A la carte: Chowder, beer and benefits in Sonoma County this week

BODEGA BAY: A taste of Chowder Day

Take a culinary tour of the best chowders in and around Bodega Bay during two tastings at 10 a.m. and noon Saturday, Jan. 28, during the 14th annual Chowder Day.

Tickets to the tasting event are $10 and must be purchased in advance at brownpapertickets.com. Once you have your ticket, you can start at any of the dozen restaurants offering 2-ounce chowder tastes. At your final restaurant, simply put your choice for the best one into the ballot box.

The Bodega Bay Visitors Center, 850 Highway 1, will be clearly marked and the staff will be able to answer any questions you may have. visitbodegabayca.com.

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SANTA ROSA: RateBeer fest and awards

The second annual RateBeer Best Beer Festival will be held this weekend, featuring more than 35 top brewers from around the world.

The Grand Tasting will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. Cost is $80.

The RateBeer Best Awards will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 29 at the Flamingo Hotel, followed by a reception with the brewers and a bottle share. Tickets are $25.

Tickets benefit Ales for Autism. To reserve, go to eventbrite.com.

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HEALDSBURG: Roots of Change dinner

The Healdsburg Shed will celebrate Roots of Change, a food and farming advocacy group, with a dinner by Chef Perry Hoffman at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 in the upstairs Modern Grange.

The event will feature a conversation between Michael Ableman, the pioneering founder of the largest urban farm in North America, and Naomi Starkman, a journalist and founder of the food news site Civil Eats.

Tickets are $150, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Roots of Change. healdsburgshed.com. 25 North St.

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TIBURON: “Women in the Kitchen”

The James Beard Foundation will host a “Women in the Kitchen” fundraiser at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Tiburon Tavern.

The event celebrates the nonprofit's work in advancing women in the culinary industry. The walk-around tasting will feature dishes from Beard award-winning female chefs and restaurateurs from across the country.

Among many others, participating chefs include Duskie Estes of Zazu and Black Pig Meat Co. in Sebastopol; Joyce Goldstein of San Francisco; Emily Luchetti of The Park Tavern in San Francisco; and Gaye Pirie of Foreign Cinema in San Francisco.

Admission is $100. To reserve: jamesbeard.org/events/women-in-the-kitchen. 1651 Tiburon Boulevard.

Staff writer Diane Peterson can be reached at 521-5287 or diane.peterson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @dianepete56.