GATHER Dinner Series - February
GATHER with Chef J
February 20th, 2025
6:30pm doors / 7:00pm dinner
$85 per person
1700 I Street, Sacramento
This Black History Month, we are featuring GATHER’s organizer, Chef J as the first “Guest Chef” of the year.
Join us on Thursday, February 20th for a five-course dining experience that explores and challenges the concept of "authenticity" in food. J has created a thoughtful menu that expresses elements of their own journey of cultural identity and authenticity. As an Ethiopian-Eritrean-American, internationally adopted, Greek-born and U.S.-raised child of a refugee, J expands the meaning of “cultural foods” to make room for transnational and diasporic identities.
J’s culinary style is shaped by their experiences growing up in the U.S. Midwest, and living in New Orleans, Washington D.C., eastern & southern Africa, and for the past decade, California. From home kitchens in Uganda to Creole cooking classes, from casual pizza joints to Sacramento’s Tower Bridge Dinner, J’s cooking and baking experiences are diverse. Their food is influenced by East African, American, Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, but also uniquely category-defying. A self-taught baker and community-organizer-turned-chef, J is excited to share their food for the first time, in this way, with the GATHER community.
The menu for GATHER is an offering of five courses and two beverages that play with bold flavor combinations and spice mixtures while highlighting local, organic in-season California produce. It is 100% gluten free and vegan, without compromising on flavor or quality of ingredients.
*****J is also the owner of Brown Rice Bakery, a completely gluten free and vegan cottage bakery based in Sacramento. They are the founder and organizer of the GATHER dinner series, which highlights local, up-and-coming Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), queer and other under- and mis-represented chefs and food artists to showcase their culinary creativity and culture through curated dining experiences.
MENU
Welcome Drink: GINGER SPRITZ
Fresh ginger / organic agave / organic Meyer lemon / cava (or, NA: sparkling water)
1st - FARMERS MARKET SALAD
Organic arugula / blood orange / pickled red onion / toasted almond / Meyer lemon vinaigrette
2nd - ETHIOPIAN EMPANADA
Berbere & African-spiced lentils / garlic / onion / spinach / green sauce
3rd - JAMBALAYA-STUFFED RADICCHIO
Heirloom beans / rice / vegetables / spices / local radicchio leaves / Meyer lemon zest / parsley
4TH - SPICED CHICKPEA PIZZA
House-made gluten free crust / organic African-spiced chickpeas / Myoko’s mozzarella / red onion / house-made tomato sauce / arugula / microgreens
Palate Cleanser - OJ FIZZ
Fresh squeezed local Navel and Cara oranges / sparkling water
5TH - BUNA (ቡና) & BLOOD ORANGE CAKE
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee & blood orange cake / cardamom coffee buttercream / vegan orange curd
~~~~~~~
*Menu is subject to slight changes based on ingredient availability and chef’s preference.
**Entire menu is 100% gluten free and vegan. Please let us know immediately if you have any other allergies. We cannot guarantee substitutions but will do our best to accommodate when possible.
***In addition to included beverages, red and white wine will be available for purchase by the glass.
GATHER with Chef J
February 20th, 2025
6:30pm doors / 7:00pm dinner
$85 per person
1700 I Street, Sacramento
This Black History Month, we are featuring GATHER’s organizer, Chef J as the first “Guest Chef” of the year.
Join us on Thursday, February 20th for a five-course dining experience that explores and challenges the concept of "authenticity" in food. J has created a thoughtful menu that expresses elements of their own journey of cultural identity and authenticity. As an Ethiopian-Eritrean-American, internationally adopted, Greek-born and U.S.-raised child of a refugee, J expands the meaning of “cultural foods” to make room for transnational and diasporic identities.
J’s culinary style is shaped by their experiences growing up in the U.S. Midwest, and living in New Orleans, Washington D.C., eastern & southern Africa, and for the past decade, California. From home kitchens in Uganda to Creole cooking classes, from casual pizza joints to Sacramento’s Tower Bridge Dinner, J’s cooking and baking experiences are diverse. Their food is influenced by East African, American, Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, but also uniquely category-defying. A self-taught baker and community-organizer-turned-chef, J is excited to share their food for the first time, in this way, with the GATHER community.
The menu for GATHER is an offering of five courses and two beverages that play with bold flavor combinations and spice mixtures while highlighting local, organic in-season California produce. It is 100% gluten free and vegan, without compromising on flavor or quality of ingredients.
