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MINNESOTA COOKS

Celebrating farm-to-table

By Brita Moore and Claudine Arndt
Photo by Katie Cannon Photography

The idea that farms and restaurants could work together to help
each other succeed was not mainstream in 2003. That didn’t
stop Minnesota’s innovative food and farming communities. Two
decades later, the relationships they’ve galvanized have sparked
many of the delicious farm-to-table experiences we enjoy today. Volunteer at Minnesota Cooks Day at the State Fair with a platter of
Sloppy Joe’s from Main Street Farmer Eatery, featuring grass fed beef
from Pettit Pastures.
On the menu
Minnesota Cooks Day
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU), a grassroots farm
organization, has been an instrumental force behind the local In addition to a feature in the calendar, the farmer-chef pairs
food movement. In 2003, they created Minnesota Cooks, a participate in Minnesota Cooks Day at the State Fair, an all-day
program devoted to celebrating and cultivating partnerships agricultural celebration.
between farmers and chefs, cooks and restaurant owners who “Each pair comes onstage at Dan Patch Park,” Wertish
feature farm-fresh foods on their menus. explains. “While the chefs demonstrate how to prepare the
“Education and consumer outreach are primary goals at recipes chosen for the calendar, the farmers tell the story of why
MFU,” says organization president, Gary Wertish. “Back in 2003, they do what they do and why it’s important.”
we saw the burgeoning interest in local food as an opportunity Celebrity panelists join the conversation and taste-test the
to build farmer-consumer relationships. We recognized that the recipes while audiences sample dishes created onstage. Although
purchasing power of restaurants can provide another viable Minnesota Cooks Day wasn’t possible this year, the 2021
market for many farmers to earn a fair price for their products. calendar will be available soon.
So we collaborated with hometown celebrity-chef Andrew Meanwhile, MFU continues to spotlight local foods.
Zimmern to create Minnesota Cooks.” Partnering with Twin Cities Public Broadcasting Station, TPT,
The program highlights the state’s culinary talent and it has created Farm Fresh Road Trip, an Emmy Award-winning
abundance of farm-fresh foods. It emphasizes the importance program, introducing viewers to farmers and restaurants across
of locally-grown, made-in-Minnesota fare to expand local MN (visit tpt.org for episodes). It has also teamed up with
markets. That first year, Minnesota Cooks was small, just five Minnesota Cooks alum Birchwood Cafe, creating the F&B
partnerships, but now features 12 exemplary farmer-restaurant Pop-Up Restaurant. The menu includes State Fair favorites like
pairings in an annual calendar filled with stunning photos and Heirloom Tomato + Sweet Corn BLTs and Blueberry Key Lime
alluring recipes. Pie, made with Minnesota-grown ingredients. In May 2021,
Over the last 18 years, the program has traversed the state— MFU will premiere The Farmer and The Chef: Farm Fresh Minnesota
Luverne to Hallock, Caledonia to Amboy—interviewing and Recipes and Stories, a collection of local farmer profiles and tasty
photographing farmers and chefs. It has featured over 150 farms recipes. To learn more about Minnesota Cooks and MFU, visit
and 150 restaurants, bakeries, wineries, and other businesses www.mfu.org and www.minnesotacooks.org.
committed to local food. Farm highlights have spanned
everything from young growers yielding impressive harvests Claudine Arndt is the manager of Minnesota Cooks and author of
off of small city lots to established dairy and grain farmsteads. The Farmer and the Chef. Brita Moore is Public Relations &
Showcased eateries have included bustling metro restaurants Communications Director for MFU. Special thanks to Bruce Miller,
(that almost single-handedly keep local farmers afloat) and small, MFU’s longtime Membership & Outreach Director, who led Minnesota
rural cafés buying what they can to support their neighbors. Cooks from 2010 until his passing in 2019.
40 FEAST! Local Foods Magazine