This is a press release and it does mention meat - but hey it also includes vegetables!

 

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announced today that this year's Farm-to-Chef Week will run September 18-24, 2011.  Open to all restaurants and food service businesses in the state, participants are invited to create and offer their own special Farm-to-Chef menu that showcases Connecticut Grown ingredients and wines.

The seven-day promotion is an initiative of the department's Farm-to-Chef Program, which connects Connecticut farmers and distributors of Connecticut Grown products with chefs and other culinary professionals.  Last year's Farm-to-Chef week attracted over 80 restaurants, caterers, institutions, schools, farms, wineries, and various dining venues.  Participants created unique, diverse menus that were offered at multi-course farm dinners, food-trucks, white-tablecloth restaurants, coffee and breakfast shops, school cafeterias, and ice cream parlors.  Featured Connecticut Grown ingredients included fruits, vegetables, herbs, meats, seafood, dairy, maple, honey, and more.

"Many Farm-to-Chef members already serve locally grown and raised ingredients," said Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky. "What's special about this week is that it inspires even greater creativity, brings attention to the cause on a state-wide level, and encourages businesses that are new to the program to give local products a try.  It also gives the public a chance to sample and savor our state's many local flavors and support restaurants and businesses that they may not have ever visited before," he explained.

Restaurants and other food venues who are interested in participating can download the guidelines and registration forms from the Department of Agriculture's website, www.CTGrown.gov (look under featured links).  The deadline to register is June 30, 2011.

For more information, please contact Linda Piotrowicz at Linda.Piotrowicz@ct.gov or 860-713-2558.

The CT Farm-to-Chef Program helps connect Connecticut chefs and food service professionals with growers, producers, and distributors of CT grown products.  It also helps the public to discover restaurants, institutions, and other dining facilities that serve foods prepared with CT grown ingredients.  Please visit www.CTGrown.gov and click on "Programs and Services" for more information.