Up on the Farm
Back-to-school never tasted so good. Come out and taste the region at the highly anticipated annual farm-to table event that keeps on giving. Mixolo is excited to return to Farm to Chef Maryland and to welcome TasteWise Kids as a new host in the Mixolo app! Get up close and personal with the area's best chefs, farmers and mixologists under one roof for the price of a night out with one of them.
The new school year rolls up at the height of Maryland’s harvest time. And we can’t think of a better way to celebrate this confluence than an evening at Farm to Chef, organized by TasteWise Kids to bring local farmers and chefs together for a very good cause: to teach Baltimore school children all about healthy foods.
Now in its 10th year, Farm to Chef is the perfect charity event. It’s fun–guests mingle among some of the region’s top restaurateurs and mixologists. It’s delicious–chefs showcase the very best that Maryland has to offer, from juicy tomatoes and peaches to local cheese and seafood (and did we mention the cocktails?). And finally, it’s for a great cause.
Farm to Chef is a one-of-a-kind foodie event–a culinary competition that pairs local farmers with the area’s most talented chefs, who create original dishes highlighting the region’s abundance. Local beverage purveyors will also be on hand to show off wine, beer, spirits and craft cocktails.
TasteWise Kids, a Maryland-based nonprofit dedicated to inspiring kids to explore and experience the world of food, is an experienced Mixolo host ready to welcome solo guests with open arms. Mixolo ticket holders can show up early for a first look–and most importantly, early access to noshes and sips with the chefs, farmers and mixologists. “The partnership with Mixolo is a great fit,” says Wendy Jeffries, executive director of TasteWise Kids. “Farm to chef is all about mingling and meeting. Guests rub elbows with chefs, compare notes on their favorite dishes, and sip on craft cocktails. It’s a great venue to meet new people and we are grateful that Mixolo will be there to help us provide a shared experience for our guests coming out on their own.”
Proceeds support TasteWise Kids’ hands-on programming, including the the 25-plus-year-old initiative, Days of Taste® program. More than 4,000 kids each year participate in this program, which brings kids out to local farms, where they meet the farmers and learn where their food comes from, The program also brings chefs into the schools, where they work with students to put together healthy meals from the farms’ bounty. Launched by the American Institute of Wine & Food in 1995, and modeled after a French program of the same name (Journée de Gout), Days of Taste was designed to show that delicious food can also be healthful food. Julia Child was one of the initiative’s early and enthusiastic proponents.
Locally, more than 4,000 children from 40 area schools have visited local farms and prepared meals with professional chefs as part of Days of Taste. Many kids have reported trying kale, radishes, goat cheese and even tomatoes for the first time.
Farm to Chef, held this year on September 23, exemplifies the Days of Taste ethos of marrying healthful, locally grown food with sheer deliciousness. At the industrial chic Assembly Room you can nibble on small plates from dozens of accomplished chefs. This year, participating restaurants include Magdalena, Foraged, Ida B’s Table and Vida’s Taco Bar. Judges from Baltimore’s foodie community vote on their favorites in several categories–including the coveted Best Dish of the evening, as guests check their ballots for the People’s Choice award.
Mixologists from the Baltimore Bartenders Guild will likewise battle for the evening’s honors, and you get to savor 20 craft cocktails–all concocted with Maryland-made ingredients–to vote for the tastiest drinks. Wine and beer lovers will not be disappointed, as some of Maryland’s top wineries and breweries join in the fun. You can also bid on some great auction items and try your luck at endless raffle possibilities.
And if you show up sans a plus-one? No problem. You can mingle with Mixolo. Purchase your ticket through the Mixolo site or our mobile going out app for early access–and a chance to hang out with your plus-some.
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If you'd like to experience Farm to Chef with Mixolo, click here for details or download our free going out app to join our community of adventurous solos and find this solo-friendly event and many others. General public tickets for Farm to Chef Maryland are also available. Wherever you purchase, rest assured, all proceeds benefit the kids!