The 6th Arizona Farmer+Chef Connection (Farmer+Chef) will be held on September 16, 2015, from 12:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center. Organized by the Local First Arizona Foundation, Farmer+Chef is a comprehensive event with an eye toward building wholesale business relationships between key players in the local food economy.
Two keynote speakers have been selected who represent Arizona’s local food and restaurant industries:
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Derrick Widmark is the founder and owner of Diablo Burger (Flagstaff and Tucson) and Good Oak Bar (Tucson). Diablo Burger is an “Arizona local foods-based burger joint,” where all of their burgers are made from 100% local, grass-fed, open range-raised, antibiotic-free and growth-hormone-free beef from the ranches of the Diablo Trust. Derrick has also worked with the Diablo Trust, whose mission is to ensure the long-term economic, social and ecological sustainability of the Diablo Trust land area by providing a forum for active community participation in a collaborative land stewardship process. Diablo Burger actively partners with local farmers, ranchers, bakers, cheese-makers, brewers, vintners, and other producers to source as much as they possibly can from within a 250-mile radius. Good Oak Bar operates under the same philosophy, serving Arizona made beer and wine as well as pub fare from the Diablo Burger kitchen next door. -
Megan Kimble is currently the managing editor of Edible Baja Arizona, a local food magazine serving Tucson and the borderlands. She is also the author of Unprocessed: My City-Dwelling Year of Reclaiming Real Food, a memoir of her year-long journey of eating only whole, unprocessed foods, intertwined with a journalistic exploration of what “unprocessed” really means, why it matters, and how to afford it. Megan serves on the leadership council of the Pima County Food Alliance, a food policy group working with producers, businesses, and local government in Pima County, and has worked with the University of Arizona’s Southwest Center to promote food access and justice, including contributing to the Kellogg Foundation’s Hungry for Change publication as well as Conservation You Can Taste, published by Slow Food USA.
Opening remarks will also be given by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild and Kimber Lanning, Founder and Director of Local First Arizona and the Local First Arizona Foundation.
This year’s breakout sessions will occur in tandem with the Suppliers’ Marketplace, an all day vendor fair featuring the best Arizona-made food and beverage products, allowing attendees to customize their experience. Sessions and panels will cover a diverse array of topics important to building up local food supply chains and establishing successful farm to table relationships, including the following:
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Marketing Your Localism and Maximizing Your Connections – Marketing Your Localism and
Maximizing Your Connections reviews best practices and pitfalls in marketing local procurement to the public and how best to leverage your partners in the local community. -
Water Conservation and Your Bottom Line – Water conservation is critical to any bottom line. As water becomes scarce, prices will increase. Water Conservation and Your Bottom Line will cover water-saving innovations and discuss low-water crops that are growing in popularity among chefs and consumers.
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How To: Farm to Institution – This session introduces attendees to the process of forging large institutional business relationships. Panelists include a variety of experts engaged in farm to school and hospital networks, detailing what’s required to get in the door as well as the many benefits of having these large accounts.
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Food Waste: Reduce, Reuse, Renew – More than 40% of food is wasted in the US. In the food industry, practicing waste diversion at all levels of the food chain can reduce costs and be a win-win for businesses, the community, and the planet. Food Waste: Reduce, Reuse, Renew offers ways in which people in Arizona and beyond are tackling this important issue.
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What Buyers Want and What Producers Need: Sealing the Deal – This encore workshop
features a collaborative mix of food buyers and food producers of various roles discussing why they’ve chosen their sources, focusing on a range of details such as taste, quality, branding, and ethics. Experts will share stories and tangible examples, providing insight on how to best utilize these functions and others to create long-lasting and successful partnerships.
Registration for the Arizona Farmer+Chef Connection is now open. General admission is $10, which includes access to all event programming including breakout sessions, guest speakers, supplier’s marketplace, and end of day reception. Food suppliers are also able to purchase a vendor package for $75 which includes two general admission passes plus a table at the Supplier’s Marketplace. Members of the public are invited as well and are encouraged to join us for the end of day reception at 5:00 pm. Registration is now open; attendees can register at http://localfirstazfoundation.
Many notable food producers and restaurants have already registered to attend the 6th Arizona Farmer+Chef Connection:
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Restaurant attendees include JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa, Cafe Roka of Bisbee, Boca tacos y tequila, Mama’s Hawaiian BBQ, Casino Del Sol Tucson, and others.
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Vineyards and brewery attendees include Sonoita Vineyards, Caduceus Cellars, Borderlands Brewing Company, Carlson Creek Vineyard, Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company, and others.
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Ranch, farm and dairy attendees include Double Check Ranch, Blue Sky Organic Farm, Starbar Ranch, Arizona Farms Cheese, Top Knot Farms, Black Mesa Ranch, Legacy Skies Ranch, and others.
The Arizona Farmer+Chef Connection is presented by Local First Arizona Foundation, Edible Baja Arizona, Edible Phoenix, Good Food Finder AZ, Slow Food Phoenix, and Tucson Originals. Farmer+Chef is generously sponsored by National Processing Solutions, Bar & Restaurant Insurance, Merit Foods, Tucson Foodie, and Green Living Magazine.
About Local First Arizona Foundation
The Local First Arizona Foundation is the 501(c)(3) sister organization to Local First Arizona. Both are statewide non-profit organizations working to strengthen communities and local economies through growing, supporting, and celebrating locally owned businesses throughout the state of Arizona. They educate consumers, stakeholders, business leaders, and policymakers about the significant economic, civic, and cultural benefits of strong local economies and local food. The foundation’s initiatives focus on developing a better food system focused on local foods, supporting historically underrepresented Latino-owned businesses, and empowering rural communities. More at www.localfirstazfoundation.org
