Usually when you hear "shift happens" in the culinary business, it means a change in the front room service detail or the night-shift line cooks trudge in. On Monday, Jan. 28 at the Tacoma Convention Center, Shift Happens means the community celebrates the local economy over food samples and a cash bar and drink touring booths representing local businesses. And though this Go Local-produced gathering includes people of all backgrounds that provide a variety of services from nonprofit to art and beyond, I'm here to focus on the culinary portion.

I spoke with Go Local coordinator Patricia Lecy-Davis to get the low-down on what foodie vendors Shift Happens attendees can expect. Lecy-Davis says most vendors will offer free samples of their goods, as well as offer prepackaged goods for sale. The vendor list features a plethora of tasty delights from locally-produced premade nibbles such as Lynnae's Gourmet Pickles, caramels by Fingerprint Confections and Pete's Chocolates with a pistachio brittle that Lecy-Davis loves. Alina's Soups, Julie's Gluten Free Bakery, Comfort Food Cafe, Edison City Diner and Stonegate Pizza will also be handing out samples. In regards to sips, you can expect Rainbow Cloud Kombucha, Smooth and Juicey, Mad Hat Tea and Anthem Coffee to satisfy. Tacoma winery 21 Cellars will be in the house, though wine tasting will not be available.

Tacoma Food Co-Op will be at Shift Happens to discuss its upcoming collaboration with Hilltop Pop Shop and others to take over the old Taco Time on Sixth Avenue and create a collective kitchen. "This will really be the first in the area; Burning Cupcakes and others have rented out the kitchen space for use but this is a first," states Lecy-Davis. "This will put a network of collective kitchens on the radar. We are even considering a collective kitchen at our Smooth and Juicey building and reopening Market on Market with this addition."

Matt Ecklund of Rainbow Cloud Kombucha will be serving samples of the locally-brewed oak barrel kombucha, with bottles for purchase as well. You may have seen his product at the Proctor and Tacoma farmers markets. Kombucha's mission seems directly in line with Shift Happens: "We promote a higher consciousness of unity, love, and respect for all sentient beings, and I am also rooted in the disciplines of yoga, permaculture, and meditation," says Ecklund. "My expectations for the Shift event is to meet lots of other local businesses and connect so that we may all better know each other and utilize each other's services to bring the emphasis of the local economy back to the people of Tacoma."

Comfort Food Cafe will offer tasty mac and cheese bites, as well as gluten-free desserts. Co-owner Beti Tarantino's focus at Comfort Cafe is also directly related to the Shift Happens mission: "Our mission is to prepare fresh, local, sustainable farm to table ingredients. Our menu frequently changes to inspire our dishes and to take advantage of our amazing seasonal fruits and veggies here in the Pacific Northwest."

And it would seem that people have taken notice. Comfort Food Cafe has had its fair share of recognition. It grabbed top slots in vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free and healthy lunch categories in last year's Best of Western Washington contest. Tarantino is most proud of being the only Puyallup restaurant named in the contest.

Business deals happen over lunch. The kitchen gathers the most people during parties. People discuss big ideas over meals and connect over drinks. Folks share news over dinner and celebrate with cocktails. It's only natural that Shift Happens, an event to encourage these very things in our local economy and neighborhood growth, would include local movers and shakers in the culinary realm.

GREATER TACOMA CONVENTION AND TRADE CENTER, MONDAY, JAN. 28, 1:30-2:30 P.M. BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, 2:30-4 P.M. BUSINESS SMART LAB, 4-6:15 P.M. LOCAL VENDOR SHOWCASE, 6:15 P.M. SHIFT HAPPENS PROGRAM, 7-8 P.M. PRIZE GIVEAWAYS, FREE ADMISSION, $10 FOR BUSINESS SMART LABS, 1500 BROADWAY, TACOMA, TACOMASHIFTHAPPENS.COM

LINK: Shift Happens 2013