One of our favorite fall food and drink fundraising events, the Farm to Chef Culinary Competition, is right around the corner, happening October 5 at 6:30 PM at the B&O Railroad Museum.

Farm to Chef is the primary fundraiser for the organization Days of Taste, a not-for-profit program that marries the passions of local chefs, farmers, and volunteers with the curiosity and excitement of elementary-aged children in an effort to inspire healthy eating and to educate about food through discovery-based, hands-on learning opportunities.

Julia Child, the original Days of Taste spokesperson, highlighted the mission of the organization when she stated, “In this age of fast and frozen food, we want to teach school children about real food - where it’s grown and how it’s produced - so they can develop an understanding and appreciation of how good, fresh food is supposed to taste.”

The event will feature 30 talented chefs (their restaurants are listed below) from the Baltimore area, partnered with local farms, who will battle it out to create what will be voted the freshest and most innovative dish. Not only will local experts like Jeremy Zuttah from the Baltimore Ravens, Cynthia Shea from Baltimore City Schools Food & Nutrition Services, and local caterer and cookbook author Kerry Dunnington weigh in to choose a winner, attendees also have the opportunity to participate in voting for the champion of the People’s Choice award.

The Baltimore Bartenders Guild will be on hand as well, with many of their mixologists also partnering up with farms to craft creative cocktails using local ingredients. While we don’t have the scoop on what we might see on plates at the competition, we did get some insider info on what to expect in your glass.

Team Captain Jon Blair of Rye, Greg Mergner of Bad Decisions, and Erin Harper of La Cuchara will create a frozen mulled cider utilizing Picaroon Gold Rum, Three Springs Farm ginger apple cider, brown sugar, Abbott’s bitters, and nutmeg.

On a second team, Team Captain Maria Concepcion most recently of B&O Brasserie, Joe Aldridge of Owl Bar, and Briana Carlson from Bookmaker’s will be whisking up a seasonal pear punch with Templeton Rye, lemon, Apiary Hill honey syrup, “Pearry” Cider by Millstone and Baltimore Orchard Project, and nutmeg

Another team lead by Melissa Ray of Owl Bar with her team members Ryan Sparks of Bookmaker’s and Chelsea Klusewitz from Bad Decisions will be mixing Violets In A Jam, a cocktail incorporating Greenhat Gin, Rare Opportunity Farm Blueberry Lime Jam, Peychauds bitters, and ginger beer.

Since Days of Taste was introduced in Baltimore in 1998, thousands of third, fourth, and fifth grade students have benefitted from the work of the many chefs, farms, and volunteers associated with the organization. During the 2014-2015 school year, over 2,700 children in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard, and Harford Counties participated in the program.

Tickets are available online here. Tickets must be purchased ahead of time and will not be sold at the door.

PARTICIPATING CHEFS ARE FROM THESE LOCAL RESTAURANTS
Atwater’s ○ B&O American Brasserie ○ Baldwin’s Station ○ Beej Flamholz LLC ○ Birroteca ○ Bistro RX ○ Café Cito ○ Chef’s Expressions ○ Copper Kitchen ○ Elkridge Furnace Inn ○ Dooby’s ○ Farmstead Grill ○ Gertrude’s ○ Herb and Soul ○ Hersh’s ○ Jokers n Thieves ○ Laurrapin ○ Maggie’s Farm ○ Petit Louis Bistro, Columbia ○ Plantbar ○ Portalli’s ○ Slainte ○ Stratford University ○ Ten Ten American Bistro ○ The Charmery ○ The Classic Catering People ○ The Corner Pantry ○ The French Kitchen ○ Waterfront Kitchen ○ Wit & Wisdom ○ Woodberry Kitchen ○ Vandiver Inn

PARTICIPATING FARMS
BaltimOrganic ○ Brad’s Produce ○ Buppert’s Farm ○ Catoctin Mountain Farm ○ Cherry Glen Farm ○ City-Hydro ○Crow Farm ○ Deer Meadow Farm ○ Flying Plow Farm ○ Gather Baltimore/Hamilton Crop Circle ○ Grand View Farm○ Gravel Springs Farms ○ Gunpowder Bison & Trading Co. ○ Hedgeapple Farm ○ Hollywood Oyster Company ○Hooper’s Island Oyster ○ Kilby Cream ○ Love Dove Farms ○ Ollie’s Fresh Picked ○ One Straw Farm ○ P.A. Bowen Farmstead ○ Prigel Family Creamery ○ Prosperity Acres ○ Rare Opportunity Farm ○ Richardson Farms ○Rumbleway Farm ○ Sassafras River Beef ○ Shepherds Manor Creamery ○ Springfield Farm ○ The Contented Rooster Farm ○ Third Way Farm ○ Three Springs Fruit Farm ○ Whistle Pig Hollow, L.L.C.

Photo via Farm to Chef

Event Date: 10/05
Event Time: 6:30 PM
Location: B&O Railroad Museum
Price: $110
Type: Cocktails,Food,Fundraiser,Parties
Website: http://www.farmtochefmd.com/