Check, Please! Farm To Table Festival, Chicago
Local Chicago television show, Check, Please!, is turning the idea of Farm to Table on its head by bringing more than 20 chefs to a Round Barn Winery in Michigan, according to a press release.
Taking place on September 1st, the Check, Please! Farm to Table Festival will pair chefs with local farmers, beverage artisans, and boutique food purveyors to provide a tasting of the local fare.
Ticketholders will be able to track the source of their food while enjoying out door cooking demonstrations, tastings, and meet and greets with chefs and farmers.
Members of the "table" lineup include Host Catherine De Orio of the show Check, Please!, Glenn Forgie of Reds on the River, and Ryan Thornburg of Bistro on the Boulevard. Members of the "farm" lineup include purveyors such as Alex's Veggies, Kaminski Farm Meats, and Swan Creek Farm. The "glass" lineup will feature Domain Berrien Cellars, Greenbush Brewing Company, and Virtue Cider, among others.
Special events like a Q+A with Catherine De Orio will take place at the Maytag Outdoor Kitchen Suite, while VIP events like a tasting with Eric Mansavage of Farmhouse will occur within the VIP tent.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor. The money intends to enhance the "Garden Club," a program that helps children and teens not only master gardening, but also bring that harvest to a soup kitchen where they will help serve and prepare meals.