*****J is also the owner of Brown Rice Bakery, a completely gluten free and vegan cottage bakery based in Sacramento. They are the founder and organizer of the GATHER dinner series, which highlights local, up-and-coming Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), queer and other under- and mis-represented chefs and food artists to showcase their culinary creativity and culture through curated dining experiences.
MENU
Welcome Drink: GINGER SPRITZ
Fresh ginger / organic agave / organic Meyer lemon / cava (or, NA: sparkling water)
1st - FARMERS MARKET SALAD
Organic arugula / blood orange / pickled red onion / toasted almond / Meyer lemon vinaigrette
2nd - ETHIOPIAN EMPANADA
Berbere & African-spiced lentils / garlic / onion / spinach / green sauce
3rd - JAMBALAYA-STUFFED RADICCHIO
Heirloom beans / rice / vegetables / spices / local radicchio leaves / Meyer lemon zest / parsley
4TH - SPICED CHICKPEA PIZZA
House-made gluten free crust / organic African-spiced chickpeas / Myoko’s mozzarella / red onion / house-made tomato sauce / arugula / microgreens
Palate Cleanser - OJ FIZZ
Fresh squeezed local Navel and Cara oranges / sparkling water
5TH - BUNA (ቡና) & BLOOD ORANGE CAKE
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee & blood orange cake / cardamom coffee buttercream / vegan orange curd
~~~~~~~
*Menu is subject to slight changes based on ingredient availability and chef’s preference.
**Entire menu is 100% gluten free and vegan. Please let us know immediately if you have any other allergies. We cannot guarantee substitutions but will do our best to accommodate when possible.
***In addition to included beverages, red and white wine will be available for purchase by the glass.
GATHER with Chef J
February 20th, 2025
6:30pm doors / 7:00pm dinner
$85 per person
1700 I Street, Sacramento
This Black History Month, we are featuring GATHER’s organizer, Chef J as the first “Guest Chef” of the year.
Join us on Thursday, February 20th for a five-course dining experience that explores and challenges the concept of "authenticity" in food. J has created a thoughtful menu that expresses elements of their own journey of cultural identity and authenticity. As an Ethiopian-Eritrean-American, internationally adopted, Greek-born and U.S.-raised child of a refugee, J expands the meaning of “cultural foods” to make room for transnational and diasporic identities.
J’s culinary style is shaped by their experiences growing up in the U.S. Midwest, and living in New Orleans, Washington D.C., eastern & southern Africa, and for the past decade, California. From home kitchens in Uganda to Creole cooking classes, from casual pizza joints to Sacramento’s Tower Bridge Dinner, J’s cooking and baking experiences are diverse. Their food is influenced by East African, American, Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian cuisines, but also uniquely category-defying. A self-taught baker and community-organizer-turned-chef, J is excited to share their food for the first time, in this way, with the GATHER community.
The menu for GATHER is an offering of five courses and two beverages that play with bold flavor combinations and spice mixtures while highlighting local, organic in-season California produce. It is 100% gluten free and vegan, without compromising on flavor or quality of ingredients.
*****J is also the owner of Brown Rice Bakery, a completely gluten free and vegan cottage bakery based in Sacramento. They are the founder and organizer of the GATHER dinner series, which highlights local, up-and-coming Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), queer and other under- and mis-represented chefs and food artists to showcase their culinary creativity and culture through curated dining experiences.
MENU
Welcome Drink: GINGER SPRITZ
Fresh ginger / organic agave / organic Meyer lemon / cava (or, NA: sparkling water)
1st - FARMERS MARKET SALAD
Organic arugula / blood orange / pickled red onion / toasted almond / Meyer lemon vinaigrette
2nd - ETHIOPIAN EMPANADA
Berbere & African-spiced lentils / garlic / onion / spinach / green sauce
3rd - JAMBALAYA-STUFFED RADICCHIO
Heirloom beans / rice / vegetables / spices / local radicchio leaves / Meyer lemon zest / parsley
4TH - SPICED CHICKPEA PIZZA
House-made gluten free crust / organic African-spiced chickpeas / Myoko’s mozzarella / red onion / house-made tomato sauce / arugula / microgreens
Palate Cleanser - OJ FIZZ
Fresh squeezed local Navel and Cara oranges / sparkling water
5TH - BUNA (ቡና) & BLOOD ORANGE CAKE
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee & blood orange cake / cardamom coffee buttercream / vegan orange curd
~~~~~~~
*Menu is subject to slight changes based on ingredient availability and chef’s preference.
**Entire menu is 100% gluten free and vegan. Please let us know immediately if you have any other allergies. We cannot guarantee substitutions but will do our best to accommodate when possible.
***In addition to included beverages, red and white wine will be available for purchase by the glass.