"Rich Pepe and Jason Burnett Show: Race for Carmel Mayor Is As Edible As Politics Get" by Food Blog

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Rich Pepe and Jason Burnett Show: Race for Carmel Mayor Is As Edible As Politics Get

February 24, 2012

The question felt mandatory.

I'd talked to several savvy restaurant playmakers along Dolores more than a few times about how easy it would be to launch a open-air market with a little entertainment, a little booth or two and a lot of flavor. We all agreed it would be big draw for strolling locals.

So when the Weekly Editorial Board had the candidates for Carmel mayor, City Councilman Jason Burnett (above right) and restaurateur Rich Pepe (left), in for a chitchat this week, I couldn't help but ask, What am I missing? While they're invoking terms like "walkability" (Burnett) and concepts like "bringing the downtown back downtown" (Pepe) repeatedly, and shareholders and participants alike are on board for a fair or farmers market or whatever you want to call it, why isn't it happening?

Their replies gave me hope.

"It's one of my priorities," Burnett said. "It excites me and the community at large, having a regular event on, say, a Thursday afternoon. It would take advantage of the pedestrian nature of town, allow restaurants to expand onto street, have some live music or a silent movie—some activity [where] the larger community has a reason to come…It really needs to be a partnership between the business and the city. The city can provide ability to close off street, police assistance…"

Then it was Pepe's turn.

"On surface, why not?" he asked. "But down deep, in Carmel, it's tough to change a light bulb, let alone put on a street fair. Jason and I agree on this. We want a walkable city with interesting things to do. Just like kitchen is the center of the home, downtown is the center of community life. The challenge we face: We need a strong leader, a strong ambassador, to [counter] the vocal minority who is against everything. If you win, Jason, I hope you follow through. If I win, I hope I follow through. It's so important to keep pace with cities and towns up and down the coast."

That conversation comes in the context of a race that's about as foodie-fied as any I've seen. Pepe, after all, is one of the most influential restaurant owners in the area, with a buffet of largely lively eateries like Little Napoli (626-PEPE), Vino Napoli Wine Bar (626-7373), Peppoli (647-7433), Vesuvio (626-7373) and Carmel Bakery (626-7373) in his portfolio. But Burnett is making a push to brand Carmel as more of a food town too.

A few hours after our powwow at the Weekly, Burnett hosted a campaign event at slow-food darling Carmel Belle with pioneering conscious food journalist Eric Schlosser. Here's Carmel beat reporter Sara Rubin's report from the event:

About 100 people, including Carmel-area dignitaries attended, including Merv Sutton, Councilman Ken Talmage, Planning Commissioner/council candidate Victoria Beach, Greg D'Ambrosio, Salinas City Councilman Steve McShane, Weekly contributor Jamie Collins (described by Schlosser as "one of the coolest farmers in the U.S."), Mark Shelley and otter documentary distributor Mark Urman from New York.

Burnett's wife Mel and baby Sebastian left early for Sebastian's 6pm bedtime. Jason's mom, Nancy, was there, too. Jason gave dried apricots from his grandfather's orchard to Schlosser and Carmel Belle owners Jay and Chloe Dolata, and Nancy whispered, "They're not organic."

Jason pulled a Barack Obama, and opened by talking about growing lettuce, arugula, and kale on his small rooftop garden.

"I think Carmel is really uniquely positioned to embrace the food movement, in particular the local food movement," he said.

When asked by an audience member for a concrete step toward developing a food culture, Burnett talked about the exact idea you asked about: open-air food gigs, blocking off different streets and having restaurant seating out in the street, bringing residents into town for meals.

"It encourages the sort of mingling that really helps build a community," he said.

Schlosser's lived in the town nine years, was dressed casually (as usual); jeans, striped button-down, worn jacket with a hem coming undone.

He said the city has done a remarkable job maintaining its character unlike other Western towns that have "a lack of vision and a lack of a long-term view of how to respect and preserve a place." His little stump speech for Jason as mayor was that he's about intelligent growth.

"He is not a luddite," Schlosser said. "He is not about preventing growth."

Food, he suggested, is the next soulful endeavor for Carmel to get behind: "Sadly, this is not a writer/artist community anymore. But Monterey County produces $4 billion of food a year....Right now, there isn't that strong a food culture here."

He talked a bit about Napa overselling itself, and how Monterey County is better because we grow healthy food for people to eat, not alcohol.

The food: pulled pork sandwiches on decadently buttery sweet rolls; mini open-face tuna melts with hook-and-line-caught tuna from Dave's in Santa Cruz and tomato slices from Nagamine Farms in Watsonville; goat cheese crostini, topped with slices of Nagamine tomato; and as more of a dessert item, baguette with slices of apple, East of Edam Schoch cheese, and a candied walnut.

Besides "walkability," some Carmel leaders desire more "bikeability" too.

I've introduced to both Jason and Rich some very do-able ways to help make Carmel more bicycling friendly. One way is to have a "Tips on Bicycling Carmel" brochure prepared for visitors and locals. (Such a brochure could have community-wide sponsors, as with the brochure put together to help cyclists bike safer on the west side of Santa Cruz.) Meanwhile, see some Bicycling Carmel tips at BicyclingMonterey.com - http://marilynch.com/blog/bicycling-carmel-where-to-bike-with-your-dog-and-other-tips.html

Carmel already has many participating HER Helmet Thursdays spots--places that give discounts on Thursdays to males and females who bike. Among these spots: Carmel Belle (cited in your story). For the complete list of hotels, educational and entertainment spots, and restaurants participating in this countywide ecology-economy sustainability project, refer to the following page at BicyclingMonterey.com - http://marilynch.com/blog/her-helmet-thursdays/all-participants-brief-and-detailed-listings-in-new-clickable-map

Funny you should mention it, but we are having a Locals' Night downtown on Tuesday, March 13, to coincide with The Carmel Pine Cone's Candidates Forum taking place that evening at Sunset Center. We're signing up restaurants now (Rich Pepe's are participating, of course) and focusing on Carmel-by-the-Sea voters, although all Peninsula residents are invited. Take a stroll, see your friends, dine at a participating establishment (there'll be menu specials that night for Locals), and perhaps take in the Candidates' Debate. Stay tuned.

Pepe loved the idea of having street dining and an open air market, that when I proposed the idea to him as his Marketing Director, (repeatedly) he allocated exactly NONE of my time to developing the necessary proposals and plans. Even after I had preliminary support from the City, and Jason Burnett.

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