Ohio’s Culinary Vegetable Institute (CVI) in Milan supplies vegetables and herbs to some of the fanciest high-end restaurants and hotels around the U.S. and the world, shipping to 49 states and seven countries. The property features a sustainable vegetable and herb garden, a culinary library, an outdoor kitchen, a root cellar and a 1,500-square-foot, two-story kitchen.
The institute began as a place for top-level chefs to come and test products grown on the Chef’s Garden Farm before ordering them for use in their restaurants.
“Our facility is primarily a test kitchen, but we welcome private events and groups regardless of culinary experience or abilities,” says Katelyn Zemba, the CVI’s event, sales, marketing and coordination manager.
Located 20 minutes from Sandusky and an hour from Cleveland, the CVI has bloomed into a popular destination as knowledge about it spreads and the “earth-to-table” dining boom continues.
“It has turned into a destination, and we get to share a high-quality culinary experience with the public,” Zemba says.PageBreak
Clearly, the main draw is the food...
“The produce from the farm is of the highest quality,” she says. “That is why people and groups come here.”
Catering for private events and dinners is done in-house, so the dining options are fantastic.
Visiting groups can tour the herb garden, and team-building opportunities include Iron Chef-style competitions, blind food and wine tasting and hands-on cooking.
Plus, the setting is picturesque...
“You’re out in the middle of farm country, and you find this rustic, riverside lodge with vaulted ceilings, a huge stone fireplace and gardens growing some of the highest-quality produce in the world,” Zemba says.
The Chef’s Garden, the company that operates the institute, also runs intensive educational sessions for food and beverage industry professionals, showcasing the locally grown, organic ingredients.
The institute’s kitchen accommodates up to 15 people for hands-on cooking activities, and the main dining room seats up to 100 guests. In the summer months, larger groups can hold tented outdoor events.
The CVI has full audiovisual capabilities, and smaller rooms for breakout sessions are available.
