The Farm to Chef Success workshop will be offered at the Farming Our Future conference Saturday, February 22, 2014. The Farm to Chef model is thriving, and diners love it. But for farmer and chef, it takes a lot of back-and-forth to build a productive relationship.

Panel members include Chef Hugh Horner, The Restaurant at Helsinki Hudson, Chef Serge Madikians, Serevan Restaurant, Proprietor Nancy Thomas, Mezze Bistro + Bar and Allium Bistro + Bar, Katie Bogdanffy – Third generation farmer and founder of Yellow Bell Farm and will be moderated by Ginsberg’s VP of Operations, John Brusie.

Discussion will include what chefs and owners want and what farmers can realistically provide. Along with how can chefs and farmers make partnerships work and does what chefs ask for dictate what farmers grow.

Conference co-chair Steve Hadcock of Cornell Cooperative Extension says “This is a workshop designed for farmers who want to sell to restaurants, chefs who want more local menu options, and restaurateurs who want to showcase local farm connections. And of course for foodies who want to know how it all happens.”

The third-annual Farming Our Future conference will bring together a diverse audience from the community, including established farmers, beginning farmers, interested non-farmers, suppliers, educators, community leaders, industry leaders, and students. The conference’s theme, succession, refers to farmers handing the reins to the next generation, or to the next farmers, and a special keynote speech will relate succession stories from the Hudson Valley and the Tri-State region. Besides the farm-to-chef offering, other workshops will cover succession planning, bee-keeping, farmer-training programs, and vital skills training for new farmers.

An 8am Legislators’ Roundtable will feature Congressman Chris Gibson and New York State Assemblymembers Didi Barrett and Peter Lopez, along with State Senators Kathleen Marchione and Terry Gipson, as well as several local officials, providing a unique opportunity for agriculture-related dialogue.

Ginsberg’s Foods is the conference Platinum Sponsor. Gold Sponsors include Berkshire Farm & Table, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Columbia-Greene Media, Farm Credit East, the Farm On! Foundation, and Valley Oil.

The conference will take place Saturday, February 22nd, from 9 am-4:00 pm at Taconic Hills Central School, located in Columbia County, just a short drive from the Capital Region, the Berkshires, western Connecticut, and the lower Hudson Valley. Morning refreshments, lunch, and snacks are provided with a $20 pre-registration fee. Registration is requested by 5pm on Thursday, February 20th, but is available through Friday February 21st. All are welcome, and the walk-in rate on the day of the event is $25.