2014 Farm-to-Chef Week: September 14-20
This year's Farm-to-Chef Week will run September 14-20, 2014, at diverse dining destinations across the Connecticut. Each participating venue will create their own Farm-to-Chef menu showcasing special Connecticut Grown ingredients in each dish.
See the participating venues registered as of August 7, 2014.
Get the guidelines and registration form for dining venues wishing to participate.
Get the sponsorship package for businesses that would like to support this event.
2013 Farm-to-Chef Week: September 15-21
Farm-to-Chef Week will be celebrated September 15-21, 2013, at more than 75 restaurants, institutions, caterers, schools, farms, wineries, and farmers' markets throughout Connecticut. Each participating venue will create a special Farm-to-Chef menu featuring Connecticut Grown ingredients in each dish.
Help us kick off the week at the Hill-Stead Farmers' Market in Farmington from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, 2013. Chefs from several Farm-to-Chef Week venues will perform cooking demonstrations with products purchased that day from farmers at the market.
2013 Farm-to-Chef Annual Event: February 23, 2013
The Connecticut Farm to Chef (FTC) Program will hosted Growing Farmer-Chef Relationships, a trade/buying show that will introduce Connecticut Grown producers to foodservice buyers on Saturday, February 23, 2013, at Manchester Community College.
Foodservice professionals had an opportunity to learn about the very best Connecticut Grown ingredients available for their restaurants and institutions, meet and get to know local farmers, and place orders with those farmers for the 2013 season of fresh Connecticut Grown products.
2012 Farm-to-Chef Week: September 16-22
2012 Farm-to-Chef Week was held September 16-22, 2012. Sixty-five restaurants, institutions, caterers, schools, farms, wineries, and farmers' markets created special Farm-to-Chef menus featuring Connecticut Grown ingredients in each dish. Learn more.
2011-B Farm-to-Chef Annual Meeting
2011 Farm-to-Chef Week: September 18-24
2011 Farm-to-Chef Week: Sample and Savor the State's Local Flavor was held September 18-24, 2011. Seventy restaurants, institutions, caterers, schools, farms, wineries, and farmers' markets offered their own special Farm-to-Chef menu that week featuring Connecticut Grown ingredients. Get more information.
2011 Farm Tours
The Farm-to-Chef Program 2011 farm tour schedule included the following:
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
10:00 a.m. Roses for Autism, Guilford (cut roses and lilies)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
10:00 a.m. Broad Brook Beef, Broad Brook (beef)
1:00 p.m. Hastings Farm, Suffield (beef, dairy)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 CANCELED
10:00 a.m. Botticello Farm, Manchester/ Glastonbury (produce)
1:00 p.m. Deerfield Farm, Durham (dairy)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
1:00 p.m. The Farmer’s Cow/Graywall Farm, Lebanon (dairy)
2011 Farm-to-Chef Annual Meeting
The Connecticut Farm-to-Chef Program held its fourth Annual Meeting on 1/31/11 at the Saybrook Point Inn and Spa. A record 220 people registered for this important FTC event, which featured presentations, group exercises, networking, and a delicious CT Grown lunch prepared by Chef Carlos Cassar.
2010 Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week
The first-ever Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week ran Sunday, 9/26/10, through Saturday, 10/2/10. (Get the complete 2010 Harvest Celebration Week Guidelines.)
Eighty-five restaurants and other foodservice establishments signed up to offer a Farm-to-Chef menu featuring CT Grown ingredients that week. CT Wines also were offered. See the complete list of participants, including what they served.
2010 Mini-Tours
New in 2010 were free FTC "mini-tours," including one held 8/31/10 at Jones Family Farms and Winery in Shelton.
2010 Annual Meeting - January 25, 2010
The third annual meeting of the Farm-to-Chef Program was held on Monday, January 25, 2010, at the Country Club of Farmington. A full recap of the meeting can be found in the February 2010 issue of the Farm-to-Chef newsletter.
2009 Chefs' Workshop - October 14, 2009
The fourth annual Farm-to-Chef workshop for culinary professionals will be held Wednesday, October 14, 2009 at Stuart Family Farm in Bridgewater. A recap of the event can be found in the November 2009 issue of the Farm-to-Chef newsletter.
2009 Annual Meeting - January 21, 2009
The second annual meeting of the Farm-to-Chef Program was held on Wednesday, January 21, 2009, at the Country Club of Farmington. Over 100 producers, wholesalers, and food service professionals attended this informative and thought-provoking event, which featured a moderated discussion of the six topics selected by program members to be of greatest interest and importance. A recap of the meeting can be found in the February 2009 issue of the Farm-to-Chef newsletter.
2008 Chefs' Workshop - August 6, 2008
Despite torrential rain early that morning, most of the 52 culinary professionals registered for the 2008 CT Farm-to-Chef Summer Workshop braved the elements to come learn about CT seafood at the Bureau of Aquaculture’s dock in Milford . The sun came out just as the event began, making for a terrific day all the way around. For a complete summary of the event, please see the August 2008 issue of the Farm-to-Chef Newsletter.
2008 Annual Meeting - February 13, 2008
The Farm-to-Chef Program held its first-ever annual meeting on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at the Wadsworth Mansion in Middletown . A recap of the meeting is included on Page 2 of the March 2008 Newsletter.
2007 Chefs' Workshop - May 21, 2007
Brilliant skies and sparkling water set the stage for the second CT Farm-to-Chef workshop, held May 21, 2007. Over 40 chefs and culinary professionals turned out in Stonington to begin the day on the fishing docks, where they met with Connecticut fishermen and members of the CT Seafood Council to learn more about their fascinating industry and diverse products.
Participants headed over to Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm in Lyme for the afternoon session, where they sampled a wide assortment of the farm’s sheep’s and cow’s milk cheeses, attended a cheesemaking demonstration, and enjoyed an incredible buffet lunch prepared by Chef Stuart London with ingredients from Beaver Brook and nearby farms.
We would like to thank the CT Seafood Council, Southern New England Lobstermen’s and Fishermen’s Association (SNEFLA), CT SeaGrant, Sankow’s Beaver Brook Farm, Chef Stuart London , Two Guys from Woodbridge, Calbert Culinary Arts, and Chamard Vineyards for all their efforts in making the event such a tremendous success.
2006 Chefs' Workshop - October 4, 2006
Chefs had the opportunity to meet with and learn from CT seafood industry professionals. Topics included lobster, finfish, shellfish, and sanitation/food safety. Afterwards, renowned CT chefs John Turenne, Christopher Prosperi, and Jacques Pepin demonstrated cooking with a variety of CT seafood, which attendees then enjoyed eating.
