The Chef’s Garden, a specialty produce farm in Milan, Ohio, has opened the Culinary Vegetable Institute, a research and learning center “dedicated to the sharing of knowledge between the chef and the farmer, providing the optimum facility for creativity.”
The CVI is housed in an 11,000-square foot log building on a scenic riverfront location on the farm. It contains a 1,500-square-foot kitchen, dining room that seats 90, library, wine cellar, root cellar, and a chef’s suite to accommodate visiting chefs.
“The Institute provides the world’s most innovative chefs with a place to exchange information, experiment and discover techniques of growing and preparing the most flavorful varieties of vegetables in the world,” the mission statement says.
Several programs are planned by the CVI. “Veggie U” will educate food professionals and children of all ages on the culinary contributions of vegetables. “Chef’s Haven” will allow visiting chefs to use the facilities and gardens for education, team-building and retreats. Eventually, the CVI will offer several levels of membership, including non-professional members. It plans to offer a newsletter, educational website and events.
The Chef’s Garden, started by Farmer Bob Jones and now operated by his sons Bob and Lee, had already made its mark in the culinary world by selling exclusively to restaurants and growing more than 1,000 kinds of specialty produce. The farm has 100 acres of production and 65 employees. The senior Bob Jones envisioned the institute in 1992, and the family bought land for it in 1998. Beginning in 2001, an advisory board was created, made up of some of the famed chefs who are its customers. The board also raised funds and solicited donations of the state-of-the-art equipment in the kitchen. The CVI is set up as a non-profit educational organization.
For more information on the Culinary Vegetable Institute, including photos of the facility, visit www.culinaryvegetableinstitute.com.