Tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 10th for past attendees of the annual food event and on Wednesday, August 11th for all. The Artisan Cup & Fork event is in its sixth year of celebrating local food and restaurants.
Four chefs will team up with Central Illinois farmers to make a one-of-a-kind meal for ticketed guests. Each team will have dessert prepared by a local baker, and the event will also have beer from 25 O’Clock Brewing Company and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery. Hendrick House will be behind the bar, serving signature cocktails featuring Silver Tree Down East Vodka in additon to mocktails and other non-alcoholic beverages.
The Land Connection announced the teams for this year’s event.
Team 1
Chef: Leah Bodine of Blue Dragonfly Catering
Meat: Triple S Farms
Produce: Sola Gratia Farm
Dairy: Prairie Fruits Farm & CreameryTeam 2
Chef: Curtis McGhee of C&C Kitchen
Meat: Kilgus Farmstead
Produce: Meyer Produce
Dairy: Ludwig Farmstead CreameryTeam 3
Chef: Mubanga Chanda of Stango Cuisine
Meat: Moore Family Farm
Produce: Blue Moon Farm
Dairy: Kilgus FarmsteadTeam 4
Chef: Gayle Starks of Neil St. Blues
Meat: Allison Centennial Farmstead
Produce: Honey Creek Farm
Dairy: Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery
Those with allergies may enjoy the allergy friendly meal provided by Piato Cafe. Piato Cafe is preparing meals for those who are vegan, nut-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, or shellfish-free.
The event will be Saturday, September 11th at Bluestem Hall. Tickets are available for guests for curbside pick up or on site attendance at the main event. The event coordinators are prepared to shift this year’s Artisan Cup & Fork to entirely curbside should rising COVID numbers require it. Buy your tickets here on Wednesday.
Tickets are $75 a person, or you can enjoy VIP tickets for $125 per person which includes a pre-event happy hour, a honey tasting with Two Million Blooms, and a maker’s bag filled with items from local artisans.
Keep an eye on The Land Connection’s website for more information on the event.
You can also read my interview from last year with organizer Taidghin O’Brien, as well as recaps of night one of 2020’s curbside event, night two, night three, 2019’s Artisan Cup & Fork event, and 2018’s.
Top image by Alyssa Buckley.
