Hometown Homegrown

Hometown Homegrown comes to Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on Sunday, October 18, from noon to 5 PM. It's a showcase of Pittsburgh's local food scene, put on by GoodTaste! Pittsburgh, the region's premiere producer of culinary shows, which usually pairs local food lovers with national celebrity chefs, the best of the city's own kitchen talent, and new food trends. This one gathers dozens of local vendors in one spot, with live cooking demonstrations and chef demos running throughout the afternoon in the Botany Hall Teaching Kitchen.

Three local chefs are on the bill, each bringing a different profile to the kitchen. Emily Larsen is a private chef, culinary educator, and founder of Spilling the Soup LLC, who has worked with local non-profits to boost culinary education and cut food insecurity. Doug Heilman is a Western Pennsylvania foodie who launched the regional food podcast The Pittsburgh Dish in 2024 and competed on Season 3 of The Great American Recipe on PBS. Alekka Sweeney is a Pittsburgh-based chef classically trained in French pastry at Le Cordon Bleu, with more than 25 years of culinary and pastry knowledge. Between the three of them, you've got a private chef and educator, a regional food podcaster, and a French-trained pastry chef.

Admission is included in regular Conservatory admission, which also gets you into the Fall Flower Show: Alice's Adventures in Autumn. Members and children under two are free. The whole thing runs from noon to 5 PM on Sunday, October 18, at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.