Fresh food for a fresh cause

In just a few weeks, Gallatin Valley Farm to School (GVF2S) will be hosting its 5th annual Winter’s Bounty Farm to Table feast. The Winter’s Bounty event is an important fundraiser for Gallatin Valley Farm to School and the organization has partnered with several local restaurants to provide great meals featuring fresh, local ingredients.

Gallatin Valley Farm to School is a local nonprofit organization that focuses its work on introducing children and families in Gallatin Valley to local produce. GVF2S partners with numerous schools in the valley to help integrate fresh fruits and vegetables into students’ meals. The Exponent had the opportunity to interview Executive Director Phil Sarnoff who explained, “It’s just an opportunity for us to create a more equitable food system, especially where some of those children are really reliant on the school system for their nutrition.”

The Winter’s Bounty event is a wonderful opportunity for Bozeman residents to take home an incredible meal from some of the best restaurants in town. As Sarnoff puts it, “It was started primarily as a fundraiser for the organization so we can do the work that we do, but also as an opportunity for us to highlight all of the local producers in the community and to have a meal that really focuses on the local food that’s grown and produced in the Gallatin Valley”.

In response to COVID-19, participating restaurants will be serving four-course takeaway meals for those who buy tickets to this year’s festival.

The star-studded restaurant lineup for the Winter’s Bounty includes Fork and Spoon, the only pay-what-you-can restaurant in Montana. Fork and Spoon’s business model makes fresh, high-quality meals accessible to folks who can’t afford the full price. Leah Smutko, Head Chef at Fork and Spoon, uses locally sourced ingredients to create a menu that changes every week. “Having these meals essentially ends up being a supplement for people to get back on their feet, and then hopefully it will be a cyclical journey at that point,” she said. This year’s Winter’s Bounty will be the first for Fork and Spoon, and Smutko is excited to showcase the capabilities of her culinary team. “It’s fun to just say ‘Make whatever you want, make it as extravagant as you want, just feature local food and have fun with it’,” she said.

The partnership between GVF2S and local restaurants highlights the very best of what both parties have to offer, all while supporting a great cause. The Winter’s Bounty festival will be held on Friday, March 5, and tickets are still available on the GVF2S website at www.gvfarmtoschool.org/winters-bounty.