Wine Train Chef Brings California Cuisine to Georgia

By Savannah Mattfield, Napa Valley Wine Train Marketing

This May, Executive Chef Kelly Macdonald of the Napa Valley Wine Train was invited to participate in the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program in the Republic of Georgia to conduct workshops, seminars and master classes on California cuisine. Macdonald’s trip to the Republic of Georgia was part of a program to help explore food and wine cultures and tourism development.

Chef Macdonald traveled to several different regions within the Republic of Georgia to speak and teach about some of the flavors and cooking techniques used both on the Wine Train, and around the Napa Valley. He was able to work with local Georgian chefs, culinary students, and wine and tourism officials across the country. He was also featured on a popular Georgian TV show teaching a cooking class to the United States Ambassador in Georgia, John Bass, and his fiancé. Chef Macdonald served carrot and coriander stuffed red peppers with pork loin, local spices, and tomato apricot jam. All ingredients were sourced from the local farmers’ market that morning.

Chef was able to visit local markets and choose fresh, seasonal ingredients to use in the meals he prepared for demonstrations and cooking classes. While traveling from Tbilisi in Eastern Georgia to the Black Sea coast near Kobuleti and Batumi, he was able to vary his ingredients based on the region he was located in. Using fresh, regional, and seasonal ingredients is a large part of California cuisine, so Chef Kelly was able to easily blend his expertise with the local experience.

“There are many aspects of the Georgian culture that speak to my heart and roots,” Chef Macdonald said. “Organic food and meat delivered fresh to daily markets, unique cheeses and the vibrant connection with wine.” In fact, the Republic of Georgia is known as the “cradle of wine,” and Georgian life remains deeply in touch with the Bacchic tradition, where reverence for the grape touches many aspects of contemporary Georgian culture.

The United States Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi invited Chef Kelly Macdonald to participate in the U.S. Speaker and Specialist Program, which is sponsored by the Bureau of International Information Programs. This program selects experts from the United States to deliver lectures, serve as consultants and conduct seminars. According to their website, having an expert from the United States speak to foreign audiences is a compelling way for posts to deliver messages about U.S. policy, society, and culture. We are truly honored to have had Chef Macdonald participate in this program.