Vermont Fresh Network Announces Gold Barn Honor Recipients

New for 2013, the Vermont Fresh Network is recognizing our chefs who are exceptional supporters of Vermont farmers.

Each Gold Barn chef meets both of the following requirements:

1. Sourcing ingredients from 15 or more Vermont Fresh Network farmers.
2. 30% of their annual food expenditures are purchased from VT farmers and food producers, or they purchase over $175,000 of VT grown food products annually. 

Each establishment receives a special plaque that can be hung from the VFN tin sign and a special window sticker for their door. When our new website is complete, Gold Barn will be a prominent search filter. Recipients receive priority listing on any search results page. There is a special icon denoting the gold barn honor on the search results page & individual establishments pages.

"All Vermont Fresh Network chefs have to know their farmers and serve products from Vermont, but there are some chefs whose commitment to Vermont grown products is exceptional,” said Vermont Fresh Network executive director Meghan Sheradin. “The Gold Barn Honor give us a chance to recognize these chefs. Gold Barn chefs are the top 20% of our membership in terms of the number of Vermont farmers they partner with, the diversity of Vermont ingredients that they use and the volume of Vermont products they purchase. In is an inspiring group, and we are pleased to finally give them the accolades they deserve."

We are unveiling the Gold Barn Honor Program at the 17th Annual Forum Dinner on August 4th at Shelburne Farms.

List of VFN Members receiving the Gold Barn Honor:

• 3 Squares Cafe
• A Vermont Table-Catering by Terri Ziter
• American Flatbread at Lareau Farm
• Antidote
• Ariel's Restaurant
• Basin Harbor Club
• Cafe Provence
• City Market / Onion River Coop
• Cloud 9 Caterers
• Common Man Restaurant
• Craftsbury Outdoor Center
• Dish Catering
• Downtown Grocery
• El Cortijo Taqueria Y Cantina
• Essex Resort and Spa
• Farmhouse Tap & Grill
• Fletcher Allen Health Care Nutrition Services
• Guild & Company
• Healthy Living Market and Cafe
• Hen of the Wood
• Inn at Shelburne Farms
• Inn at the Round Barn Farm/Cooking from the Heart
• Inn at Weathersfield
• JDC's Just Delicious Catering
• The Kitchen at The Store
• Kitchen Table Bistro
• Let's Pretend Catering
• Leunig's Bistro
• Magnolia Breakfast & Lunch Bistro
• Michael's on the Hill
• Middlebury College Dining Service
• Natural Provisions Market & Deli
• Pistou
• Readmore Bed & Breakfast
• Red Hen Baking Co. Cafe
• The Reluctant Panther Inn & Restaurant
• Skinny Pancake
• Skinny Pancake-Montpelier
• SoLo Farm and Table
• Stowe Mountain Lodge-Solstice Restaurant
• Trapp Family Lodge
• University of Vermont-Sodexo Campus Services
• Windham Hill Inn
• Woodstock Farmers' Market