Savory Thymes was a philanthropic initiative that provided fully funded; thoughtfully and beautifully designed events, for artists and grass-roots social and environmental justice organizations. At each event, activists, artists, enthusiast and philanthropist convened, within the inspirational landscape of Hillside Gardens, and cross-pollinated ideas, built alliances and leveraged resources. For over 12 years, Ali immersed herself in the Bay Area food culture, as she cultivated relationships with the growers, producers and artisans that provided food for their events. Ali attributes Savory Thymes’ culinary success to the abundant varieties, breeds, and flavors of the food she purchased from the farmers market. Her relationships with the people who produced the food she cooked, fostered her long lasting advocacy for the importance of protecting and supporting regional foodsheds.
After 24 years of living in the Bay Area, Ali moved back to her home town where she continues to build community. She is a co-founder of Creative Conversations Around Sustainable Solutions, a member of the Connecticut Food Systems Alliance Steering Committee, Greenwich Community Gardens Advisory Board, and a founding member of the Greenwich Sustainability Committee and the Greenwich Food Scrap Recycling Program. Ali is the Director of Events and Community at Uprooted, a catering company that takes a holistic approach to sustainability through three foundational principles; Edible Exploration, Waste Not and Farmer-First. She graduated from Mills College in Oakland, CA with a degree in Psychology, and the Natural Gourmet Cookery School, in New York City, with a certificate in the Culinary Arts.
After graduating from culinary school in 1996, Ali moved to the Mission District of San Francisco and directed her culinary skills towards social justice initiatives. An area of her focus at the time, was cooking for organizations that empowered underserved youth with interpersonal skills and opportunity. In 2003, presented with the invitation to cook at Hillside Gardens, Ali moved to Marin County. Inspired by the surrounding farms, she found the perfect place to fuse her penchant for cooking, with her skill as a bridge-builder, and in 2005 she co-founded Savory Thymes.
