Meet-Ups begin at 8:30 a.m. at Michael's, where guests can enjoy cappucino and pastries, and a cooking demo using a featured seasonal ingredient--the take home being recipes and suggested wine pairings, and a copy of McCarty's book Welcome to Michael’s: Great Food, Great People, Great Party!. After the demo, it's off to the market, just 2 blocks away, where Stern and McCarty will help guests navigate the popular weekly market, introduce them to his favorite farmers and vendors, give tips on selecting produce, and talk more about the featured ingredient.