garypodesto.net | private chef & events
Projects
Past, Current & Upcoming
MAD Academy
Environment & Sustainability
MAD Academy Participant (Fall 2025)
I participated in MAD Academy’s immersive program exploring the role of hospitality in shaping a more responsible and resilient food system. The experience brought together chefs and industry leaders from around the world to engage with questions of sustainability, leadership, and the cultural impact of restaurants. It offered a space to reflect on how our work in the kitchen can extend beyond the plate and into the broader systems we’re part of.
madfeed.co/mad-academy/
Climate Farm School
Culinary Advisor & Resident Chef (2021-Now)
A four-week, hybrid program combining online learning with immersive, on-farm experience. Climate Farm School is an evidence-based, farmer-led program designed for those ready to engage in food systems transformation—exploring regenerative agriculture, soil health, and the climate–food nexus through both study and practice. Participants live, learn, and work alongside farmers and peers, building a deeper connection to land, community, and the role they can play in shaping a more resilient food system.
The Rome Sustainable Food Project
Inaugural Guest Chef (Fall 2025)
I was honored to serve as the inaugural guest chef at the Rome Sustainable Food Project at the American Academy in Rome, a kitchen rooted in seasonality, scholarship, and cultural exchange. During my residency, I collaborated with farmers, scholars, and artists to explore how cooking can express place while engaging with questions of sustainability and food systems. The experience deepened my commitment to using food as a medium for connection—bridging agriculture, education, and the shared table.
www.aarome.org/about/rome-sustainable-food-project
Marble House Project:
Chef in Residence
Cooking & Writing Residency
Marble House Project is a multi-disciplinary artist residency program that fosters collaboration & the exchange of ideas by providing an environment for artists across disciplines to live and work side by side.
Center of Effort Winery
Food Service Consulting, Private Chef Services, Wine Pairing Content
A crown jewel of the Edna Valley, a trending wine region on California's central coast famed for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. At this landmark estate vineyard, with its roots spanning four decades, wine and food are brought together in intimate experiences for "Insider" members, friends, and family.
Gloria Ferrer Wines
Food Service Consulting, Recipe Development, Wine Pairing Content
The oldest sparkling winery in Carneros, Gloria Ferrer is perched atop a hill at the entrance to Sonoma's legendary wine region. Expertly crafted, handmade wines (they literally turn every bottle of sparkling wine in their aging racks by hand) paired with locally sourced wine country bites.