MEET & EAT LOCALLY SOURCED MENUS
SPOTLIGHT ON REGIONAL FARE
Popular venues showcase area farmers and food producers to offer the freshest ingredients and best locally sourced menus possible. B Y J E A N I N E M A T L O W
SINCE DISCERNING TASTES can tell when food is fresh at meetings and events, serving local sources makes sense. Besides, there are plenty of other benefits of incorporating Michigan products into the meals that are carefully prepared in these top-notch settings. At the Amway Grand Plaza in Grand Rapids, Josef Huber, corporate executive chef for AHC + Hospitality in Grand Rapids, says in addition to vegetables, their local items include dairy products such as ice cream and cheese along with eggs, turkey, poultry and pork. “We have a lot of local farms and produce on the menus,” says Huber, who explains they mostly go through a supplier for traceability and accountability because food safety remains a top priority. Although some clients, such as the Michigan
24
MIM+E
| SUMMER 2019
Farm Bureau, insist on locally grown foods for their events, that can get tricky for a crowd of 2,000. Still, Huber says they can get great Michigan cheese, dairy, meats and produce, and they do a lot of business with FarmLink, which connects local farmers and food producers with venues like the hotel. Others have specific requests, such as a dairy convention requesting milk from a particular farmer. “Some bring in products and showcase them at the event, which gives us a glimpse of what’s out there,” says Huber.
In the summer months when seasonal fruits and vegetables are more readily available, a lot of the produce at The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck comes from local farmers. Winter months can be a challenge, Huber says. “If it’s in season, locally grown tastes better, and it looks better because it doesn’t have to travel across the country to get to us. Local foods also build community and keep local farmers in business.”
Menu-Driven Local foods drive the menu at The Kensington Hotel in Ann Arbor and its on-site restaurant rel·ish, according to Daniel Fine, managing director and Loren Halprin, executive chef. “We find the best local food and build the menu around that,” Halprin says.
P H O T O : A M WAY G R A N D P L A Z A
Amway Grand Plaza’s shrimp toast
