Every now and then an event comes along that sets new standards -- for charity, for food, for collaboration. This Sunday at Solera in downtown Minneapolis has all of the makings for exactly that. Coming together for one special night to benefit Second Harvest Heartland are 16 chefs and 6 farms. Check out the press release below for the who, what, where and when!
Farm in the Cities 2011 is a fundraising event for Second Harvest Heartland to spotlight local farmers’ foods and the restaurants that serve them. This event is presented by Six Rivers Cooperative and the participating restaurants on Sunday, October 30th at Solera Cocina de Espana in Minneapolis.
The event was created as a way to educate the public on how to source and prepare farm fresh food by highlighting locally-grown products and the restaurants that utilize them in their menus.
Farm in the Cities kicks off at 4 pm with a demonstration by the participating farmers and chefs. They will share information on the various farms and local foods, as well as how to purchase and prepare farm fresh products. There will be passed appetizers and samples prepared by the participating chefs using fresh farm ingredients. A cash bar will be available. Proceeds from the cash bar, as well as a small cash donation or canned food item, will go to Second Harvest Heartland.
The second portion of the event, beginning at 6 pm, will feature a 7-course dinner (including dessert), and wine or beer paired with the courses. The dinner will be prepared by the participating chefs using local products grown and provided primarily by Six Rivers Cooperative and its members. During the course of the evening, the chefs will share insights into the products used in the preparation of their course. The dinner cost is $125 per person with proceeds going to Second Harvest Heartland.
Confirmed chefs and restaurants participating in Farm in the Cities 2011 include:
- Kevin Kathman of Barbettes;
- Jim Kyndberg of Crave;
- Derik Moran of Dakota Jazz;
- Jack Reibel formerly of Dakota Jazz;
- Phillip Dorwart of Dining Studio and Create Catering;
- George Lohk of French Meadow;
- Mike Phillips of The Green Ox;
- Chester Dyrud of Good Earth, Roseville;
- David Owen Jones of The Marsh;
- Sarah Masters of Porter & Frye;
- Jason Blair of Red Stag;
- Matt Paulson of Sample Room;
- Jorge Guzman of Solera;
- Steven Joel Brown of Tilia;
- Eric Harcey of Victory 44; and
- Wyatt Evans of WA Frost.
Confirmed farmers who are participating will be:
- Herby Radmann of The Bullfrog’s Eat My Fish Farm;
- Wayne and Carla Kostka of Castle Rock Organic Dairy/Six Rivers Cooperative;
- Maurice and Gail Smith of DragSmith Farms/Six Rivers Cooperative;
- Mary and Lee Graese of Northstar Bison/Six Rivers Cooperative;
- Andy Peterson, Wayne Peterson of Peterson Limousin Farms/Six Rivers Cooperative;
- Lowell & Kathy Jacobson of Six Rivers Cooperative.
Reservations can be made by calling Solera’s Jay Viskocil at 612-338-0062. Solera is located at 900 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403.
I think just a bit more needs to be said about Second Harvest Heartland. They are an outstanding organization in St. Paul that distributes nearly 60 million pounds of food a year to hungry folks, families and children. More than just that, they seek to educate people about hunger and end the cycle that keeps people hungry. Read more about how you can participate in the efforts here, especially if you cannot attend Sunday's event.
Lawrence Black is a writer and editor at Simple, Good and Tasty. He can be reached at lawrence@simplegoodandtasty.com.
