Check, Please! Planning Farm-to-Table Festival for Labor Day at Round Barn Winery

Check, Please! creator David Manilow is used to producing a show where everyday people get to weigh in on their reviews of Chicago-area restaurant. And now Manilow is taking the production to another stage: the outdoor event. This Labor Day weekend, Manilow will host the Check, Please! Farm to Table Fest at Round Barn Winery in Southwest Michigan.

The festival, set for Sept. 2 between noon and 4 p.m. EST, will pair up to 25 chefs from Chicago and Southwest Michigan who embrace the farm-to-table movment, including Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate), Chris Pandel (The Bristol, Balena), Jason Vincent (Nightwood), Michael Kornick (MK), Cleetus Friedman (City Provisions), Kevin Church (Owen & Engine) and more with 20 Michigan farmers in order to "bridge the gap and bring people to the source of their food," said Colleen Ryan, who, along with her husband, Tom Neubauer, are co-producing the event with Manilow.

The tasting event will be set up inside a tent on the Round Barn property where chefs will be paired at tasting stations with farmers. Guests will get the chance to taste raw produce from the farmers and then enjoy dishes crafted by the chefs that will incorporate the produce from farms like Klug, Green Acres, Bluestar Produce and others. Local wineries, including Round Barn, Free Run Cellars and Domaine Berrien Cellars, will pour wines to pair with the food.

Tickets for the Check, Please Farm to Table Festival will go on sale next week. General admission tickets cost $75 and VIP will go for $150. The Round Barn Winery is a short drive from Chicago and is located at 10983 Hills Road in Baroda, Mich. More information on where to purchase tickets will come next week so stay tuned for that.

Current list of chefs, farmers and wineries (note that more are being added):

Chefs:
· Alpana Singh (host of Check, Please!, The Boarding House)
· Cleetus Friedman (City Provisions)
· Mindy Segal (Mindy’s HotChocolate)
· Michael Kornick (MK)
· Chris Pandel (The Bristol, Balena)
· Matt Troost (Three Aces)
· Jason Vincent (Nightwood)
· Ben Sheagren (Hopleaf)
· Kevin Church (Owen & Engine)
· Mike & Pat Sheerin (Trencherman)
· Roger Herring (Socca)
· Rick Gresh (David Burke’s Primehouse)
· Guy Meikle (Nana)
· Rick Miranda (Cafe 28)
· Chad Miller (Cafe Soe)
· Jenny Drilon (Bentwood Tavern)
· Tim Sizer (Timothy’s)
· Ryan Thornburg (Bistro on the Boulevard)
· Joe Lindsey (David’s Deli)

Farmers:
· Klug Farms
· Iron Creek Farm
· Leaning Shed Farms
· Green Acres Farm
· Granor Farms
· Bluestar Produce
· Ryan Thornburg & Co
· Jakes Country Meats
· Hillside Orchards
· Sunny Harvest Farm
· Green Spirit Farm
· Local
· Alex’s Veggies
· Bluebird Meadows

Wineries:
· Round Barn Winery, Brewery & Distillery
· Free Run Cellars
· Domaine Berrien Cellars
· Wyncroft Winery
· Greenbush Brewing Company
· Journeyman Distillery