The age old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child,” is no truer than in the hospitality industry, where partnerships between restaurants, wineries, farmers and ranchers enhance the quality of product and overall experience for guests. To put great food on the plate or amazing wine in the glass takes collaboration. Another cliché saying rings true: “A rising tide floats all boats.” That’s especially true when that proverbial boat carries both fish and cabernet.

There’s something special about seeing the name of a farm or producer next to an ingredient on the menu. As children, some of us received the comment, “plays well with others,” during parent-teacher conferences, and that’s how I tend to perceive businesses where I find “Bautista Family Farm snap peas” or “Cal Poly eggs” in the description of a dish. Why? Because there’s a much cheaper way to source food, yet, the chef wanted diners to experience the freshness of a local ingredient.

Sometimes collaboration occurs in the most unlikely of pairs. Take for instance a dance studio in San Luis Obispo teaming up with distillers and chefs to put on an unforgettable date night series. Or, perhaps on a more granular level, pea plants and grape vines — “Cover Crops for $500, please.” Regardless of perceived incompatibility, even unlikely duos can create remarkable outcomes.

Similar to the word collaboration is cooperation; the two truly go hand in hand. To me, these ideas also include terms like trust, support and empowerment. If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that a successful pivot requires a great partner. When collaboration takes place, magic can happen. The stories in this issue highlight some of the county’s leading examples of collaboration, in which neighbors agreed there’s no “I” in “team” nor is there one in “success.”

Thank you, as always, for reading. Each of us involved in the magazine is eternally grateful for your support.