Auburn Chamber of Commerce Celebrate the Community Awards: McCann Award

Editor's note: The Auburn Journal has featured the winners of the 2025 Celebrate the Community Awards by publishing the letters from those who nominated them. This year's McCann Award winners, Pat and Pete Enochs, were nominated twice. Here are the letters: From Teena Wilkins, Auburn Wine, Ale & Food Festival, Chairperson, Managing Partner It is my honor to strongly recommend Pat and Pete Enochs as candidates for the prestigious McCann Award in Auburn, California. My perspective comes from the wine industry and, more specifically, my work with the Auburn Wine, Ale & Food Festival. For years, I struggled to inspire our participating wineries and restaurants to thoughtfully create pairings that were both meaningful and memorable. The vision of the festival has always been to highlight Auburn and Placer County as a true culinary destination, a place where visitors could imagine spending an entire weekend immersed in food, wine and hospitality. Yet despite my efforts, I often found the results falling short of that goal. Everything changed the day I invited Pat and Pete to join the festival committee. From their leadership at Latitudes and The Kitchen, they had already proven themselves to be pioneers in shaping Auburn's food culture. Their participation elevated the festival in ways I had only hoped for. Without Pat and Pete's influence, the longstanding festival would not likely have earned the title of Auburn's Best Event. They have added their expertise and gone above and beyond for many years, traveling to wineries and restaurants to create collaborations that were not only meaningful but that also forged lasting business relationships. In doing so, they bridged the gap between agriculture tourism, the culinary arts, and the hospitality industry. They brought a spirit of collaboration, a genuine commitment to excellence and a unique ability to inspire both chefs and wineries to rise to the occasion. What makes Pat and Pete remarkable is not just their culinary expertise, but the way they deliver it. They are visionaries who saw Auburn as more than a town of diners and steakhouses. They believed it could be a place that nurtures young chefs, celebrates creativity and attracts visitors seeking something distinctive. And yet, they have done all this without pretense. Their approach has always been inclusive, laid back and inviting, never snobbish or off-putting. Pat and Pete Enochs have changed the landscape of Auburn dining and hospitality. They have inspired the next generation while ensuring our community remains warm, authentic and accessible. Their contributions embody the spirit of the McCann Award, and I can think of no candidates more deserving of this recognition. Cheers! From Crystal Deck I would like to nominate Pat & Pete Enochs for the McCann Award this year. Pat & Pete give of themselves to all of our Auburn community. Whether it be volunteering at the Auburn State Theatre or Auburn Wine & Ale Trail or the many other entities they give of themselves to. They share their love and knowledge of foods and their expertise in growing and preparing vegetables, fruit trees, flowers and all sorts of interesting nourishments. Pat & Pete were and still are instrumental in the concessions part of the Auburn State Theatre. Without them, we would not have the reputation of the "best popcorn" in the area!!! Please consider Pat & Pete for this prestigious award. They are community members who give of themselves always and certainly deserve to be recognized. Thank you.