The first time Steve Bash put fuel made from vegetable oil in a truck, he was surprised to see that the truck started right up, the motor ran quietly and the smell of french fries permeated the air. The revelation that a diesel engine can run on vegetable oil-based fuel was a revelation which led Bash in a whole new direction. From that point Bash spent the next ten years establishing and building the Sacramento Biofuels Network (SBN)-- an organization that provides local access to commercial quality biodiesel. The SBN was formed-out of a group of individuals who wanted to make access to ASTM quality fuel that’s third party tested and reassured, more local, Bash said. More recently, Ba

The future of mobile food trucks in Sacramento was discussed Monday night at the first in what will likely be many meetings between mobile food vendors, “brick-and-mortar” restaurateurs, city leaders and advocacy groups. The meeting, held at The Kitchen restaurant, 2225 Hurley Way, was not open to the public, City Councilman Steve Cohn said Monday morning. An ordinance limiting food trucks to operating within the city to 30-minute stops has been contested more vehemently lately. The SactoMoFo mobile food festival April 30 drew an estimated 10,000 people, prompting a closer look at the ordinance. Several gourmet food trucks, including Mini Burger Truck and Wicked ’Wich, have recently beg

Husband-and-wife team Randall Selland and Nancy Zimmer, who are the co-founders, executive chefs and owners of The Selland Group, will celebrate the 20-year success of The Kitchen restaurant by opening up another Selland’s Market-Café in El Dorado Hills on Nov. 24. The Kitchen started in May 1991, offering Sacramento the revolutionary demonstration dinners while providing a personal and intimate experience by talking with guests while cooking in front of them. Prior to cooking, Zimmer and Selland were both involved in art. Zimmer worked at an art gallery when she and Selland first met, Zimmer said. “I always had an interest in cooking, and I just loved to cook. (Selland) was always just

I will remember Nov. 22, 2010, as a big blur of turkey – from spicy and delicious to bland and dry. As one of five judges in City Councilman Rob Fong’s 4th Annual Turkey Cook Off on Monday, I nibbled on slices of 16 cooked birds. Sixteen! In all my 31 years, I have never had so many consecutive tastes of separate turkeys. The event was a benefit for Loaves & Fishes’ Thanksgiving meal, which will be held Tuesday. While 16 restaurants entered turkeys in Monday’s cookoff, the restaurants prepared many other turkeys to add up to about 40. The event was held at Beatnik Studios near 17th Street and Broadway. Sister Libby Fernandez said community participation is key to Loaves and Fishes’ annu

On May 21 through 23, KVIE Public Television and a group of Amador Wine Country businesses will host a bed and breakfast-wine country getaway fundraiser to support KVIE Public Television. The all inclusive getaway was created to showcase some of the best locations in the Amador region to visit. The fundraiser includes a two night stay at the 1862 National Historic Landmark St. George Hotel, a tour of Black Chasm Cavern, lunch at Cooper Vineyards, wine tasting at Montevina Winery, an exclusive dinner prepared by chef Randall Selland of The Kitchen and Ella Dining Room and Bar, a raucous murder mystery dinner featuring the Volcano Theatre Company, and more. Your host will be KVIE’s Rob Stewa

Knives chopped, pans tossed and orders were shouted — it was an Iron Chef of sorts in the quaint kitchen of the Shady Lady. But instead of competing, a conglomeration of chefs came together to feed those who knew and loved Adam Gregory Rains, who passed away on April 17, 2009. Rains was the victim of a car accident that left three people dead in St. Helena around 1 a.m. Friday morning. His culinary career in Sacramento included working at Kru Restaurant, helping to open Tuli Bistro, and catering with Mulvaney's B&L. Rains had also begun attending the Culinary Institute of America this year. One of Rains's coworkers from Kru said of him, "It didn’t matter how intense it got, he always ma