On Monday, March 23, some of Berkshire County's most committed locavores—farmers, restaurateurs, chefs, civilians who are fussy about where their food comes from— gathered at the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge to celebrate the first harvest of the season (maple syrup) at Berkshire Grown's annual March Maple Dinner. Douglas W. Petersen, Commissioner of Agriculture for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (at left with Berkshire Grown board chair Julie Michaels), arrived too late to sample the cocktail-hour offerings by Barrington Brewery, Berkshire Mountain Distillers, and Furnace Brook Winery at Hilltop Orchards, but just in time to sit down to a feast prepared with local ingredients by an all-star team, seven of the county's most illustrious and farm-fresh-centric chefs.
The chefs, from left: Dáire Rooney of Brix Wine Bar in Pittsfield, Peter Platt of the Old Inn on the Green in New Marlborough, Joshua Needleman of Chocolate Springs in Lenox, Joji Sumi of Mezze Bistro + Bar in Williamstown, host chef Brian Alberg, executive chef at the Red Lion Inn, Adam Zieminski of Cafe Adam in Great Barrington, and Alexander Smith of Gramercy Bistro in North Adams, with Barbara Zheutlin, Executive Director of Berkshire Grown in the center.
Barrington Brewery owner/brewer Andrew Mankin and Nancy Dutton; John Rooney and Joade Bowman, manager of Brix Wine Bar, with their mother Nancy Quattrini, and Joade's wife Sarah Bowman.
Amy Butterworth, Berkshire Grown board member Ted Dobson of Equinox Farm in Sheffield, and Brian Butterworth, director of sales for the Red Lion Inn; Alex and Beth Carlisle and Berkshire Grown board member Lee Venolia
Susan Hollister, Betty Rich, Paul Rich and Barry Hollister; Bill & Donna Chandler of Sugar Maple Merinos
Jane Kasten, Nancy Kalodner and artist Joan Griswold; Berkshire Grown board member Tom Curtin and chair Julie Michaels
Gussie Greer and event planner Amy Rudnick; Berkshire Grown board member Laury Epstein and Megan Reisel of Kinesphere Yoga Studio in Lee.
Berkshire Grown board member Carole Murko, Honey Sharp, and Jim Finnerty; Pad Spence and Dai Ban
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Matteline deVries-Dilling, founder of Lite Brite Neon, one of the evening's honoree of this year's Upstate Benefit adresses the gala from the Caboose's caboose.
- Karen Pearson. Courtesy Art Omi.
Olana senior vice president and landscape curatorMark Prezorski, president Sean Sawyer, The evenings honoree Kristin Gamble and New York State Assemblymember Didi Barrett.
- Oxygen House Photo
