Berkshire Grown Hosting March Maple Dinner

LENOX, Mass. — A slate of culinary experts with local ties will display their skills using New England's first harvest of the year — maple syrup.

Berkshire Grown holds its annual March Maple Dinner on March 18 at Cranwell Resort to benefit the organization and Share the Bounty, which buys shares in local farms for food pantries.

This year's March Maple Dinner chefs cut their cooking teeth at either Wheatleigh or Blantyre in Lenox and Stockbridge. Many of these young chefs went on to other triumphs — Brian Young is now executive chef at Tavern on the Green in New York City; Hung Huynh, winner of "Top Chef Season 3," is now executive chef at The General, also in New York City.

Their hearts, however, have remained in the Berkshires and this is the first time all seven will gather to produce a meal in support of Berkshire Grown.

The maple-inspired five-course dinner features these creative chefs:

    Jeffrey Thompson, executive chef at Wheatleigh
    Brian Young, former cook at Wheatleigh and executive chef at Tavern on the Green
    Hung Huynh, former cook at Wheatleigh, "Top Chef" winner and executive chef at The General
    Chris Brooks, former executive chef at Blantyre, current owner of The Chef at Your Table catering company and chef at Austin Riggs
    Michael Roller, former executive chef of Blantyre and current owner of Savory Harvest Catering
    Shirl Gard, former pastry chef at Wheatleigh and current pastry chef at The Old Inn On The Green
    Host chef Carl Deluce, executive chef at Cranwell Resort

The event also features of live auction for a wine dinner for eight at The Old Inn on the Green, and a one-week stay at Casa Miel, a home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

The evening begins at 6 with hors d'oeuvres and a complimentary tasting of beverages by Barrington Brewery, Berkshire Mountain Distillers & M.S. Walker Wines with a cash bar available. Dinner follows at 7 with courses featuring maple syrup from local farms.

Tickets, by reservation only, are $100 for Berkshire Grown members, $125 for non-members. For reservations call the Berkshire Grown office at 413-528-0041.