Anya Fernald

Early life and education

Fernald was born on a farm outside Munich, Germany, while her parents were teaching and researching abroad. When she was 3 years old, her family moved back to the United States, eventually settling in Palo Alto, California. After graduating from Wesleyan University with a degree in political science, she received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, leading to work as an itinerant cheesemaker in Europe and North Africa.

Europe (2000-05)

From 2000 to 2001, Fernald developed and implemented business and marketing plans for small-scale cheese makers in Sicily for a European Union-funded rural development initiative, CoRFiLaC. She then moved on to direct the International Presidia program at Slow Food in Bra, Italy, where she devised and instigated a micro-investment program that managed business planning and marketing for small-scale artisan food producers in countries such as Madagascar, Sweden, Ecuador and Bosnia between 2001 and 2005.

United States (2006-present)

Soon after returning to California in 2006, Fernald began working with Alice Waters as executive director of Slow Food Nation to organize and direct a statewide farm-to-school and farm-to-hospital initiative in over 100 low income schools and hospitals,.

In 2007, Fernald founded Live Culture Co., a business and marketing consulting firm that, in its three years of activity, helped for-profit and nonprofit companies create sustainable food businesses and develop events to showcase sustainable foods. In 2009, she created the Eat Real Festival, an annual, two-day food festival that takes place in Oakland, California, and is attended by over 100,000 people each year. The festival focuses on food and drinks produced locally, sustainably and organically. In 2011, she founded the nonprofit Food Craft Institute, and currently serves as its board chair.

To further advocate sustainable agriculture, Fernald frequently delivers keynotes and appears on panels, including the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, alongside Mario Batali. She authored the book A World Of Presidia: Food, Culture & Community for Slow Food, and contributed to various other Slow Food books, including Slow Food Nation's Come to the Table: The Slow Food Way of Living.

Belcampo

In November 2012, the Belcampo Meat Co. storefront opened its doors in Marin County, California, following the opening of Belcampo Butchery, a 10,000 square foot, USDA-approved multi-species slaughter facility designed by animal welfare expert Temple Grandin, and a nearby 20,000-acre farm. Belcampo also has an eco-lodge and a 23,000-acre farm in Belize. It has butcher shops and restaurants in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Palo Alto, Marin and San Francisco. In December 2015, Belcampo launched Belcampo by Mario Batali - a line of slow-cured salumi products - in partnership with Mario Batali. Fernald co-founded the company and serves as its CEO.

Television

Fernald has made frequent appearances as a judge on the Food Network's Iron Chef America, and was a judge on the second season of The Next Iron Chef.

Honors

In 2010, Fernald was named one of 40 Big Food Thinkers 40 and Under by Food & Wine magazine, and one of the New York Times' Nifty 50, recognizing America's up-and-coming talent.

Personal life

Fernald resides in Oakland, California.