Cheers to our Gold Barn Honorees: Jan-June 2019

We’re proud of all of our Vermont Fresh Network chefs, as they have all made a commitment to know Vermont farmers and serve locally grown and raised ingredients. However, each year there are some that take this commitment to the next level and those chefs are awarded the Gold Barn Honor.

Our Gold Barn chefs source ingredients from at least 15 individual farm partners, 10 of whom are Vermont Fresh Network farmer members, and many far exceed these numbers. In addition, they also spend 35% or more of their annual food budgets on ingredients sourced from local farmers and food producers or purchase $350,000 of locally grown/raised food products throughout the year. Criteria are set by reviewing the previous year's member purchasing patterns and selecting thresholds for the top purchasers. Vermont Fresh Network accepts Vermont plus 30 miles for the location of local farms.

This July, we are proud to recognize our Gold Barn Chefs that joined or renewed their memberships between January and June. We are inspired by the way they “walk the walk” when it comes to buying and supporting local. (To see the rest of 2019's honorees, July - Dec, please click here.)

1801 Tavern at The Grafton Inn (35 member partners): 1801 Tavern at The Grafton Inn is famous for its imaginative cuisine, thoughtfully prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and exploding with flavor. 

American Flatbread - Burlington Hearth (25 member partners): American Flatbread focuses on featuring local, regional, and organic ingredients raised and harvested by farmers they know. Burlington Hearth’s weekly specials showcase each season’s harvest and highlight the specialities of local farmers, cheesemakers, and other food producers.

Black Krim Tavern (19 member partners): Black Krim Tavern is a farm-to-table restaurant with global influence. Their menu changes weekly in order to showcase the freshest local ingredients from their family farm, Pebble Brook Farm, and other local growers and producers.

Bleu Northeast Seafood (33 member partners): Bleu has a strong commitment to freshness and to small producers. They partner with local purveyors and New England fishermen for daily seafood deliveries arriving straight from the docks.

Butch + Babe’s (21 member partners): Butch + Babe’s serves polished comfort food that is playful and delicious, with a focus on celebrating the best Vermont’s farmers have to offer.

City Market/Onion River Co-op (72 member partners): City Market is dedicated to supporting the local economy and strengthening the local food system. They work with thousands of Vermont vendors to feature a wide selection of local and Vermont-made products.

Doc Ponds (24 member partners): With some menus changing daily and some seasonally, Doc Ponds is Stowe’s spot for foodies and beer nerds.

Dot Calm Cafe at Dealer.com (16 member partners): Dot Calm Cafe serves employees and their guests delicious, local, organic food, made from scratch with no additives or preservatives. 

Echo Lake Inn (25 member partners): Echo Lake Inn chefs combine local ingredients with well-loved classics to provide a unique set of menu selections, ensuring everyone will find something they love.

Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm (24 member partners): Embodying the essence of Vermont, the Farmhouse Inn serves homemade and locally sourced dishes featuring fresh eggs from their hens, honey from their bees, homemade maple syrup, fresh baked goods, and produce from their kitchen garden.

Hen of the Wood - Burlington (35 member partners): Hen of the Wood supports local growers that practice environmentally sound agriculture and believes in showcasing the most vibrant foods of the season and wild edibles such as Hen of the Wood mushrooms.

Hen of the Wood - Waterbury (32 member partners): Hen of the Wood serves seasonal American food that celebrates the farms of Vermont and the northeast.

Hill Farm Inn (14 member partners): Hill Farm Inn is a boutique bed and breakfast and event venue offering locally sourced food and drink, in addition to luxe lodging, unique amenities, and personalized service on 50 conserved acres.

Inn at Shelburne Farms (40 member partners): The Inn welcomes people to come stay at Shelburne Farms, a 1,400 acre working farm with educational programs and National Historic Landmark on Lake Champlain. Their farm-to-table restaurant features locally produced food.

Juniper Bar and Restaurant at Hotel Vermont (44 member partners): Juniper is a local ingredient-driven bar and restaurant serving up dishes bursting with flavor. Juniper uses lots of fresh ingredients from their farming, foraging, and fishing friends.

King Arthur Flour (37 member partners): King Arthur Flour uses traditional methods and top quality ingredients to bake their outstanding preservative- and additive-free breads. Their on-site cafe highlights the best of the region’s offerings from Vermont basil pesto to local berry jam and everything in between.

Let’s Pretend Catering (40 member partners): Let's Pretend Catering is a full service catering company that focuses on custom built menus working with the seasons of Vermont.

Leunig’s Bistro (58 member partners): Leunig's Bistro is a popular, award winning restaurant that brings together the panache of Paris and the value of Vermont. Their chef creates spectacular seasonal menus that tantalize guests’ taste buds with local ingredients.

Michael’s on the Hill (44 member partners): Enjoy Vermont’s culinary bounty with seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine prepared by award-winning Chef/Owner Michael Kloeti at Michael's on the Hill.

Morse Block Deli (36 member partners): Morse Block Deli offers sandwiches, a full service deli, taproom, and catering focused on house-made and locally sourced meats, cheeses, breads, produce, beverages, and more.

Reluctant Panther Inn and Restaurant (25 member partners): The Reluctant Panther Restaurant features contemporary American cooking with an emphasis on locally sourced products to create a sophisticated dining experience that is unsurpassed in northern New England.

Simon Pearce (39 member partners): Using fresh local ingredients, thoughtfully prepared creative American cuisine is served with the backdrop of the Ottauquechee River waterfall and covered bridge.

Sean Blomgren, Executive Chef | The Lodge at Spruce Peak

Solstice at The Lodge at Spruce Peak (43 member partners): Solstice, The Lodge at Spruce Peak's signature restaurant, offers Vermont artisan-inspired cuisine in an elegant and relaxed setting. 

The Farmhouse Tap and Grill (37 member partners): The Farmhouse Tap and Grill is a farm-to-table gastropub serving local burgers, charcuterie, cheeses, and innovative specials. The tap room offers highly prized beers from Vermont's backyard and beyond.

UVM Dining/Sodexo (42 member partners): UVM Dining is a committed partner in the development of a strong Vermont food system and has worked hard to increase the number of local vendors who provide food items to the campus and integrate Vermont products into their core menu mix.

Vermont Farms Catering (50 member partners): Vermont Farms Catering works with local farmers and purveyors to offer you the best Vermont ingredients. These products, in the hands of a creative, talented, and experienced team, turn weddings and events into unique and memorable realities.

Wake Robin (19 member partners): Dining is a vibrant part of life at Wake Robin, a non-profit Life Plan Community. Delicious and creative food brings their residents together in a variety of dining venues, and connects Wake Robin to the community at large through their commitment to local ingredients and relationships with local farmers.

Williamsville Eatery (16 member partners): The Williamsville Eatery offers tasty, wholesome, and uncomplicated food and drinks. Surrounded by small farms, the Eatery supports local producers by using as much of their produce, meats, grains, and beverages as possible.

Woodstock Farmers Market (43 member partners): Woodstock Farmers Market is a unique fresh food market serving up delicious prepared foods, baked goods, fresh meats, cheese, wine, beer, and groceries! They love supporting the local food chain and knowing the farmers and vendors that fill the market's shelves.