Laura Miller, creator of Sidesaddle Kitchen, wants to convince you that raw, vegan, "not gross" dessert is as delicious as it looks. In this series, filmmaker Eric Slatkin has teamed up with ForageSF to document the craft and passion of some of the foodies that make up San Francisco's growing "underground" food scene.
In 2009, ForageSF, an organization that promotes foraged and local cuisine in San Francisco, brought together a diverse group of aspiring chefs, bakers, and gourmets under the umbrella of an "Underground Market." From a small private event, the unlicensed market grew into a massive operation, drawing thousands of visitors, before going on hiatus after a cease and desist order from the San Francisco Department of Public Health. ForageSF continues to grow, however, and founder Iso Rabins shares his vision for the future of the venture in an interview below.
The Atlantic: What was the genesis of ForageSF's Underground Market? How has ForageSF grown as a business since 2009?
Iso Rabins: The Underground Market was started in December of 2009 as a reaction to the maze of wait lists and regulations required to enter into a regular farmers market. Started in a friend’s house with seven vendors and 200 eaters, it has grown into a monthly event with 50 vendors and attendance over 2,000. The main difference at our market vs. a regular market is that much of the food you'll eat is cooked in a home kitchen by startup food entrepreneurs. We think of it as an incubator, helping food makers with that first step into sharing their food with the broader community.