News & Nosh: An evening with The Rind’s Sara Arbabian and writer Benjy Egel

Spend an evening with Sara Arbabian, owner of The Rind, and sample bites from her cheese-focused midtown Sacramento restaurant.

Food offerings will be paired with wine from the El Dorado 8, a collective of high quality wineries based in the El Dorado region of the Sierra Foothills. The food and drink will be followed by a Q&A between Arbabian and cookbook author and Sacramento Bee food writer Benjy Egel.

Grilled cheese was the first dish Arbabian’s mother taught her to make; macaroni-and-cheese was the second. After graduating from high school in Stockton and college at UC Davis, Arbabian moved to Sacramento and worked in human resources for seven years before leaving office life behind to open The Rind in 2013. Located in midtown Sacramento’s Handle District, Arbabian’s passion project revolves around all things cheese, with a curated wine and beer selection to perfectly complement stuffed piquillo peppers or melted raclette platters.

Egel grew up in the Sacramento region and has written for The Bee about the local restaurant scene for the past six years. In 2023, Egel authored his first cookbook, “Sacramento Eats,” which features a collection of 60 recipes from beloved local restaurants.The book is now in its second printing.

Arbabian and Egel will discuss their stories of cooking, eating and making their marks on the local food scene. There will also be time to ask questions, buy a cookbook and have Egel and Arbabian (who contributed her macaroni-and-cheese recipe to the book) sign your copy.

Representatives of the El Dorado 8, which comprises Boeger Winery, Edio at Delfino Farms, Element 79 Vineyards, Gwinllan Estate, Lava Cap Winery, Madroña Vineyards, Miraflores Vineyards & Winery, and Starfield Vineyards, will also be on hand to answer questions about their wines.

This exclusive event will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, at The Sacramento Bee office, 1601 Alhambra Blvd., Suite 100.

If you have questions about the event, please contact Egel at [email protected].

Host or Publisher THE SACRAMENTO BEE