URBANA, Ill. — On Saturday, September 15 from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The Land Connection hosts its 3rd annual farm-to-table chef competition fundraiser, The Artisan Cup & Fork, at Broadway Food Hall in Urbana, IL. 8 chefs and 24 producers/farmers will team up to create delicious, locally-sourced dishes to delight the palate, highlight local products, and take home the top prize of the night.
The Frontera Hospitality Group, in coordination with The Frontera Farmers Foundation, is donating the top prize of the night. The winning team will be treated to a spectacular evening in Chicago with a brewery tour and beer tasting at Cruz Blanca, followed by dinner at Leña Brava, and a meet-and-greet with Rick Bayless.
This year’s competing chefs include reigning champion Adam Shallenberger [Fired/SMOKED!], Leaf DeFehr [V. Picasso], Ryan Rogiers [Wheelhouse], Mark Cannon [Black Dog Smoke & Ale House – Urbana], Jacob Paul [Haute Boxx], Anne Caye [Personal Chef], Jordan Baldarotta [Baldarotta’s Porketta & Sicilian Sausage], and Jordan & Aurora Coffey [American Harvest Eatery]. They will be teamed up with three local and regional farms, one specializing in protein/meat, one produce farm, and one dairy/cheesery. They will also be encouraged to use local grains to produce any breads, pastas, or other doughs they may need.
Tickets are $65 through August 31; after which they are $75 per person. All tickets include access to the event and tasting portions of all 8 teams’ creations, plus drink tickets to sample locally-crafted beer and spirits. More information about the event, including the teams and the local breweries and distilleries featured, as well as links to purchase tickets can be found on the event website: http://artisancup.com/
The Land Connection is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization in Champaign, IL, dedicated to growing the local food economy, both on and off the farm, for a healthy, resilient future. All proceeds from the event benefit The Land Connection and our mission.
If you would like more information please contact Jacquelyn Evers at jacquelyn@thelandconnection.org or by phone (312) 840-2128.
–The Land Connection