Brian Henning's culinary adventures began as a young boy intently watching his father and grandmother craft amazing meals. Brian became hooked and has since crafted his own style of bringing distinct ingredients together to create unique dishes. He attended Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts and later became chef at The Machine Shed in Lake Elmo, whose five-word constitution declares, "Dedicated to the American Farmer." It was here that Brian forged his commitment to the farmer-consumer connection and now, sous chef at Bethel University, he brings this passion to a university setting.
Gary and Annette Gilbertson of Gilbertson Farms began working with Bethel University in 2006 during Freshman Welcome Week, where they served delicious roasted sweet corn and chatted about their farm with enthusiastic students. "Very quickly, the group at Bethel became more to us than just someone we were roasting corn for," admits Annette. "Each time we came on campus with the roaster, we spent quality time reminiscing with Brian and other Bethel staff on past years' events."
Gary Gilbertson grew up on a dairy farm and farming was central to his and Annette's life together. But when Gary passed away in March of 2008, their son Mark stepped into his dad's place and currently operates the farm with the family close at hand and his father close at heart. The Gilbertsons, who are Food Alliance Certified, run a diverse operation in Scandia, with about 300 acres of vegetables. In February of 2008, Food Alliance Midwest granted the Gilbertsons a "Keeper of the Vision for a Sustainable Future" Award for their leadership in developing both supply and demand for sustainably-grown foods.
