Although farm-to-table dining is de rigueur among the gastronomically fashionable set, fostering an appreciation for the source of food is still a source of consternation in communities where exposure to agriculture is a rarity. Years ago, in recognition of this, the Jones family took their family farm experience cultivated at the Chef's Garden in Huron and developed it into a program "to promote the well-being of children through a healthy lifestyle" under the auspices of Veggie U.
The singular program places Veggie U–designed "Earth to Table" science kits in fourth grade and special needs classrooms across the country. Each classroom is given a Veggie U–prepared kit that includes a large grow light, planting flats, soil, seeds, worms, root view boxes, instructional videos, student journals and vegetables from the Chef's Garden, which collectively illustrate ideals of sustainable farming and encourages healthy food choices through engaging, tactile learning. To date, the kits have been presented to nearly 2,000 classrooms in 27 states.
To help support the program – and in keeping with its national scope – the Chef's Garden will host its 9th annual Veggie U Food & Wine Celebration on the grounds of the Culinary Vegetable Institute. The singular culinary event takes places Saturday, July 16 from 5-9 pm, with a grand tasting tent that unites more than two dozen nationally and locally lauded chefs, each supplying signature dishes prepared exclusively for the event (using produce from the Chef's Garden), and a host of wine and beverage vendors.
Among the regional representatives are Deagan's Kitchen & Bar chef Demetrios Atheneos, who'll serve lobster nachos with avocado, corn, sweet soy and coriander blooms; Cesare Avallone of Zinc Brasserie will prepare watermelon and heirloom tomato "ceviche" snow cones with wahoo and shrimp; chefs Jonathan Guest and Chris Johnson of Washington Place Bistro & Inn plan to serve fried green heirloom tomatoes with smoky pulled pork, creamed sweet corn, red cabbage chow-chow and corn shoots; Three Birds chef Rachel Spieth will offer two degustations: smoked duck salad with cherry-ginger sauce and vanilla and orange pound cake with peach-apple sauce.
Jeff Jarrett, who recently took the helm at Amp 150 in Cleveland, has plans for Northern Ohio chilled duck breast, with upland cress, pickled heirloom vegetables and summer raspberry vinaigrette. The duck for Jarrett's dish was donated by Ed Butdorf from Happy Chix Farms in Wooster, reflecting not only his commitment to local produce as a restaurant chef, but also in his role as father of three. "We buy as much local product as we can at AMP, while also drawing from our own garden on the Marriott property," he says. Jarrett grows tomatoes, peppers, sweet potatoes, zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, cauliflower, red and green cabbage, and herbs, while his brother maintains an acre plot in Randolph, Ohio, raising vegetables, chickens and has plans to raise pigs. "I have a garden at my house, which my kids help maintain, as well as getting stuff from my brother," says Jarrett. "It's great seeing the kids be a part of that, as they then realize where vegetables come from. They are also much more willing to try the vegetables that are fresh from the garden, that they grew, as opposed to buying them from the store."
Headliners for this year's event include chef, cookbook author and media personality Govind Armstrong, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams founder Jeni Britton Bauer, Chipotle chairman Steve Ells, Food Network regulars Amanda Freitag and Aaron Sanchez, noted author and journalist Ruth Reichl, former Top Chef contestant Lee Anne Wong and The Greenhouse Tavern executive chef and owner Jonathon Sawyer, who will serve potage de printemps aux legumes et lapin (spring soup with legumes and rabbit) in the VIP tasting area and tartines featuring herbed tea butter with vegetable salts, beef tartare with selected garnishes and fromage blanc with fresh pea pistou in the grand tasting tent. Sawyer and his wife Amelia have two children, and share a vested interest in promoting the work of Veggie U. "Healthy and conscious eating habits are essential to our children's health and well being," he says. "Veggie U does a wonderful job teaching kids the fundamentals of healthy living at an early age in a receptive, hands-on environment."
To get tickets, visit www.veggieufoodandwine.com or call 419-499-7500. The Culinary Vegetable Institute is located at 12304 State Rte 13, Milan Ohio 44846. [All photos by Michelle Demuth-Bibb]
