Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week, a new promotion initiated by the CT Department of Agriculture’s Farm-to-Chef Program, will run Sunday, September 26 through Saturday, October 2, 2010. Open to all restaurants and food service businesses in the state, the program invites participants to create and offer a separate Farm-to-Chef menu showcasing Connecticut grown ingredients and Connecticut wines.
"While many Farm-to-Chef members source locally on a regular basis, we hope this special event will entice new restaurants and businesses to give CT Grown ingredients a try. Because it is only a one-week commitment, it is an easy way for chefs to try local farm products without feeling overwhelmed," said Linda Piotrowicz, Farm-to-Chef program manager.
According to Piotrowicz, the public is becoming increasingly aware of what they are eating and where it comes from. Interest in local food is soaring, evidenced by an all-time record number of farmers’ markets in the state last year, 125. Consumers are seeking "fresh, locally grown foods for use in their own kitchens, and they have begun looking for them when dining out as well."
"We have been sourcing from nearby farms for years," explained Scott Miller, executive chef at Max’s Oyster Bar and longtime Farm-to-Chef member. "This past year we were able to serve CT Grown salad greens every day, even throughout the winter, thanks to an increase in season-extension production methods employed by area farmers."
The CT Department of Agriculture will promote and publicize Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration Week and will post information about each participating businesses on the agency’s Web site. Staff also will provide businesses with resources to help promote their involvement in Farm-to-Chef Harvest Celebration week and to help locate sources of state-grown ingredients.
For more information reach Linda Piotrowicz at Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov or (860) 713-2558.
