NEVADA CITY, Calif. August 14, 2024 – Three Forks Bakery and Brewing Co. is celebrating its ten year anniversary.
For a decade, this community hub on Commercial Street in downtown Nevada City has been the go-to place for meaningful conversation with friends and neighbors, award-winning craft brews and a menu that changes with the seasons and supports local farms.
“We are so thankful to the community for all the love and support through the years. It has been a rollercoaster of a decade. We will be offering some food and beer promotions throughout the week as a thank you,” said General Manager Hayley Evans.
On Thursday, August 15 Three Forks staff will be serving free birthday cake from 5 to 7 p.m., or until supplies run out. A specialty brew will be on tap made just for the occasion, a Birthday Blonde Ale that pairs nicely with the wood-fired cheese pizzas. Branded buttons will be handed out to customers who want to wear Three Forks bling.
A Little History
The restaurant’s four owners Sean Dockery, Hayley Evans, Nate Evans (not related) and Whitney Shinn took over the reins when they first purchased Three Forks from founders Shana Maziarz and Dave Cowie in April of 2023.
The deal made sense, as all of the new owners had been employees with a long history and love of the Three Forks vision. They had a shared commitment to preserve Three Forks’ values and unique legacy.
“It’s still the four of us and most of us have been here since before it opened. We wanted to keep things the same and keep things going,” said General Manager Hayley Evans who started four months after the bakery and brewing company first opened. She brings her wit and strong customer service focus to the operations.
Sean Dockery is the Head Chef who developed the kitchen program before the restaurant opened a decade ago. He continues to create the menus, work with local farms and manage the culinary vision of Three Forks.
Whitney Shinn leads the all organic bakery team and brings vision and creativity to the operation, and those tasty croissants.
Nate Evans is the Head Brewmaker. He originally learned the trade from Dave Cowie and ventured off to further his knowledge at breweries up and down the state.
“When Nate came back here he had all this crazy knowledge,” said Hayley Evans.
Three Forks is an important employer in Nevada City with 60 employees, working round the clock, from the early morning bakers to the late night closing team.
“For me, having this place was a lot about my crew. I love our staff so much. I wanted to keep this going, said Hayley Evans.
Local Is The Centerpiece
Farm to Table to the core is what Three Forks is all about. From small plates to pizza, Three Forks is dedicated to supporting the local food system.
“We change our menu weekly. It’s based on what’s coming from the farmers,” said Hayley Evans.
Even the bacon for the BLT sandwiches is made in-house, along with the aioli and the bread, topped with heirloom tomatoes grown on a local farm.
Chef Sean has been working with many of the same local farmers for years such as Feeding Crane Farm, Starbright Acres Family Farm, Back to Basics and FogDog Farm and is always adding new partnerships.
“For me, I’ve worked in three major cities and I’ve looked for places like this to work at. The position we’re in where we have so many local farms that we get supplies from is pretty unique,” said Hayley Evans.
AM Ranch in Penn Valley raises pigs and steers exclusively for the restaurant and twice a week stop by to pick up spent grain from the brewery to feed their cattle.
Sean purchases whole animals and does all the butchering in house. Nothing is wasted.
“Sean wouldn’t be doing this if he couldn’t buy who he buys from. We will never give that part up,” said Hayley Evans.
Fresh Paint and Nice Patio
When asked what’s new, Hayley Evans’ voice brightens and she shares her pride in the patio.
“It’s really taken off. We’ve got a lot of plants out there, the weather is cooling off and people are hanging out. It’s really hitting its stride,” she said.
Slowly, over time, one of the baristas has repainted the interior and another counter employee has resurfaced the tabletops and bar.
“It’s been a group effort sprucing it up a bit,” said Hayley Evans.
Creating a space where people come together is a big part of the original winning formula of Three Forks that is still going strong. Regulars come every morning and spend hours getting their day started in what feels like a town square. Besides serving as a meeting place and great place to eat, Three Forks regularly gives back to nonprofits like South Yuba River Citizens League, Bear Yuba Land Trust and Hospitality House.
Ideas for the future include staff art shows, a beer club and special events on Tuesdays.
“We’re all trying to be the best version we can be. We’re trying to bring joy and good food to everyone,” said Hayley Evans.
Learn more at threeforksnc.com
Laura Petersen is a local writer who lives in Grass Valley. Contact her at laurapetersenmedia@gmail.com