That’s a Wrap–Garlic Festival Debuts New Entree

“Tasty” isn’t everything when you’re cooking 6,000 servings. Start thinking about efficiency and cost, and the prospect of adding a new item to the menu of the Gilroy Garlic Festival’s Gourmet Alley becomes daunting.

Monday, with the new “Alley Wrap” on a plate in front of him, festival President Kurt Svardal said that it was a challenge that he was ready for. 

“The whole intent was to create something new that would generate a lot of interest,” said the president, “We don’t want people to come to the festival and say, ‘Been there, done that.’”

The new hand-held entrée, a garlicky steak and shrimp wrap with rice and a garlic-aioli sauce, made its official debut at Solis Winery Monday to a group of festival insiders and friends.

While festival mainstays like garlic calamari have been around for decades, creators said that the new wrap stands to be a hit with the up-and-coming, festival-going youth.

“It’s almost been 15 years in the making,” joked Adam Sanchez, citing his years of catering experience before becoming co-creator of the wrap and co-owner of

Both Sanchez and co-owner Ann Zyburra were part of the 18-person committee charged with creating the new dish, drawing on their catering experience that helped highlight the importance of efficiency. The wrap shares many ingredients with current festival dishes and is quick to assemble.

“You have to make something that you can manufacture,” said Sanchez. 

When talking about the dish itself, Sanchez left manufacturing and entered chef mode: he mimed the sprinkling of lemon with his hands and modeled the infusion of chipotle pepper into the sauce. It’s the kind of description that sets mouths watering.

“It’s great,” said Gilroy Garlic Festival Queen, Tiffani Petersen, of the wrap, “I love the sauce and, of course, the garlic.”

Half of the 4,000 volunteers at the festival are assigned to Gourmet Alley, helping to deliver dishes like the famous garlic scampi and stuffed mushrooms.

“There are people who come back for these dishes every year,” said Svardal.

“We’ve had the same dishes, some for 35 years,” said Michael Davis, co-chair of Gourmet Alley.

The wrap will use Christopher Ranch garlic and a garlic-infused lavash from the local Wheat Valley Bakery, the newest item since garlic fries joined the menu three years ago, he said.

“The alley is a city all to itself,” said Davis.

An alley wrap will cost festival-goers $5. The Gilroy Garlic festival will be held at Christmas Hill Park, July 29-31, and feature nonstop food and music.